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What is a Freshet ??
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word ‘freshet’ as: “a great rise of overflowing of a stream caused by heavy rains or melted snow”
This simple definition of the word does not even hint at the devastating effects that freshets had on Norwich in 1700s and 1800s. The annual breaking up of ice in Norwich’s rivers often resulted in a destructive overflow of their waters. When the rains came and the ice began to crack, mills and bridges were swept away, meadow lands were devastated, fences destroyed, and serious losses were sustained.
Some parts of the town were peculiarly exposed to such ravages. The narrow and winding outlet of the Shetucket, and the high banks that restrain it on the south, naturally tend to throw the accumulated swell of the river over the flat part of downtown Norwich. A potentially diastrous situation.
An Overview of Historic Norwich Freshets
09/04/1720: A flood: “The flood raised Norwich river to a prodigious height; stacks of hay floated down; it carried away the bridge by the meeting house and much fence.”
02/28/1729: An extraordinary flood of the Shetucket River: “The warehouses at the Landing were much injured, but the newspaper adds the compensatory information, ‘there was fine bass-fishing after it,’ twenty thousand bass having been taken in the river a little below the point.”
01/16/1737: A thaw and freshet of unusual power: “The Shetucket above its outlet being impeded by a solid bed of ice, the rushing flood was suddenly thrown back, and spreading over the low land, rose to twenty feet in ten minutes, sweeping off three warehouses with all their contents, and injuring several others. Blocks of ice were left in some instances on the roofs of buildings.”
Spring 1757: “a severe flood committed great havoc with the bridges and other works of man exposed to its fury”
01/08/1784: A sweeping freshet that affected both the Yantic and Shetucket Rivers: “Several mills and bridges on the upper courses were swept away, and large quantities of lumber came floating down the streams. Happily there was but little ice in the Thames, to obstruct the downward flow, and Chelsea escaped inundation. A slaughter-house near the wharf bridge was swept off with all its contents, beef, hides, tallow, cooperage, and tools, and not a vestige left.”
February 1788: A freshet: “… destructive to the smaller bridges. Lovett’s was entirely demolished, and many others so much injured as to make reconstruction necessary.”
06/10/ 1789: A freshet: “The Shetucket and Yantic, swollen by their impetuous tributaries, sweeping aside bridges, mills and dams, deluging corn-fields, and precipitating large rocks upon the meadows, came rushing down upon Norwich Landing, and lilted the river nearly to a level with its lower tier of roofs.”
01/29/1797: A freshet resulting from a January thaw: “The smaller rivers were broken up, and heavy blocks of ice sweeping downwards committed great havoc in their course. The courthouse bridge was so thoroughly broken up that only a heap of fragments remained.”
02/07/1897: A flood caused of melting blocks of ice: “The cracking of the vast blocks of ice was like the crash of thunder. The Shetucket rose eighteen or twenty feet. Lord’s and Lathrop’s bridges were swept away. On Sunday morning, fire was cried through the streets, and alarm bells were rung. The flood rose so rapidly that several families were taken by surprise and imprisoned in their houses. They retreated to the upper stories, but when the water came within a few inches of the second floors, it was considered unsafe for them to remain, and they were brought away in boats, into which they dropped from the window.”
09/21/1815: A destructive wind gale rose the tide in Chelsea Harbor to an unprecedented level: “Several stores on the wharves were swept entirely away, and others injured. On the wharf bridge the depth of water was five or six feet; beating over it with such fury as to carry off the market and a store adjoining. The market drifted up the river and lodged on the east side of the cove, thirty or forty yards above the bridge.”
03/06/1823: A remarkable freshet, caused by 24 hours of continuous rain fell upon a deep snow: “Six bridges over the Yantic were carried away, viz., three in Norwich, two in Bozrah, (at Colonel Fitch’s Iron Works and Bozrahville), and one in Franklin. The oil mill at Bean Hill was swept off, and the oil mill and machine shop near the Falls much injured. On the wharf bridge some of the buildings were shifted in their position, or partly turned round, and the Methodist Chapel, which stood on the bridge, was swept away entire, moving off majestically like a ship from her moorings bowing to the waves and righting herself again, floating a mile down the river before any part of it was broken, and the frame keeping together, according to report, until it passed into the Sound.”
03/11/1835: A freshet similar to the one on 03/06/1823: ” … the water rising twelve or fifteen feet. The walls, sheds, and small buildings along the banks of the Shetucket were swept away like chaff. Lathrop’s bridge was broken up; a shanty used by workmen on the Norwich and Worcester Railroad was carried past the city without breaking; another building in which some persons were collected was submerged nearly to the roof, and the occupants were taken from it by boats.”
