111-640: North Stonington is a town in New London County, Connecticut which was split off from Stonington in 1724. The town is part of the Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region . The population was 5,149 at the 2020 census. According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 55.0 square miles (142 km), of which 54.3 square miles (141 km) is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km), or 1.20%,
222-494: A tannery , an iron works, cabinetmaking shops, and multiple grain mills and stores to serve the large factory workforce. The town's overall population rose from 2,500 shortly after incorporation to over 2,800 by the 1830s, and commercial activity during this period was facilitated by the opening in 1820 of the New London-Providence Turnpike, which today is known as Route 184 . It was also during this period that
333-628: A bedroom community for the postwar defense industry and military community of southeastern Connecticut, including such companies as Electric Boat , Pfizer , and Underwater Sound Laboratory. As a result, the town added 600 inhabitants during the 1950s (with the construction of the Cedar Ridge development) and three times that amount in the 1960s (with the opening of the Kingswood/Meadow Wood development near The Village). The town became readily accessible to anywhere in late 1964, when Interstate 95
444-621: A century and became known as the "Black Church", perhaps because its board walls were never painted and became dark with age. The Great Awakening swept through the American colonies in the early- to mid-1740s. One of the main results of this revivalist movement was the rapid growth of the Baptist Church in America, and North Stonington became a bastion of this denomination in Connecticut. Much of
555-450: A combined Oxford and Cambridge team in the oldest continuous international amateur competition in the world. As with other Ivy League universities, Harvard does not offer athletic scholarships . Harvard's athletic rivalry with Yale is intense in every sport in which they meet, coming to a climax each fall in the annual football meeting, which dates back to 1875 and is usually called simply " The Game ". While Harvard's football team
666-539: A generation this highway was the primary automobile route to Providence and Boston along the southern coast of New England. The establishment of paved highways through the town in the 1920s and 1930s laid the foundation for the rapid population growth and dramatic economic changes wrought after World War II in North Stonington and elsewhere in New London County. During the 1950s and 1960s, North Stonington became
777-536: A land grant in return for his military service. Burch had been a blacksmith in England before making the crossing to America and establishing a land stake. Other pioneers soon followed; families arrived during the 1670s and 1680s who formed the backbone of the town. They were the Mains, Miners, Wheelers, Browns, Palmers, Hewitts, and Averys, to name a few. Among those were John Swan and his family in 1707, for whom Swantown Road
888-512: A large market for woolen products for the Army, leading to a temporary resurgence in mill activity in North Stonington. Jumping at the new commercial opportunity, Alfred Clark built a large carding factory to process wool in Burch's Falls, costing him $ 34,000. The factory existed only until 1895, but the change in the community's name to Clark's Falls was permanent. The foundation of the old factory remains,
999-520: A partial resolution of border disputes among Connecticut , Rhode Island , and Massachusetts colonies also encouraged enterprising pioneers to move inland to stake claims. The first settlers to North Stonington were Ezekiel Main and Jeremiah Burch in 1667, who established settlements in the areas which became the village of North Stonington and Clark's Falls, respectively. Main was formerly of Massachusetts; he had served in King Philip's War and received
1110-401: A professor of mathematics at Brown University and was that institution's dean during 1913–1930. Finally, Ellen Fitz Pendleton was the sixth president of Wellesley College , presiding at that institution during 1911–1936. The Wheeler School and Library, with a building erected in 1901, offered free secondary education to town youngsters and also took in outside boarders. The library was on
1221-418: A range of intellectual areas in parallel with pursuit of a chosen major in depth fulfills the injunction of former Harvard president Abbott Lawrence Lowell that liberal education should produce "men who know a little of everything and something well". Some introductory courses have large enrollments, but most courses are small: the median class size is 12 students. Funding and faculty mentorship for research
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#17328478344731332-624: A reflection of the prodigious wool business in the town as a result of trade barriers erected by the United States against British textile imports that spurred considerable domestic demand for woolen products. At the same time, this same inventory shows the growing affluence in the town, a reflection of the town's agricultural wealth and growing mill activity. Five stores—including one with two floors—had sprung up. Two eminent citizens owned chaises : Revolutionary War veteran Elias Sanford Palmer of Pauchunganuc Hill, and Thomas Prentice, who lived in
1443-539: A senior thesis. Harvard College students must take a course in each of four General Education categories (Aesthetics and Culture; Ethics and Civics; Histories, Societies, Individuals; Science and Technology in Society) as well as a course in each of three academic divisions (Arts and Humanities; Social Sciences; Science and Engineering and Applied Science). They must also fulfill foreign language, expository writing, and quantitative reasoning with data requirements. Exposure to
1554-532: A short distance southwest of the center of Clarks Falls, which is at the intersection of Route 216 and Clark's Falls Road. A few other mills in Milltown (North Stonington village) and Laurel Glen survived until the early part of the 20th century. After the Civil War, the population of North Stonington—like most of rural New England—continued to dwindle, so that by 1910, after just over a century since its incorporation,
