Thousands of books and articles have documented the rich history of Norwich over the past 350 years. The purpose of this page is to introduce students, historians and researchers to a small number of select publications that provide outstanding, detailed descriptions of historical events and notable people who lived during the 1659-1959 time period. The books are listed in chronological order by the original date of publication. You can find the books by clicking the “Click Here” icon.
There are a very large number of beautifully illustrated “postcard” books that provide a glimpse into the unique character of Norwich throughout its 350 year history. However, these are not included in the list shown below. Instead, you can find these, and hundreds of other published media, by clicking on the “Media Library” tab shown on the left side of this page.
Most of the books and literature listed below may be found in the Otis Library in Norwich.
| Published | Author | Title | Description | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reference Books | ||||
| 1856 | Nathaniel Goodwin | Genealogical Notes, or Contributions to the Family History of Some of the First Settlers of Connecticut and Massachusetts | A thorough listing of family history for many of Norwich's early citizens | Click Here |
| 1859 | John Stedman | The Norwich Jubilee, A Report of the Jubilee at Norwich, Connecticut on the 200th Anniversary of the Settlement of the Town | A complete account of Norwich's 200th Jubilee Celebration | Click Here |
| 1859 | Daniel Coit Gilman | A Historical Discourse Delivered to Norwich, Connecticut, Sept. 7, 1859 at the Bicentennial Celebration of the Settlement of the Town | A thorough history of Norwich history from 1659-1859 | Click Here |
| 1866 | Frances Manwaring Caulkins | History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession From the Indians, to the Year 1866 | This seminal work presents a comprehensive account of early Norwich history | Click Here |
| 1873 | Malcolm McGregor Dana | The Annals of Norwich - Great Rebellion of 1861-65 | An in depth treatise of Norwich's involvement in the Civil War | Click Here |
| 1882 | Duane Hamilton Hurd | History of New London County, Connecticut: With Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men | A extensive collection of short biographies of prominent eighteenth & nineteenth century New London County men and women | Click Here |
| 1895 | Mary Elizabeth Perkins | Old Houses of the Ancient Town of Norwich, 1600-1800 | Provides descriptions and illustrations of many of the early founders of Norwich | Click Here |
| 1905 | J.H. Beers | Genealogical and Biographical Record of New London County Connecticut | Provides biographies before 1905 | Click Here |
| 1913 | Norwich Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut | Vital Records of Norwich, 1659-1848, Vol. 2, (1913) | Record of Norwich marriages and births, 1659-1848 | Click Here |
| 1922 | Benjamin Tinkham Marshall | A Modern History of New London County Connecticut, Volumes 1 & 2 | Could be thought of as an updated version of Frances Caulkins' 1867 book | Click Here |
| 1967 | Marian K. O'Keefe & Catherine S. Doroshevich | Norwich Homes & Families | Contains many descriptions and photographs of prominent eighteenth and nineteenth century homes and families. | Click Here |
| 2003 | Dale Plummer | Norwich | Contains a large number of significant nineteenth-century photographs that are accompanied with detailed descriptions | Click Here |
| 2014 | Patricia F. Staley | Norwich in the Gilded Age | Tells many stories of prominent Norwich people, places and events during the nineteenth-century | Click Here |
| 2015 | Patricia F. Staley | Norwich and the Civil War | This narrative details Norwich's extensive involvement and contributions to the Civil War | Click Here |
| Historical Fiction | ||||
| 2023 | Robert N. Dees | Norwich Gold | A fictional, coming of age novel, set in 1858 Norwich addresses effect of gold fever on Wawecus Hill | Click Here |
| Biographies | ||||
| 1894 | Samuel Giles Buckingham | The Life of William A. Buckingham: The War Governor of Connecticut | This 537 page book presents a detailed description of the life of one of Norwich's most prominent citizens | Click Here |
| 1976 | Larry R. Gerlach | Connecticut Congressman: Samuel Huntington, 1731-1796 | Presents the story of the man who many believe served as the first President of the United States | Click Here |
| 2013 | Steve Sheinkin | The Notorius Benedict Arnold | Presents the life and times of Benedict Arnold. A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery. | Click Here |
| 2014 | Beryl Fishbone | Legendary Locals of Norwich | Informative assortment of interesting stories of modern Norwich locals | Click Here |
| 2015 | Vic Butsch & Tommy Coletti | A Journey to the Gallows | Chronicles the life of soldier, adventurer and abolitionist Aaron Dwight Stevens. | Click Here |
| 2018 | Russell Mahan | Thomas Leffingwell | Tells the story of Thomas Leffingwell and how he rescued the Mohegan Sachem Uncas | Click Here |
| 2021 | Concetta Falsone-Codding | The Lonely Nest | Tells a heart-felt, engaging story of domestic abuse and its deep-rooted, horrendous consequences. | Click Here |
| 2022 | Tom Sullivan | Baseball's Sherlock Holmes: The Biography of Danny Murphy of the Philadelphia Athletics | A biography of one of Norwich's most famous baseball players. | Click Here |
| On-Line Newspaper | ||||
| 1777-1963 | Library of Congress | Chronicling America | A large collection of historic newspaper pages. FREE | Click Here |
| Non-Fiction Accounts | ||||
| 2023 | Julianne Mangin | Secrets of the Asylum: Norwich State Hospital and My Family | A riveting story of how treatment at the Norwich State Hospital created inter-generational family trauma. | Click Here |