Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Its Register listing is the Hardesty, Ralph, Stone House. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1910 on, and the census since 1830.
Norwich dates its founding to 1827 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1830.
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Norwich’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Norwich.
Norwich was laid out in 1827, and named after Norwich, in England, the native home of a first settler. A post office has been in operation at Norwich since 1828. By 1833, Norwich had four stores, two churches, and two taverns. The village was incorporated in 1833.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Peaked at 324 in 1850; 87 people lived here in 2020.
19 censuses, 1830–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Norwich’s Wikipedia page.
Passages that mention Norwich, cut from the printed page as they were published.
In the History of Norwich above referred to we find the following entries, taken from the town records of Norwich: "Joseph Kelley, resident of Norwich, 1716."
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
1. JOSEPH KELLEY (1>, the first of the family concerning whom we possess reliable information, was born about the year 1690. He was one of the early settlers of Norwich, Connecticut,* which town had been purchased from the Indians in June, 1659, "by 35 men" and first settled by white men in the spring of 1660. In Caulkins' History of Norwich his name appears as a resident of that place in 1716, and that of one Thomas Kelley in 1719, "Probably both from Newberry."
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Sundale postoffice was established at the railroad depot, near Norwich, in April, 1880. J. P. Kelly, postmaster. PHYSICIANS.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Harper & Keitly built a "tramp sawmill," just south of lot twelve, in the town of Norwich, in 1827, which was afterwards turned into a brewery by Holley & Son. Applin & Abbitson were also its proprietors for a time. Finally it was turned into a tanner}', by James Caldwell.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
Born hereChalmers Wylie is born here
In the archiveHistoric National Road - Antique Car at National Road/Zane Grey MuseumOne decade in the archive so far: the 1990s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Norwich. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Norwich.
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Norwich’s page.
Retake this view · +15The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Norwich’s post office has been open since 1828. Another post office, McDonalds, opened and closed inside today’s town.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
In 1827, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Norwich’s post office opened in 1820, and the census of 1830 counted 206 people here.
One place: the Hardesty, Ralph, Stone House (listed 1980).
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikimedia Commons (6), the Library of Congress (1), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
Date?
2018
2018
2015
2009
2004