1665-640: A town hall meeting at Stonington's Road Church in April 1807, a small majority of voters decided for division, using the old dividing line between the North and South societies of the Congregationalist Church as the demarcation line. The new town then sent a request for the State Assembly to approve the measure. The Assembly, which met the following month, approved the new town's independence, but did not endorse
1776-424: A young graduate student who would later become Harvard's 21st and longest-serving president (1869–1909), bought red bandanas for his crew so they could more easily be distinguished by spectators at a regatta. Harvard has several fight songs, the most played of which, especially at football, are " Ten Thousand Men of Harvard " and " Harvardiana ". While " Fair Harvard " is actually the alma mater , "Ten Thousand Men"
1887-547: Is $ 168,800, with 53% of students coming from the top 10% highest-earning families and 20% from the bottom 60%. As of 2024, Harvard College tuition was about $ 57,000 and total costs about $ 83,000. However, Harvard offers one of the most generous financial aid programs in the United States, with need-blind admission and 100% of financial need met for all students. Families with incomes below $ 85,000 pay nothing for their children to attend, while families earning up to $ 150,000 pay no more than 10% of their annual incomes. Financial aid
1998-421: Is available in all disciplines for undergraduates at all levels. Nearly all undergraduates live on campus, for the first year in dormitories in or near Harvard Yard and later in the upperclass houses—administrative subdivisions of the college as well as living quarters, providing a sense of community in what might otherwise be a socially incohesive and administratively daunting university environment. Each house
2109-682: Is better known outside the university. The Harvard University Band performs these fight songs and other cheers at football and hockey games. These were parodied by Harvard alumnus Tom Lehrer in his song " Fight Fiercely, Harvard ", which he composed while an undergraduate. By the late 19th century, critics of intercollegiate athletics, including Harvard president Charles William Eliot , believed that sports had become over-commercialized and took students away from their studies. They called for limitations on all sports. This opposition prompted Harvard's athletic committee to target "minor" sports—basketball and hockey—for reform in order to deflect attention from
2220-425: Is from the 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates, "Race alone or in combination with one or more other races." Villages are named localities within towns, but have no separate corporate existence from the towns they are in. 41°28′N 72°06′W / 41.47°N 72.10°W / 41.47; -72.10 Harvard College Harvard College
2331-504: Is land and 107 square miles (280 km ) (13.8%) is water. The terrain of the county is mostly level, becoming more elevated only in its northern extreme. The highest point in the county is Gates Hill in the Town of Lebanon at approximately 660 feet (200 m) above sea level, and the lowest point is sea level. As of 1960, counties in Connecticut do not have any associated county government structure. All municipal services are provided by
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#17328478344732442-485: Is named. For most of the 18th century , the town's inhabitants focused on carving out homesteads and farms from virgin forests. This was a slow, generations-long process, as pioneers girdled massive, centuries-old trees until they rotted and fell to the ground, and then began the difficult work of clearing ground and moving boulders. Roads began to be forged through the receding wilderness, beyond just cattle paths and old Pequot trails. Colonial surveyors in 1753 marked out
2553-547: Is no longer one of the best as it was in football's early days, both Harvard and Yale have influenced the way the game is played. In 1903, Harvard Stadium introduced a new era into football with the first permanent reinforced concrete stadium of its kind in the country. Even older than Harvard–Yale football rivalry, the Harvard–Yale Regatta is held each June on the Thames River in eastern Connecticut. The Harvard crew
2664-615: Is nonresidential but fulfills the administrative and social functions provided to on-campus residents by the other twelve houses for undergraduate students living in the Dudley Co-op, many of the undergraduate students living off-campus (which are small in number), and the Visiting Undergraduate Students who study at Harvard for a term or year. Harvard's residential houses are paired with Yale's residential colleges in sister relationships. The Harvard Undergraduate Council (UC)
2775-642: Is one of only two such county-wide public water service providers in the state. Seven towns receive water service from one or more private corporations. The city of Norwich and most of the town of Groton provide for their own water service. Several towns in New London County have organized the Southeastern Connecticut Regional Resources Recovery Authority. The participating towns are East Lyme, Griswold, Groton, Ledyard, Montville, New London, North Stonington, Norwich, Preston, Sprague, Stonington, and Waterford. Education in
2886-645: Is part of the Windham Regional Council of Governments. The geographic area of the county is coterminous with the New London judicial district, with the superior courts located in the cities of New London and Norwich. Law enforcement within the geographic area of the county is provided by the respective town police departments. Prior to 2000, a County Sheriff's Department existed for the purpose of executing judicial warrants, prisoner transport, and court security. These responsibilities have now been taken over by
2997-509: Is presided over by two faculty deans, while its Allston Burr Resident Dean —usually a junior faculty member—supervises undergraduates' day-to-day academic and disciplinary well-being. The faculty deans and resident dean are assisted by other members of the Senior Common Room —select graduate students (tutors), faculty, and university officials brought into voluntary association with each house. The faculty deans and resident dean reside in