02/08/1854: Breaking up of ice: “most of the wharves were submerged by the breaking up of the ice, and the basements of buildings near the river filled with water. Central wharf and the Junction railway were overflowed.”
04/30/1854: A violent rain rain storm: ” … caused another inundation; the currents of the Yantic and Shetucket struggling together, threw the water back, and the wharf bridge was partially destroyed.”
02/09/1857: A freshet caused a 50-year flood: “The heavy timbers from Lord’s and Lathrop’s bridges came floating down with fearful power. In the flood of 1807 it was East Chelsea that was submerged, the rise of water being in the Shetucket and in Stony brook ; but in that of 1857, the water front of the city was swept over by the raging flood.”
03/26/1876: A remarkable freshet that flooded downtown Norwich: “… an old resident said, was 13″ higher than that of 1857 [flood] … it is said that there was 10 feet of water over the Taftville Dam.”
Acknowledgements
“History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession From the Indians, to the Year 1866”, page 352, by Frances Manwaring Caulkins
“Historic Floods in New England (1964)”, pg M48, by M.T. Thomson, W.B. Gannon, et. al.
“Flood of 1876, Norwich, Connecticut”, photographed by William H. Jennings
The complete list of sources may be found by clicking the “Bibliography” button, and, then typing “freshet” in the SEARCH box.
*Place cursor over image to magnify
1728 Bridge Raising Tragedy
The Shetucket River has always been a natural barrier to convenient transportation between the northeastern part of Norwich, (just north of present-day Saint Joseph Cemetery), and points easterly, such as Providence, Rhode Island. The earliest known method for crossing the river was by ferry boat.
The first bridge, circa 1717, was most likely built by a general turnout of local inhabitants. The structure, known as Lathrop’s Bridge, was named for its nearest prominent landholder and was frequently used by inhabitants of Newent to cross the Shetucket to attend religious ceremonies in Norwich proper.
Unfortunately, in February of 1727, a freshet raised the waters of the Shetucket and the bridge was swept away. This act of God created the immediate need for a new bridge. The installation of a new 250-foot long bridge, 20-feet over the river, was set to occur on June 28, 1728.
According to the first page of the pamphlet shown above, written by John Walton, and printed in 08/07/1728 by Thomas Green of New London, “A considerable number of men in this place were raising a cart-bridge, about 20 feet high, and above 250 feet long, over the Shoutucket River …. as they were putting together the upper part of that work, which they had almost finished and secured [when] a principal piece of timber which lay in the foundation of this upper-work, being spliced gave way at the joint and falling, necessarily trip’d up.”
Forty men were erecting the bridge when a 100-foot section collapsed, dropping most of them 20 feet (and one man 40 feet) amid falling timbers to the rocky shallows below. Many were injured, and two died: Jonathan Gale of Canterbury, who was only 19 years-old, and Daniel Tracy. Tracy was 76 years-old and only there to see the work being done as one of the founders of the project. He just happened to be on the bridge at the time.
The copy of the pamphlet shown above belonged to Daniel Tracy’s nephew, Winslow Tracy (1689-1768).
Info Source 2 states, “Mr. Tracy was not a person concerned in the affair, only as he was a benefactor to it, and went out that day to carry the people some provision, and happened to be on the bridge at that juncture of danger: a man that had always been noted for an uncommon care to keep himself and others out of probable danger, and yet now himself insensibly falls into a fatal one.”
“And very remarkable is it, that to keep his son at home this day, and so out of danger by that occasion, he chooseth to go himself on the fore-named errand, and is taken in the snare which he thought more probable to his son.”
Daniel Tracy’s foot-stone in the Old Norwichtown Cemetery reads : “This worthy in a good old age died by a fall from a bridge.”
Daniel’s father Lt. Thomas Tracy, was one of Norwich’s founding fathers.
Acknowledgements
“Many Survived 1728 Shetucket River Bridge Disaster” (12/27/1989), Hartford Courant, by Diana Ross McCain
“History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession From the Indians, to the Year 1866”, ppg 343-346, by Frances Manwaring Caulkins
The complete list of sources may be found by clicking the “Bibliography” button, and, then typing “1728 bridge” in the SEARCH box.
1793 CHelsea Fire
On Nov. 26, 1793, fifteen buildings were destroyed by fire in Chelsea, (present-day downtown Norwich), viz., the Congregational Meeting House, four dwelling-houses, six stores and shops, and four barns.
