Mill Hill Historic Park
Encyclopedia
Mill Hill Historic Park in Norwalk
, Connecticut
is a living history museum
composed of three buildings: the circa 1740 Governor Thomas Fitch IV "law office", the circa 1826 Downtown District Schoolhouse, and the 1835 Norwalk Town Hall; as well as a historic cemetery
. The museum is also known as the Mill Hill Historical Complex in some references and the sign at the parking lot reads Norwalk Mill Hill Museum.
Mill Hill is located at the eastern end of Wall Street at its intersection with East Avenue in Central Norwalk
. In the 18th century the Hill was called Whitney's Hill after the family name of the miller. The burying ground, which is now the third or fourth oldest in Norwalk, was established by the First Congregational church
in 1767. There are 11 veterans of the American Revolutionary War
buried in the Mill Hill Burying Ground.
The original Fitch house was constructed around 1740 on Goodman Hoyt Hill (which was later known as Earl's Hill) on the east side of what is now East Avenue. Governor Thomas Fitch died on July 18, 1774 and the house was left to his survivors including his wife Hannah and son Thomas Fitch V (of Yankee Doodle
fame). The Fitch family house was partially burned in the British raid of Norwalk
on July 11 and 12, 1779 since Hannah Fitch, of tory inclinations, had vacated the town of Norwalk to avoid the raid
(the British spared only tory properties in their raid). Fitch descendants lived in the house that was reconstructed after the raid until 1945. In 1956 the portion of the Fitch house that survived the British
raid was saved when Earls' Hill was removed to make room for the construction of the Connecticut Turnpike
and moved to Mill Hill. In 1971 the Fitch house remnant was restored to look like an 18th century law office such as what Governor Fitch would have used.
The first schoolhouse in Norwalk constructed for that purpose was built around 1678 located near what had served as the Roger Ludlow School in East Norwalk (that building is now an apartment to the northeast of the East Norwalk Historical Cemetery). Several other school buildings were constructed, including one that was likely burned in the British raid of 1779. The schoolhouse at the Mill Hill site was constructed around 1826 near a former southern intersection of Willow Street and East Avenue. The school became known as the Down Town district schoolhouse since "Down Town District" was the name used for what is now called East Norwalk until about 1883 or 1893. The building was used as a school until 1876. Over the subsequent years it was moved several times as neighboring property boundaries were altered. When Interstate 95
was built through East Norwalk the schoolhouse was moved to Mill Hill.
At the founding of the Town of Norwalk in 1651 plans were made to construct a meeting house which was done by 1659. That original meeting house
also served as the Congregational church
. By about 1726 the town's Congregationalists requested that civic meetings be held outside of the church. Civic leaders at first complied with the request by holding meetings in various private homes and then eventually in the Up Town District School (near St. Paul's on the Green, but since relocated). By 1736 the first "Town House" for Norwalk was constructed at the site of where the Trolley Barn is located at Wall Street and Knight Street. The next Town House was built on the Mill Hill site but that building was burned in the 1779 British raid. In the aftermath of the burning Colonel Thomas Fitch V and other community members were appointed to a committee to plan the reconstruction of the Norwalk Town House, but the task was not completed until 1794. The 1794 Town House was not kept in good repair and by 1834 was such an embarrassment that it was torn down by vandals. The present Town House at Mill Hill was built in 1835 by Captain Lewis Raymond, who had brought brick to Norwalk as ship ballast. It was possibly the third or fourth building in town constructed of brick. This Town House served the Town of Norwalk until the city-town consolidation that took effect June 30, 1913. Town business then moved to South Norwalk’s City Hall (which eventually became a museum too). The Norwalk Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution
leased the Mill Hill Town House building beginning in 1924 and added a kitchen and bathroom at the rear of the building along with a basement. Today the Town House continues to be used for displays of historic memorabilia, meetings, social occasions, and educational programs including visits by schoolchildren.
The Mill Hill Historic Park at 2 Wall Street is now maintained by the Norwalk Historical Society and the Norwalk-Village Green Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution
.
Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
is a living history museum
Open air museum
An open-air museum is a distinct type of museum exhibiting its collections out-of-doors. The first open-air museums were established in Scandinavia towards the end of the nineteenth century, and the concept soon spread throughout Europe and North America. Open-air museums are variously known as...
composed of three buildings: the circa 1740 Governor Thomas Fitch IV "law office", the circa 1826 Downtown District Schoolhouse, and the 1835 Norwalk Town Hall; as well as a historic cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
. The museum is also known as the Mill Hill Historical Complex in some references and the sign at the parking lot reads Norwalk Mill Hill Museum.
Mill Hill is located at the eastern end of Wall Street at its intersection with East Avenue in Central Norwalk
Central Norwalk
The Central or Midtown section of Norwalk, Connecticut is an urbanized area in roughly the geographic center of the city, north of the South Norwalk neighborhood and the Connecticut Turnpike. Wall Street, West Avenue and Belden Avenue are the main thoroughfares...