3108-420: Is solely based on need; no merit or athletic scholarships are offered. The four-year, full-time undergraduate program has a liberal arts and sciences focus. To graduate in the usual four years, undergraduates normally take four courses per semester. Midway through the second year, most undergraduates join one of fifty academic majors ; many also declare a minor (secondary field). Joint majors (combining
3219-793: Is the undergraduate college of Harvard University , a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts , United States . Part of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences , Harvard College is Harvard University's traditional undergraduate program, offering AB ( Bachelor of Arts ) and SB ( Bachelor of Science ) degrees. It is highly selective, with fewer than four percent of applicants being offered admission as of 2022. Harvard College students participate in over 450 extracurricular organizations and nearly all live on campus. First-year students reside in or near Harvard Yard and upperclass students reside in other on-campus housing. Harvard College
3330-508: Is typically considered to be one of the top teams in the country in rowing . Other sports in which Harvard teams are particularly strong are men's ice hockey , squash , and men's and women's fencing . Harvard's men's ice hockey team won the school's first NCAA Championship in any team sport in 1989, and Harvard also won the Intercollegiate Sailing Association National Championships in 2003. Harvard
3441-583: Is water. The land of North Stonington is located at the southeast corner of the state of Connecticut. Until the 17th century, the Pequots , the Niantics , and the Narragansetts were the residents in this area of southeastern Connecticut and adjacent parts of Rhode Island . Little is known about Native American activities in North Stonington prior to English colonization in the area. The Pequots' imprint remained in
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3552-459: The Charles River : Adams , Dunster , Eliot , Kirkland , Leverett , Lowell , Mather , Quincy , and Winthrop . Their construction was financed largely by a 1928 gift from Yale alumnus Edward Harkness , who, frustrated in his attempts to initiate a similar project at his alma mater, eventually offered $ 11 million to Harvard. Construction of the first houses began in 1929, but
3663-610: The Civil War , the best-known of these was the 21st Regiment of Connecticut Volunteers because its "G" company consisted completely of North Stonington residents. The 21st, arriving in Virginia , saw its first major combat in late 1862 during the Battle of Fredericksburg , endured heavy casualties at Drewry's Bluff in 1863, and participated in Grant's drive on Richmond in mid- to late 1864. Attrition
3774-589: The Connecticut State Marshal System . Fire protection in the county is provided by the towns. Several towns also have fire districts that provide services to a section of the town. Water service to 12 of the 21 towns of New London County is provided by a regional non-profit public corporation known as the Southeastern Water Authority. The Southeastern Water Authority supplies water to participating towns within New London County and
3885-450: The Sound . The flames and smoke from this hill alerted Randall and his men to react and move quickly to Stonington Point to repulse the attempted raiding party that intended to put Stonington Borough to the torch. The 1820s and 1830s saw continued growth of Milltown as a commercial center, to include the building of two fulling mills to process the town's prodigious wool production, as well as
3996-666: The War of 1812 , even if the war itself was deeply unpopular in Connecticut and elsewhere in New England. During the war North Stonington resident Lieutenant Colonel William Randall, the great-grandson of original settler John Randall, commanded the 30th regiment of Connecticut militia, which was mobilized twice. The first time was in June 1813, when Randall's regiment—which consisted of about 300 men, equally from Stonington and North Stonington—force-marched overnight in driving rain to Groton to help defend
4107-492: The census of 2000, there were 4,991 people, 1,833 households, and 1,424 families residing in the town. The population density was 91.9 inhabitants per square mile (35.5/km). There were 2,052 housing units at an average density of 37.8 per square mile (14.6/km). The racial makeup of the town was 94.31% White , 0.60% African American , 2.06% Native American , 1.06% Asian , 0.22% from other races , and 1.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.44% of
4218-412: The 107,057 households, 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.7% were non-families, and 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.98. The median age was 40.4 years. The median income for a household in
4329-402: The 1860s) and Laurel Glen, both in the eastern end of town, and Ashwillet and Pendleton Hill (known as Pauchunganuc until the 1840s), located respectively in the northwestern and northeastern corners of the town. Individual mills also emerged throughout the town to meet the grain and lumber milling needs of local communities at a distance from the five towns within the town. By the early part of
4440-506: The 18th century first- and second-generation farmers in North Stonington began harnessing the power of the town's rivers and streams to establish grist mills and sawmills . For example, Samuel Richardson, one of the first settlers in what is now the village, already had a mill in use along the Shunock River by 1702. However, it was only in the 1790s, after the United States had gained its independence, that mills began to emerge throughout
4551-441: The 19th century North Stonington's residents began to regard themselves as possessing a character separate from the communities of the southern part of the town to which they were still connected. The communities of Mystic , Stonington Borough , and Pawcatuck were far away—by the standards of the pre-automobile era—and, being of a seafaring nature, the "southerners" possessed significantly different needs and interests. Efforts by
North Stonington, Connecticut - Misplaced Pages Continue
