New Milford Town History

• Chronological History of New Milford

The settlement of the town of New Milford began in 1706 when on June 22 John Noble, Sr., of Westfield, Massachusetts, purchased a "Right" from Richard Bryan of Milford, Connecticut. This "Right" was a "one hundred and one fourth part of the undivided territory then recently bought off the Native Americans, lying in the dense, sublime, primitive forests, nearly on the western border of Connecticut, where, unto that day, none by the wild Native American had made a habitation for the rest and security of man." This was also the year that the first meeting of the proprietors (the original purchasers of the land known as Weantinogue) town was held in Milford.

In the next spring or summer, 1707, John Noble, Sr., and his eight year old daughter, Sarah, made their way through the wilderness to New Milford. He built a fortified hut among the Native Americans at the foot of Fort Hill for them to live in while he worked on a house across the river where the town would be. The first house was erected in the town in 1707 or 1708. The second family to come to New Milford was that of John Bostwick. They were followed by several more families. During this time, the lots and plots were being laid out in the order of the arrival of the settlers.

On October 17, 1711, when the "Plantation" included 12 families and about 70 persons, the inhabitants petitioned the General Assembly for town rights and also the privilege of levying a tax to obtain a minister. The town was organized the next year. Shortly thereafter Mr. Daniel Boardman was secured to preach as a candidate. By this time the Town was laid out with a public Green and a cartway on what is now Bennett Street. Aspetuck Avenue was also laid out at this time. Log houses had been built for the twelve families.

In 1714 John Noble, Sr., who was the first elected town clerk, died and was the first adult to be buried in Center Cemetary. As the years passed, settlers continued to come to the town and as the town green additional buildings were built. In 1716 the first church was established in New Milford when "The First Church of Christ" was organized.

As the town continued to expand, the inhabitants saw the need for additional land and ‘The North Purchase’ was made in 1722. This land in the Park Land and northern vicinity was annexed to the town in May 1741.

In 1721 the inhabitants voted that a school should be maintained for 4 months during the winter and that the town was to bear one-half of the charges. The first school house was erected in 1728.

Beginning in 1774 the voters of New Milford expressed their stand in the Revolutionary War and provided financial support and pay to the men who served in the various companies of soldiers. Although no battles were fought in New Milford, the Town sent 285 men to fight in the War out of a total population of 2,776. Roger Sherman, whose house was near the present Town Hall until he moved to New Haven in 1761, was a prominent figure throughout the fight for independence.

In 1812, tragedy struck the Town when a severe epidemic broke out and 99 people died. During the early 1800’s many new church groups were organized and the town continued a steady growth with farming still the primary occupation.

An event of great importance took place in 1840 when the Housatonic Railroad was opened with an excursion train from Bridgeport. A large number of people gather to witness the arrival of the first train. "So great was the appreciation of the arrival of the train that the church bells were rung and an old cannon shot." Bank Street, which became the business center for the town, was opened by town vote a few months later.

New Milford was honored to have the first bank in Litchfield County. This bank was established in 1852 and occupied quarters in the little red brick building which now stands on the Historical Society grounds at the north end of the Green. Bridgewater was set off from New Milford as a separate town in 1856.

The second half of the century saw many new industries and technologies come to New Milford. The Water Witch Engine Company, local telephone and electricity companies, and newspapers were established during this time. Manufacturing of buttons, paint and varnish, hats, furniture, pottery and pasteboard was some of the industry that came to New Milford. Tobacco became the major crop of the region.

The Town’s worst disaster struck in 1902 when the main business section centered on Bank Street was almost completely leveled by the ‘Great Fire’. Following the blaze the merchants used wooden booths on the Green from which to sell merchandise until new buildings could be erected.

The twentieth century has seen New Milford continue to grow while remaining a typical New England community with a village green and many fine colonial homes throughout the vicinity.