Litchfield was purchased from the Colony of Connecticut in 1719 by a company from Hartford, Windsor and Lebanon, and given town privileges. Settlement began the following year. The name was taken from Litchfield in the English Staffordshire. The town is a high hill country, broken by stream valleys. It has four centers: Litcbfield village, which was made a borough in 1817 (originally an incorporated "village," the only instance in Connecticut;) the borough of Bantam (1915) where at one time there was considerable manufacturing; Milton; and Northfield. There are large summer colonies.
The borough of Litchfield, one of the most attractive villages in Connecticut, was the outpost and trading center for the northwestern frontier, and for many years the county seat of Litchfield County. Wealth accumulated, and by the end of the 18th century Litchfield had become one of the main seats of culture in the State. There were several iron foundries here, one of them specializing in ship anchors and chains.
The east and west street of Litchfield (R. 25) expands into a long central Green, from which two other main streets go off at right angles, all lined with beautiful elms. Entering from Goshen by R. 61, after passing on the left the buildings of George Junior Republic, we find ourselves on North St. Going down the west side of the street, a covered well and large elm mark the home site of Rev. Lyman Beecher (1 on Chart XX IV) minister of the church from 1810-1826, and one of the great preachers and reformers of his day. His two most distinguished children were born here: Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896) and Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887.) In the next block, the Lynde Lord House (2; Wm. Deming House) built in 1771, has 2 chimneys and gambrel roof, with dormer windows. Beyond this is the site of Miss Pierce's Academy (3) opened by Sarah Pierce in 1792, probably the first female seminary in America. During the next 40 years, about 3,000 young women from all parts of the country attended here. Farther south we pass *Sheldon's Tavern (4) a square house with mansard roof, built by Elisha Sheldon in 1760. His son Samuel used it as a tavern, and Gen. Washington slept in the northeast bedroom. A later owner, Senator Uriah Tracy, engaged the architect-builder Wm. Spratt to remodel the house. Four Ionic columns support an entablature, which in turn supports a 2nd-story projection, with a beautiful Palladian window surmounted by a bold pediment. The entablature as well as the main cornice are richly molded. There is a 3rd story with dormer windows, and the roof has an ornamental railing at the change of pitch. Sen. Tracy's daughter married Judge James Gould, one of the proprietors of the Law School, and some of the classes were taught here. The Tallmadge House (5) with gambrel roof and 2-story porticos on the wings, was built by Thomas Sheldon in 1775, and owned later by Col. Benjamin Tallmadge. He had been a classmate of Nathan Hale, and during the Revolution became chief of the Intelligence Service; he was the first to discover the identity of Major Andre, of whom be had charge until the executionl. Tallmadge had studied at the Law School, and settled in Litchfield in 1782, becoming one of the leading merchants.
On the east side of North St. opposite the Tallmadge house, is the *Julis Deming House (6) known as The Lindens, from the trees planted by his daughter Lucretia in 1838. It is the most pretentious house in Litchfield. In the pediment with its Palladian window and the refinement of architectural detail, we see the genius of Wm. Spratt, whom we shall meet again in the Cowles house in Farmington and Champion house in East Haddam. Deming secured his services through Zenas Cowles, who was a business acquaintance and in turn recommended Spratt to his father-in-law, Col. Henry Champion. (The south pediment and the east end are later additions.) The house, completed in 1793, took two years to build. The tremendous stones in the foundation were gotten out by professional stone-splitters; one of them is 22 by 2 feet, and 14 inches thick. Shingles for the roof were hauled by oxen from Pittsfield, Mass. The owner brought fireplace marbles, glass, etc. from England in his own vessels. Julius Deming was born in North Lyme in 1755, and, after service in the Revolution, moved to Litchfield in 1781, where he became its leading merchant. He owned ships trading with England and the West Indies. New Haven was used as a port, and strings of freight wagons, loaded with molasses and other goods, were a familiar sight on the inland road. With Col. Tallmadge and Oliver Wolcott, Jr., Deming organized the Litchfield China Trading Co. One of their ships, the "Trident." made voyages to China for 14 years. Deming and Tallmadge had branch stores in the neighboring towns.
At the corner of West St., in front of the dignified brick Jail, erected in 1812, is the Whipping Post Elm (7) the largest tree in Litchfleld, with a circumference of over 150 inches, to which malefactors were tied in the early days for their lashings. Across North St. stands the attractive Corner House (8) built by Charles Butler in 1792. It is of 2 1/2 stories with central chimney, and has quoins, and a good doorway at the corner, opening on East St. THe north wing has a 2-story portico. Continuing on the north side of East St., opposite the Green, we have the Collins House (9) built as an inn by John Collins, son of the first minister, in 1781-2. Next to this is the small building put up by Dr. Reuben Smith in 1781 as an apothecary shop, and known as Old Curiosity Shop (10;) it has the gable end to the street, with two bowed windows supported by brackets, the whole first story being protected by a shingled hood. Phelps' Tavern (11) built by David Buel in 1787 and probably the oldest hotel in the State in continuous service, is of 3 1/2 stories; at a later period the building broke out with porches, which conceal its really fine lines. The Congregational Church (12) the third meeting house, built in 1829, was replaced for a time by a Gothic experiment, but has been restored to its original place of service and beauty. It has a Doric portico, graceful spire, and fine interior woodwork. At the foot of the hill on East St., along Bantam River, lies the old East Cemetary, where most of the prominent leaders in Litchfield are buried.