4662-631: The Colonists and their Indian allies defeated the Pequots in the Pequot War of 1637, ending their dominance. Two descendant Pequot tribes are recognized by the state today, as are three other tribes. New London County was one of four original counties in Connecticut that were established on May 10, 1666, by an act of the Connecticut General Court, which states: New London County in 1666 consisted of
4773-601: The Congregational Church. An inventory of the town's taxable assets in the following year, 1808, provides a snapshot of the town's economic profile. The town was still predominantly devoted to agriculture. 53 percent of the town's area was given over to cultivation or pasture, the remainder being taken up by wooded land, much of it in rocky outcrops or in swamps. The town's roughly 2,500 residents lived in about 750 dwellings and possessed about 445 mature oxen and bulls, 1,354 cattle, and 388 horses. There were 3,335 sheep,
4884-536: The Congregationalist and Strict Congregationalist churches reunited and built a common church, which is the current location of the town's Congregational Church. The establishment of the other two Baptist churches was considerably less dramatic. The Rev. Waite Palmer organized the Second Baptist Church in 1765, located at the intersection of Pendleton Hill Road and Stillman Road. The third Baptist Church
4995-690: The North Stonington Historical Society. The commercial boom in the town was by no means limited to just a few families, and permitted the construction of many ornate homes in Milltown and elsewhere, many of which have survived to this day. Almost as soon as the town established itself as a commercial center larger, even, than Westerly , however, it was quickly bypassed by the effects of the Industrial Revolution , which favored larger towns astride similarly larger rivers to erect huge mills. North Stonington's population plummeted from
5106-668: The Norwich-Westerly Road, today known as Route 2 . The reluctance of settlers to walk the great distance every Sunday to the Road Church in Stonington led to the establishment of a northern Congregational society in 1717, in which the northern part of Stonington aimed to build its own meeting house. This "North Society" defined a boundary line that is identical to the border today between North Stonington and Stonington, although disagreements lasted until 1723 concerning this line and
5217-547: The Oxford and Cambridge model, which would eventually constitute a university, though no further colleges materialized in colonial era. The Indian College was active from 1640 to no later than 1693, but it was a minor addition not operated in federation with Harvard according to the English model. Harvard began granting higher degrees in the late eighteenth century, and it was increasingly styled Harvard University, even as Harvard College
5328-554: The Quinebaug Valley and the Rhode Island border. Windham County was constituted from Hartford and New London counties on May 12, 1726, consisting of towns in northeastern Connecticut. New London County lost the towns of Voluntown, Pomfret, Killingly, Canterbury, Plainfield, and Lebanon to the newly formed county. In 1785, Middlesex County was constituted, consisting of towns along the lower Connecticut River Valley, taking away
5439-507: The Wheeler family accumulated much of its mercantile wealth through its stores and trading connections. Maj. Dudley Wheeler (1796–1888) was the most prominent member of the family at this time; in addition to owning two stores in town, he also was extensively involved in the wool export business and during mid-century worked out of an import-export office in New York City . Over the next century,
5550-541: The Wheelers left their mark on the town through a number of legacies including providing large donations to the Congregational Church and the school system. Wheeler's son Dwight donated one of the family's stores to become the town hall in 1904 (today this building is the Old Town Hall). Unfortunately, the impressive Wheeler home located across the street from the town hall was destroyed by fire in 1938 and never rebuilt; today
5661-428: The age of 18 living with them, 52.50% were married couples living together, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.70% were non-families. 26.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.00. In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.40% under
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#17328478344735772-469: The age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 31.20% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 97.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.50 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 50,646, and the median income for a family was $ 59,857. Males had a median income of $ 41,292 versus $ 30,525 for females. The per capita income for
5883-461: The assembled land transferred to Harvard. The three Quad Houses enjoy a residential setting half a mile northwest of Harvard Yard. These were built by Radcliffe College and housed Radcliffe College students until the Harvard and Radcliffe residential systems merged in 1977. They are: Cabot , Currier , and Pforzheimer House . A thirteenth house, Dudley Community, formerly called Dudley House ,
5994-407: The average family size was 3.03. In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.1% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.2 males. The median income for a household in the town
6105-471: The case (which has since been appealed) found no evidence of explicit racial bias but did not rule out a small amount of implicit bias . Harvard has implemented more implicit bias training for its admissions staff in accordance with the court's recommendations. In addition, Harvard's admissions preference for children of alumni , employees, and donors has been criticized as favoring white and wealthy candidates. The median family income of Harvard students
6216-534: The city against a feared landing by British naval forces. The 30th Regiment returned to the colors again in August 1814, when a squadron of British warships bombarded Stonington Borough in preparation for a raid on the town. It was during this battle that Lantern Hill obtained the nickname "Tar Barrel Hill", because, in anticipation of an attack on Stonington, soldiers had moved pitch in barrels to its summit to set them alight to serve as an alarm if British forces appeared in