At the time, it was the largest fire ever known in Norwich. It raged from six to ten o’clock pm, wind fresh from the northwest. The fire broke out in a store belonging to Messrs. Hubbard & Greene, and thought to have been spread through a fissure in the chimney to some paper rags piled against it. This building stood on Water Street, near the post office (of 1865). The fire swept away everything combustible from there to the junction of Main Street, and crossing that street, consumed the large store of Levi Huntington, full of goods, the Congregational Meeting House, and almost every building on that side from there to the Thames River.
Most of the buildings were old and comparatively of small value, and a large portion of the goods was saved; but there was no insurance on any of the property. There was at the time a fire engine of small power in Norwich, which was brought out on this occasion, but the hose broke at the first trial, and little could be done to arrest the flames. Loss estimated at £8,000, — a small sum compared with the extent of the fire.
Beginning of Fire Insurance in Norwich
First Insured by the Mutual Assurace Co.
The great fire of 1793 quickened public opinion in regard to the benefits to be derived from insurance. Within twenty days after the catastrophe, the inhabitants were invited by a committee, consisting of Ebenezer Huntington, Joseph Perkins, Joshua Huntington and Roger Griswold, to meet at the court-house and form an association against future calamitous losses.
A company was organized and went into operation in 1794, under the title of the “Mutual Assurance Company,” for insuring houses and other buildings from losses by fire. Christopher Leffingwell was one of the first subscribers and held policy #1 on his dwelling.
Acknowledgements
“History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession From the Indians, to the Year 1866”, ppg 552-553, by Frances Manwaring Caulkins
1823 Chelsea Flood
On March 6, 1823 a powerful freshet caused by 24 hours of continuous rain falling upon a deep snow flooded downtown Norwich. Six bridges over the Yantic were carried away, viz., three in Norwich, two in Bozrah, (at Colonel Fitch’s Iron Works and Bozrahville), and one in Franklin. The oil mill at Bean Hill was swept off, and the oil mill and machine shop near the Falls much injured. The Methodist Episcopal Chapel on the Chelsea (present-day downtown Norwich) Wharf Bridge suffered one of the most remarkable consequences of the flood.
The Methodist Episcopal Chapel On the Chelsea Wharf Bridge
Reverend David N. Bentley and his wife Letitia were regarded as the pillars of the Methodist Church in Norwich for more than 50 years. He organized a church in 1811 at his home. In the early spring of 1816 Rev. Bentley requested assistance from others, but meeting no success, contracted, upon his own responsibility, for the erection of a church, 36×30 feet, to be located on the north side of Wharf Bridge. In order to complete the undertaking, after having expended his personal means, he mortgaged his house upon a loan of six hundred dollars.
During the 1823 flood some of the buildings on the wharf bridge shifted their position, or partly turned round. Most notably, Reverend Bentley’s Methodist Chapel, which stood on the bridge, was entirely swept away.
Info Source 1 described the event: “… the Methodist chapel, which stood on the bridge, was swept away entire, moving off majestically like a ship from her moorings bowing to the waves and righting herself again. According to one report the chapel floated a mile down the river before any part of it was broken, and the frame kept together until it passed into the Sound.”
Forty-three years after the flood, Reverend Edgar F. Clark wrote about the 1823 event in his book that documents the history of the early Methodist Episcopal churches in Norwich. (Info Source 2).
The years previous to 1823 were redolent of good to the Landing Society; but during that conference year, the great flood of Feb. 23, 1823 bore away their joy and pride, leaving the feeble and sorrowing band in the deepest consternation. The church building was wrested from its foundations, and carried on the bosom of the raging main like some huge ark, until, when nearly opposite the “boiler shop,” the current of the Shetucket turned its course upon a large rock, felling its sides, and dismissing the roof, which was never heard of, while the floor landed on the flats, nearly opposite Allyn’s Point.
Just previous to its dislocation, Mr. Bentley entered the chapel, and removed the Bible and Hymn Book. The Society was left in debt, and a superficial interpretation might have rendered the event ominous of the divine displeasure. Overwhelmed by the loss of the church on the Wharf Bridge, the feeble Society at the Landing experienced little but hopelessness.
Aaron Cleveland, the great-grandfather of Grover Cleveland enjoyed telling the story of the overflowing of a Norwich river in March 1823. The sudden rise of water washed away the Methodist Chapel which, with its lights still burning, is reported to have sailed serenely down the river and past astonished skippers on Long Island Sound.” (Info Source 2). Most likely, the story was greatly enhanced by Mr. Cleveland ….
Acknowledgements
“History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession From the Indians, to the Year 1866”, page 352, by Frances Manwaring Caulkins
“The Methodist Episcopal Churches of Norwich, Conn.,” (1867), page 59, by Reverend Edgar F. Clark
The complete list of sources may be found by clicking the “Bibliography” button, and, then typing “1823 flood” in the SEARCH box.