On the Green, opposite South St., is the beecher memorial (13) on the site of the second meeting house, where Lyman Beecher preached; there is a medallion of Harriet Beecher Stowe and Henry Ward Beecher. At the southeast corner, in the east wing of the Iibrary, we find the Historical Society (14) with an interesting collection of portraits and local antiquities. There is an Indian collection, with material from an11-grave burial ground near Litchfield. Going down the east side of South St., we pass the large double house, at one time used as an inn, built in 1780 by Bejamin Hanks (15) one of Connecticut's famous clockmakers. Farther south, in front of St. Anthony's R. C. Church, is the Connecticut Sycamore (16) the last of the 13 trees set out by Oliver Wolcott. Jr., after the Revolution to represent the original States. The *Older Oliver Wolcott House (17) the oldest in the borough, dates from 1753. Oliver Wolcott (1726-1797) was born at Windsor. His father, Gov. Roger Wolcott, was one of the original proprietors of Litchfield. Oliver, after serving in the French war, where he reached the rank of major general, studied medicine under his brother Alexander, and began practice in Goshen. He was appointed sheriff of the new Litchfield county in 1751 and moved to Litchfield. He was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, took a leading part in the Revolution, and served as Governor from 1786 until his death. The house has a central chimney, a slight overhang in the attic story, and a graceful porch with 2 slender columns supporting an open gable. There are pediments over the 1st-story windows. The wing and the bay window on the north are later additions. Washington and Lafayette were entertained here. In the orchard to the rear, the leaden statue of King George III, torn down from Bowling Green in New York in 1776 and brought to Litchfield in a cart, was melted into bullets. The house to the south, built in 1773, was the home of Ephraim Kirby (18) who compiled the first Law Reports published in America. The original manuscript is in the Historical Society, along with the bullet mold from the Wolcott orchard.
On the east side of High St., which continues South St., a small house with gambrel roof is the traditional birthplace of Ethan Allen (1739-1789.) The family soon removed to Cornwall, and we have already met him in Salisbury and North Canaan. On the west side of South St. we find the Second Oliver Wolcott House (19.) It was built in 1799 by Elijah Wadsworth, but soon sold to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., who enlarged it. Modern additions include the outside porch, the south wing and the dormers in the roof. Oliver Wolcott, Jr. (I760-1833) succeeded Alexander Hamilton as Secretary of the Treasury, was the first President of the Bank of America, and served as Governor of Connecticut from 1817 to 1827, the period of the new constitution. He was a partner with Julius Deming and Col. Tallmadge in some of their trading enterprises, and started large woolen mills in Torrington. Our next landmarks are the tiny *Law School (20) built in 1784, and the house erected in 1773 by its founder, Tapping Reeve (21.) His wife was a sister of Aaron Burr, who was one of his first pupils. In 1782, he began the law lectures that drew students from far and near. This was the first regular law school in the country, and was carried on by Reeve and later by his associate Judge Gould until 1833. It was attended by over a thousand students, from every State in the Union. Of this number, 26 became U. S. senators, 90 Congressmen, many judges in high courts, and 3 Supreme Court justices. The House and Law School are open to visitors for a small fee. Next the Reeve House is the Samuel Seymour House (22) built in 1784, now the Episcopal Rectory, a fine example of the central hall type, with a slight overhang in both stories. The borough is full of houses from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, many of them still unspoiled. Some of the oldest houses in the town are to the west, in the vicinity of Milton.
About 1 1/2 miles southeast of Litchfield center, on Chestnut Hill, is the old Camp Ground of the 1st Conn. Heavy Artillery in the Civil War, marked by a monument. There is a fine west view from the road along the ridge. The old road southeast to Thomaston crosses a branch of the beautiful Wigwam Brook (followed by the Mattatuck Trail for a mile north of the reservoir,) passes Guernsey Hill on the right, with a good view in all directions, and goes over Northfield Hill, a drumlin made by the advancing ice. About 3/4 mile east of Northfield village, is the small State Park of Humiston Brook, in a gorge with old hemlock.
The Mattatuck Trail of the Conn. Forest and Park Assn. enters Litchfield from the east through White's Woods, an extensive game sanctuary, given by Alain C. White and maintained for the public by the White Memorial Foundation. There are many beautiful foot and bridle paths. Automobiles are not allowed, but one may motor through it on R. 61. Beyond Bantam River, the Trail passes north of Windmill Hill, another glacial relic, with a fine view of Bantam Lake. It then runs west of R. 25 to Prospect Mt., 1365 feet, with unusually good views from the east and west peaks. On a clear day one can see the Catskills and the peaks in lower Massachusetts. The slopes of the mountain have many old mine shafts. Nickel was found here, and some copper, but never in paying quantities. The Trail continues west along the rough but passable Dugway Rd., overlooking the beautiful Marshepaug Brook. There are other tramping trails in Litchfield: above the center, east of R. 61, along both the east and west branches of Bantam River; and along the west branch of Shepaug River, south of Milton. The Litchfield Bridle Path Assn. has laid out many bridle trails.
Leaving Litchfield borough to the southwest on the attractive R. 25, we pass on the right the marble milestone erected by Jedediah Strong in 1787: "33 miles to Hartford 102 miles to New York." The highway goes through the borough of Bantam, with connection by R. 109 for Bantam Lake. Just before reaching the boundary of the town, we pass Mt. Tom Pond, a State Park; the mountain itself is in the town of Morris.