6327-495: The colonial period." The University of Oxford and University of Cambridge , two of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the English-speaking world , have long been structured with individual colleges as part of the larger university and with each college including an association of scholars that shared room and board. Harvard's founders may have envisioned it as the first in a series of sibling colleges replicating
6438-478: The congregation for this church came from Rev. Fish's flock, and the new Baptists established their own meeting house in 1743. This was the first Baptist church for both Stonington and North Stonington; today it is located at Pendleton Hill in the town's northeastern corner, but the original building sat a short distance to the south. A stone marker is now at the site. Turmoil within Rev. Fish's congregation culminated in
6549-423: The county area is usually provided by the individual town governments. The less populated towns of Lyme and Old Lyme have joined to form a single, regional school district (Region 18). School districts include: K-12: Elementary only: There is also a privately endowed publicly funded school, Norwich Free Academy . Since 1952, New London County has voted for the presidential candidate that won Connecticut. In
6660-515: The county was $ 24,678. About 4.50% of families and 6.40% of the population were below the poverty line , including 7.80% of those under age 18 and 6.60% of those age 65 or over. As of the 2010 United States Census , there were 274,055 people, 107,057 households, and 69,862 families residing in the county. The population density was 412.2 inhabitants per square mile (159.2/km ). There were 120,994 housing units at an average density of 182.0 per square mile (70.3/km ). The racial makeup of
6771-454: The county was $ 65,419 and the median income for a family was $ 80,425. Males had a median income of $ 54,352 versus $ 41,721 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 32,888. About 5.0% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 9.7% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over. Data is from the 2010 United States Census and the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Data
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#17328478344736882-399: The county was 82.2% white, 5.8% black or African American, 4.2% Asian, 0.9% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 3.2% from other races, and 3.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 8.5% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 18.9% were Irish , 15.2% were Italian , 14.8% were English , 11.6% were German , 9.6% were Polish , and 3.7% were American . Of
6993-469: The departure of another group that formed a "Strict Congregationalist Church" in 1746 more than a mile west of the Village. This schism was deeply traumatic for the Rev. Fish, who later wrote that the "order of families as well as of churches and religious families, is vilely broke, dissolved and lost… the reins of government are thrown upon the neck, and nothing but anarchy and confusion reigns." During 1817–1827,
7104-672: The deprivations and uncertainty of the war years. Mills during the late 18th century quickly began to proliferate in the village along the Shunock River to such an extent that the locale took the name of "Milltown", and the Avery family and other landowners began to sell lots along what is now the western end of Main Street to house businesses and dwellings for workers in the mills. Smaller communities, with their own churches, post offices, mills, and stores, emerged in Burch's Falls (renamed Clark's Falls in
7215-691: The enrollment of recipients of the National Merit $ 2,500 Scholarship ; it enrolled 207 such scholars in the Class of 2022. Harvard College ended its early admissions program in 2007, but for the class of 2016 and beyond, an early action program was reintroduced. The freshman class that entered in the fall of 2017 was the first to be majority (50.8%) nonwhite. A federal lawsuit alleges that Harvard's admissions policies discriminate against Asian Americans, who tend to be overrepresented among students with high academic achievement. A 2019 district court decision in
7326-478: The entire university. Radcliffe College , established in 1879, originally paid Harvard faculty to repeat their lectures for women. Since the 1970s, Harvard has been responsible for undergraduate matters for women, though women's Harvard diplomas were countersigned by the President of Radcliffe until a final merger in 1999. Admission is based on academic prowess, extracurricular activities, and personal qualities. For
7437-483: The five state-recognized Indian tribes, although the Paugassett were historically located farther west. The population was 268,555 as of the 2020 census. On June 6, 2022, the U.S. Census Bureau formally recognized Connecticut's nine councils of governments as county equivalents instead of the state's eight counties. Connecticut's county governments were disbanded in 1960, and the councils of governments took over some of
7548-399: The forest, to the point where today the town is largely under trees. Some of the people who left North Stonington during this era went on to become leading citizens elsewhere in New England. Samuel Prentice , born in 1850, attended Yale University and served as Connecticut's Chief Justice during 1913–1920. Otis Randall, born in 1860 and a scion of one of the town's founding families, become
7659-629: The future route of the Pawcatuck-Voluntown Road (today known as Route 49 ). One of those who worked on this project was 16-year-old Silas Deane , who later represented Connecticut during the First and Second Continental Congress and served briefly as one of the United States' first diplomats in France . In 1768, a weekly stagecoach was opened between Norwich, Connecticut and Providence, Rhode Island via North Stonington and Pawcatuck; this road became
7770-447: The house, as do resident tutors. Terms like tutor, Senior Common Room, and Junior Common Room reflect a debt to the constituent college systems at Oxford and Cambridge from which Harvard's system took inspiration. The houses were created by President Lowell in the 1930s to combat what he saw as pernicious social stratification engendered by the private, off-campus living arrangements of many undergraduates at that time. Lowell's solution
