About twenty miles upstream from the maritime centers of Groton and New
London, the Thames River abruptly splits into the Shetucket and Yantic.
It is at this Y shaped intersection that the city of Norwich is built on and
above those riverside banks. As early as 1694, Norwich had become a shipping
center, but the 1764 English Stamp Act necessitated the reinvention of
Norwich as a mill town hosting the beginnings of this city’s extraordinary
architectural variety. In fact, Norwich has three historic districts
available by walking tours showcasing the wonderful diversity of building
styles that grace this small city.
“The Rose of New England”
One of
those districts, the downtown area known as Chelsea, has the benefit of
Colonial, early nineteenth century, and Victorian buildings sprinkled across
the hills that have been compared to the petals of a rose. But for the
real botanical thing, Mohegan Park’s Rose Garden presents 1,500 rose bushes
in 120 varieties surrounded by that park’s 385 acres of wooded trails. Back
to the riverside, Yantic Falls is only one of the many waterfront
attractions that include the Heritage Riverfront Walkway, the Marina at the
American Warf, and the Howard T. Brown Park’s water edge festivals and
concerts. The sun does in fact set in Norwich, and when it does, the
Norwich Arts Council sponsors the “First Friday” concert series with top
flight jazz and acoustic music performances and around the corner, The
Spirit of Broadway Theatre is Norwich’s home to an outstanding variety of
plays and musicals.