. In the 18th century the Hill was called Whitney's Hill after the family name of the miller. The burying ground, which is now the third or fourth oldest in Norwalk, was established by the First Congregational church
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
in 1767. There are 11 veterans of the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
buried in the Mill Hill Burying Ground.
The original Fitch house was constructed around 1740 on Goodman Hoyt Hill (which was later known as Earl's Hill) on the east side of what is now East Avenue. Governor Thomas Fitch died on July 18, 1774 and the house was left to his survivors including his wife Hannah and son Thomas Fitch V (of Yankee Doodle
Yankee Doodle
"Yankee Doodle" is a well-known Anglo-American song, the origin of which dates back to the Seven Years' War. It is often sung patriotically in the United States today and is the state anthem of Connecticut...
fame). The Fitch family house was partially burned in the British raid of Norwalk
Tryon's raid
In July 1779, British Major General William Tryon and 2,600 men embarked onto a Royal Navy fleet led by Admiral George Collier, and raided the Connecticut ports of New Haven, Fairfield, and Norwalk. Military and public stores, supply houses, and ships were destroyed, as were private homes,...
on July 11 and 12, 1779 since Hannah Fitch, of tory inclinations, had vacated the town of Norwalk to avoid the raid
(the British spared only tory properties in their raid). Fitch descendants lived in the house that was reconstructed after the raid until 1945. In 1956 the portion of the Fitch house that survived the British
raid was saved when Earls' Hill was removed to make room for the construction of the Connecticut Turnpike
Connecticut Turnpike
The Connecticut Turnpike, known now as the Governor John Davis Lodge Turnpike, is a freeway in Connecticut that runs from Greenwich to Killingly. It is signed as Interstate 95 from the New York state line at Greenwich to East Lyme, and then as Interstate 395 from East Lyme to Plainfield...
and moved to Mill Hill. In 1971 the Fitch house remnant was restored to look like an 18th century law office such as what Governor Fitch would have used.
The first schoolhouse in Norwalk constructed for that purpose was built around 1678 located near what had served as the Roger Ludlow School in East Norwalk (that building is now an apartment to the northeast of the East Norwalk Historical Cemetery). Several other school buildings were constructed, including one that was likely burned in the British raid of 1779. The schoolhouse at the Mill Hill site was constructed around 1826 near a former southern intersection of Willow Street and East Avenue. The school became known as the Down Town district schoolhouse since "Down Town District" was the name used for what is now called East Norwalk until about 1883 or 1893. The building was used as a school until 1876. Over the subsequent years it was moved several times as neighboring property boundaries were altered. When Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Connecticut
Interstate 95, the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, runs in a general east–west compass direction for 111.57 miles in Connecticut from the Rhode Island state line to the New York State line. I-95 Southbound from East Lyme to the New York State...
was built through East Norwalk the schoolhouse was moved to Mill Hill.
At the founding of the Town of Norwalk in 1651 plans were made to construct a meeting house which was done by 1659. That original meeting house
Meeting house
A meeting house describes a building where a public meeting takes place. This includes secular buildings which function like a town or city hall, and buildings used for religious meetings, particularly of some non-conformist Christian denominations....
also served as the Congregational church
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
. By about 1726 the town's Congregationalists requested that civic meetings be held outside of the church. Civic leaders at first complied with the request by holding meetings in various private homes and then eventually in the Up Town District School (near St. Paul's on the Green, but since relocated). By 1736 the first "Town House" for Norwalk was constructed at the site of where the Trolley Barn is located at Wall Street and Knight Street. The next Town House was built on the Mill Hill site but that building was burned in the 1779 British raid. In the aftermath of the burning Colonel Thomas Fitch V and other community members were appointed to a committee to plan the reconstruction of the Norwalk Town House, but the task was not completed until 1794. The 1794 Town House was not kept in good repair and by 1834 was such an embarrassment that it was torn down by vandals. The present Town House at Mill Hill was built in 1835 by Captain Lewis Raymond, who had brought brick to Norwalk as ship ballast. It was possibly the third or fourth building in town constructed of brick. This Town House served the Town of Norwalk until the city-town consolidation that took effect June 30, 1913. Town business then moved to South Norwalk’s City Hall (which eventually became a museum too). The Norwalk Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution
Daughters of the American Revolution
The Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are descended from a person involved in United States' independence....
leased the Mill Hill Town House building beginning in 1924 and added a kitchen and bathroom at the rear of the building along with a basement. Today the Town House continues to be used for displays of historic memorabilia, meetings, social occasions, and educational programs including visits by schoolchildren.
The Mill Hill Historic Park at 2 Wall Street is now maintained by the Norwalk Historical Society and the Norwalk-Village Green Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution
Daughters of the American Revolution
The Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are descended from a person involved in United States' independence....
.