7881-504: The land on which they were built had been assembled decades before. After graduating from Harvard in 1895, Edward W. Forbes found himself inspired by the Oxford and Cambridge systems during two years of study in England; on returning to the United States he set out to acquire the land between Harvard Yard and the Charles River that was not already owned by Harvard or an associated entity. By 1918, that ambition had been largely fulfilled and
7992-432: The last two presidential elections, Democratic strength was predominantly seen in the cities of New London and Norwich , as well as much of the county's southern and coastal areas. Conversely, Republican strength in the same elections was seen in the northern areas of the county. As of the census of 2000, there were 259,088 people, 99,835 households, and 67,188 families residing in the county. The population density
8103-545: The late 1830s as people left to work in Westerly and Norwich. By 1840 the town's population had dropped to 2,269, and by 1870 it was down to 1,759. Adding to North Stonington's decline in population was that an increasing number of the town's youth were joining the wave of migrants heading west to try their fortunes on the frontier. Adventuresome townspeople had been attempting this before the Revolution—an early attempt to settle
8214-557: The local governmental functions. Connecticut's eight historical counties continue to exist in name only, and are no longer considered for statistical purposes. Southeastern New England was dominated by the Pequot people at the time of English colonization. They spoke the Mohegan-Pequot language and were one of the Algonquian -speaking tribes in the coastal areas. After years of conflict,
8325-469: The location is occupied by a parking lot. Another leading businessman during this period was Stephen A. Main (1805–86) who like Dudley Wheeler established himself as a local businessman and mill owner before moving to New York City to work in various commercial enterprises. After the Civil War Main returned to North Stonington and bought one of Dudley Wheeler's stores in Milltown; Main's home today houses
8436-537: The location of the northern meeting house, requiring the colonial assembly's intervention several times. In 1724, North Stonington gained its name by decree of the Connecticut Assembly. A church was finally erected in 1727 located on a knoll at the junction of Wyassup and Reutemann roads. It gained a permanent minister in 1731, when the Rev. Joseph Fish arrived, newly ordained from Harvard ; he served until his death at 76 in 1781. This meeting house stood for about
8547-515: The northwest part of town. Shopkeepers Daniel and Saxton Miner in Milltown owned the sole other vehicle mentioned, a "carriage on springs". Nine leading citizens, including Elias Sanford Palmer and Thomas Prentice, also possessed another status symbol: clocks with "steel and brass parts". Serving not just the thirst of the townspeople but also of the many millworkers were nine taverns, five of which were connected with stores. North Stonington and its older sister Stonington played an enthusiastic role in
8658-527: The number of residents stood at only 1,100, less than two-fifths than at the town's height during the mill era. The town's youth continued to migrate to the big cities to earn their fortunes, or to join the wave of pioneers flocking west to settle the frontier. As people left the town, land prices steadily deflated, enabling some farmers with means to buy up large tracts throughout North Stonington and adjoining towns. One such land baron and renowned town character, Lafayette Main, amassed such large holdings through
8769-469: The original "draft" system, masters (now called "faculty deans") negotiated privately over the assignment of students. From the 1960s to the mid-1990s, each student ranked the houses according to personal preference, with a lottery resolving the oversubscription of more popular houses. Today, groups of one to eight freshmen form a block which is then assigned, essentially at random, to an upperclass house. The nine "River Houses" are south of Harvard Yard, near
8880-591: The past thirty years has continued, but at nowhere near the break-neck pace of the 1950s and 1960s; today, some residents wish to maintain the town's rural charm and bedroom nature while others wish to boost the local economy and capitalize on area tourism to lessen the tax burden on residents. Because of its access to I-95, rural charm, and proximity to the Mashantucket casino in the adjacent town of Ledyard , North Stonington has attracted numerous would-be developers who have advanced much-needed entertainment park ideas for
8991-408: The population. There were 1,833 households, out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were non-families. 16.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and
9102-424: The reason why the country's third president—then midway through his second term—was so popular among North Stonington residents, although perhaps Jefferson's public criticism of the Congregational Church's domination of politics and religion in Connecticut earned him the loyalty of the local Baptist community, which perhaps regarded him as a champion of their rights in a state that still enshrined preferential rights to
9213-730: The requirements of two majors) and special majors (of the student's own design) are also possible. Most majors lead to the Artium Baccalaureus (AB). Some award the Scientiae Baccalaureus (SB). There are also dual degree programs permitting students to earn both a Harvard AB and a Master of Music (MM) from either the New England Conservatory of Music or the Berklee College of Music over five years. In most majors, an honors degree requires advanced coursework and/or
9324-435: The second floor. In 1950, North Stonington replaced the 15 one-room schools with a consolidated school for the primary grades. Secondary students attended Stonington High for a time, then in 1956 a new Wheeler High School opened. In succeeding years a junior high and elementary school were built nearby. Today the original building still serves the town as its library. In the early 20th century progress arrived to re-stitch
9435-596: The southeastern corner of Connecticut and comprises the Norwich - New London, Connecticut Metropolitan Statistical Area , which is also included in the Hartford - East Hartford, Connecticut Combined Statistical Area. There is no county government and no county seat, as is the case with all eight of Connecticut's counties; towns are responsible for all local government activities, including fire and rescue, snow removal, and schools. New London County contains reservations of four of
9546-402: The southern communities from the late 18th century to build a number of relatively expensive construction projects along the coastline, such as a new road from Stonington Borough to Mystic and a bridge over Lambert's Cove, at first led residents of the northern end of the town to oppose budgeting monies for these projects, and eventually caused the northerners to secede and form their own town. At
9657-573: The southwestern corner of the town, established in 1683. For much of the 17th century, North Stonington was thinly populated by the Pequots and European settlers. Starting in the 1630s and 1640s , the English established coastline settlements in Wequetequock, which is now Old Mystic , and Pawcatuck . However, the pressure of a growing population and continued immigration in succeeding decades caused homesteading to steadily push northward. The end of hostilities following King Philip's War of 1676 and
9768-523: The then-wild Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania in the 1760s ended in disaster—but in the 1790s small groups began leaving to help settle new towns in upstate New York and, later, Ohio . Out-migration through the late 19th and early 20th centuries ensured that the town's population would remain on a gradual, downward slope, despite the fact that the families still tended to be large. While men from North Stonington joined several Connecticut regiments during
9879-524: The town economically with the outer world, first in 1906 in the form of a trolley line that traversed North Stonington on its way from Westerly to Norwich. The trolley line ran for 15 years, until bankrupted by the opening of the Route 2 highway for automobiles on the old Westerly-Norwich stage road. In 1933–1934 Route 184 was put through along the route of the old New London-Providence Turnpike. Its extra heavy underlayers of gravel has never required repair. For
9990-520: The town in a serious way. The primary reason for this was that the town's farmers were no longer focused on clearing land and subsistence cultivation, and were now producing ever-larger crop and livestock yields that could be exported to markets, either in Connecticut or as far away as in Boston and the West Indies . Second, during this period the country was emerging into a period of economic prosperity after
10101-406: The town's gradual increase, and the graduating class of 2006 was 65, although Wheeler remains one of the smallest high schools in Connecticut. The town's rapid residential growth led to the development in 1963 of planning and zoning restrictions and guidelines as citizens became increasingly anxious about the potential for overdevelopment destroying the rural nature of the town. Population growth in
10212-590: The town's proposed new name of Jefferson, and instead directed that the town would be named "North Stonington", citing as justification that for almost a century the northern part of Stonington had been known by that name. While the Assembly's reasoning is superficially logical, its rejection of the name "Jefferson" almost certainly was motivated by the considerable antagonism held by dominant Federalist politicians in Hartford , who led New England in their opposition to President Jefferson and his policies. We do not know
10323-455: The town, however. The first white settlers kept a number of their names for the town's main geological features, including the town's main water course of Shunock Brook, as well as Assekonk Swamp and Wintechog and Cossaduck hills. Further, colonial authorities eventually allotted two reservations to the Pequot tribe, including a plot of land on the eastern bank of Long Pond adjacent to Lantern Hill in
10434-509: The town. North Stonington residents and visitors cherish the town for its beauty and historic value. In 1983 the village was added to the National Register of Historic Places , based on 58 existing homes and other buildings from the late 18th and early 19th centuries within its environs. Two houses located elsewhere in the town, for their age and historic value, are also on the register: the homes of Luther Palmer and John Randall. As of
10545-475: The towns of Killingworth and Saybrook from New London County. Several additional boundary adjustments took place in the 19th century: the establishment of the town of Marlborough in 1803, the transfer of the town of Lebanon from Windham County in 1824, and the transfer of the town of Voluntown from Windham County in 1881. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 772 square miles (2,000 km ), of which 665 square miles (1,720 km )
10656-681: The towns of Stonington, Norwich, New London, and Saybrook. The "Homonoscet Plantation" was settled in March 1663, at first as Kenilworth, but was incorporated as the town of Killingworth in 1667. Several new towns were incorporated and added to New London over the next few decades: Preston in 1687, Colchester in 1699, and Lebanon in 1700. The settlements along the Quinebaug Valley were placed in New London County in 1697, and incorporated as Plainfield in 1699. By 1717, more towns were established in northeastern Connecticut and added to New London County between
10767-623: The towns. Regional councils of governments were established throughout the state in 1989 in order to address regional issues concerning infrastructure, land use, and economic development. Most of the towns of New London County are part of the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments, the exceptions being the towns of Lyme, Old Lyme, and Lebanon. Lyme and Old Lyme are part of the Connecticut River Estuary Regional Planning Agency, while Lebanon
10878-407: The two locales. However, pension records and other documents from the 19th century indicate that numerous men joined various Continental and militia units, particularly the 6th and 8th Militia Regiments, the latter of which joined Gen. George Washington's army in the Battle of Long Island in the autumn of 1776. Three North Society men assumed notable roles in the war: As early as the first part of
10989-541: The undergraduate class of 2025, Harvard had 57,435 applications and accepted 1,968 (3.4% acceptance rate). For the undergraduate class of 2023, the middle 50% range of SAT scores of enrolled freshmen was 710–770 for reading and writing and 750–800 for math, while the middle 50% range of the ACT composite score was 33–35. The average high school grade point average ( GPA ) was 4.18. The acceptance rate for transfer students has been approximately 1%. Harvard consistently ranks first in
11100-419: The western end of town (as well in adjoining towns) that when asked how many acres he owned, would reply, "I really don't know. I have never been over half of it." Depopulation and the growing mechanization of agriculture caused a gradual reduction in the number of farms and acreage devoted to cultivation and pasturage, which beginning in the latter half of the 19th century led to a gradual but inexorable return of
11211-472: Was Nathaniel Eaton (1610–1674); in 1639, he also became its first instructor to be dismissed, for overstrict discipline. The school's first students were graduated in 1642. The Harvard Indian College was established, with the capacity for four or five Native Americans, and in 1665 Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck ( c. 1643 –1666) "from the Wampanoag … did graduate from Harvard, the first Indian to do so in
11322-408: Was $ 57,887, and the median income for a family was $ 61,733. Males had a median income of $ 45,625 versus $ 29,133 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 25,815. About 3.3% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 1.5% of those age 65 or over. New London County, Connecticut New London County is a county in
11433-687: Was 389 people per square mile (150 people/km ). There were 110,674 housing units at an average density of 166 per square mile (64/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 87.00% White , 5.29% Black or African American , 0.96% Native American , 1.96% Asian , 0.06% Pacific Islander , 2.05% from other races , and 2.68% from two or more races. 5.11% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 13.8% were of Irish , 12.7% Italian , 10.8% English , 7.9% German , 7.1% Polish and 6.4% French ancestry, 90.1% spoke English , 4.5% Spanish and 1.1% French as their first language. There were 99,835 households, out of which 32.40% had children under
11544-456: Was built and two exits were opened in North Stonington. Starting in the 1970s, a number of "tech parks" opened in North Stonington's southeastern corner, adjacent to I-95. The dramatic growth in the town's population had a direct impact on the size of the school system; whereas in the late 1950s the average graduating class ran in the teens, by 1965 it had more than doubled to 42, and was 51 in 1968. School population since then has mirrored that of
11655-601: Was established in 1828 to serve the rapidly growing population of millworkers in the village of North Stonington. Men from the town participated in the French and Indian War of the 1760s; some marched as far as the siege of Montreal . But it was the Revolutionary War that garnered the town's enthusiasm. It is difficult to determine the precise number of townsmen who joined the fight, given that North Stonington still formed part of Stonington and clerks did not distinguish between
11766-594: Was founded in 1636 by vote of the Great and General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony . Two years later, the college became home to North America's first known printing press , carried by the ship John of London . In 1639 the college (heretofore unnamed) was named Harvard College in honor of deceased Charlestown minister John Harvard (1607–1638) who had bequeathed to the school his entire library and half of his monetary estate. Harvard's first Headmaster
11877-553: Was increasingly thought of as the university's undergraduate division in particular. Harvard College is currently responsible for undergraduate admissions, advising, housing, student life, athletics, and other undergraduate matters except instruction, which is the purview of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences . The body known as the President and Fellows of Harvard College retains its traditional name despite having governance of
11988-478: Was so high among officers in the regiment that North Stonington resident James F. Brown, who entered the war as commander of "G" company, ended the war as a lieutenant colonel and commander of the regiment. William S. Hubbel, who enlisted in the regiment from North Stonington, earned the Medal of Honor for capturing a large number of Confederate soldiers while leading a small raiding party in 1864. The Civil War created
12099-463: Was the first Ivy League school to win an NCAA Championship in a women's sport when its women's lacrosse team won in 1990. The school color is crimson , which is also the name of Harvard's sports teams and the student newspaper, The Harvard Crimson . The color was unofficially adopted (in preference to magenta ) by an 1875 vote of the student body, although the association with some form of red can be traced back to 1858, when Charles William Eliot ,
12210-561: Was the student government of Harvard College until it was abolished by a student referendum in 2022. It was replaced by the Harvard Undergraduate Association (HUA). The Harvard Crimson fields 42 intercollegiate sports teams in the NCAA Division I Ivy League , more than any other NCAA Division I college in the country. Every two years, the Harvard and Yale track and field teams come together to compete against
12321-527: Was to provide every man—Harvard was male-only at the time—with on-campus accommodations throughout his time at the college; Lowell also saw great benefits in other features of the house system, such as the relaxed discussions—academic or otherwise—which he hoped would take place among undergraduates and members of the Senior Common Room over meals in each house's dining hall. How students come to live in particular houses has changed greatly over time. Under
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