Founded in 1659 on land purchased from the Mohegan Tribe, Norwich is often called “The Rose of New England” for its rolling hills, said to resemble rose petals, and its wealth. Norwich’s position at the confluence of three rivers, between Boston and New York, made it a desirable mill, shipping and railroad town. By the mid-19th century, it claimed to have more millionaires per capita than any other city in the United States.
“Norwich was one of the most affluent cities in the country,” says Monica Obuchowski, a broker associate with Signature Properties of New England, who lives just north of the city. The Millionaire’s Walk near Norwich Free Academy is where the city’s well-to-do built their homes. Today the ornate mansions are still there, though many have been split into apartments. “Historic buildings aren’t torn down here. You can still see them throughout the city,” Obuchowski says. “I like it when people take the old and make it shine again.”
Immigrants from Canada, Europe and other areas moved to Norwich to support its mills in decades past. Today, institutions like Norwich Free Academy, a private co-ed high school, and Backus Hospital, the largest employer in Norwich, have continued to add to the city’s diverse, global community. “International students can study at Norwich Free Academy,” says BJ Lee, a broker associate with William Raveis and a Norwich resident. “The hospital attracts doctors and other medical professionals worldwide.” With Electric Boat, the primary builder of U.S. submarines, and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London less than 20 miles south, Norwich is a town where many cultures — not just rivers — converge. “Downtown doesn’t just have craft breweries,” Lee says. “You can find Jamaican, Asian and other international cuisines, too.”
With marinas, casinos and shopping centers, Norwich attracts people who enjoy modern city amenities. Norwich Harbor sits at the source of the Thames River where residents can access a boat ramp, docks, piers and a marina. “People also come for the casinos,” Obuchowski says. “Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods casinos offer more than slots and gaming tables. Each casino features restaurants and high-end or outlet stores.”
Norwich’s "The Rose of New England" mural adds charm to this historic Connecticut town.
Located south of Downtown Norwich, Laurel Hill features homes with easy river access.
Downtown Norwich, CT, thrives where three rivers intersect, reflecting a rich trade past.
The Mohegan Sun stands out as the top attraction near East Great Plains, CT.
1/4
Housing styles and options in Norwich
Homes in Norwich range from antique Colonials built in the late 1600s to modern condominiums developed in the late ‘80s from repurposed mills and factory buildings. In Central Norwich, most homes are Victorian or colonial in style, built in the mid- to late 1800s. These houses often feature decorative front porches with fanciful architectural details, original hardwood floors and walk-up attics with extra living space. In the Yantic and East Great Plains neighborhoods, many dwellings were built in the 1950s or later and include ranch-style houses with attached garages, well-maintained Cape Cods with family rooms and walk-out basements, and large colonial-style homes with mature landscaping and pet-friendly backyards.
In Taftville, named after the founder of Ponemah Mill, the largest former mill on the city’s east side, homes are a mixture of historic and vintage suburban. Many older, turn-of-the-century houses have been converted into multi-family homes, from five-unit Queen Anne-style residences to utilitarian two-family duplexes. The Taftville area also offers a handful of mobile home parks.
Laurel Hill, which extends from downtown south along the Thames River, is the site of the Thermos on the Thames Condominium Complex. The property was redeveloped from the former Thermos plant, originally built between 1912 and 1913, where Thermos brand vacuum flask bottles were manufactured until 1984. Converted in 1989, many of the condos retain the plant’s industrial look with exposed beams, wooden ceilings and large windows that overlook the Thames River.
Yantic, CT, is filled with streets showcasing colonial and historic homes to explore.
Overlooking Laurel Hill, these Colonial homes showcase classic New England style.
Experience modern living in East Great Plains, CT, with stylish condominiums.
Discover the historic architecture of Norwich, CT, featuring Victorian and colonial styles.
1/4
Recreational spots and professional sports
Created in 1908, Mohegan Park is the city’s largest green space, occupying 385 acres in the center of town. The park’s name pays tribute to Uncas, Sachem (or chief) of the Mohegan Tribe, who deeded the land to the first settlers of Norwich. Visitors will see the Veterans Memorial Rose Garen when they enter the park on Judd Road. The garden features over a hundred varieties of roses and is a popular place for wedding photos. The park also offers picnic areas, playgrounds, and several hiking and biking trails that lead to scenic overlooks. Spaulding Pond, a 13-acre body of water for swimming and fishing, is one of two ponds in the park. The lower pond is often used for ice skating.
Central Norwich also offers the Estelle Cohn Memorial Dog Park on Asylum Street. Nearby, the Howard T. Brown Memorial Park sits where the Yantic, Shetucket and Thames rivers meet at the foot of downtown. The park features a gazebo, walking paths, docks, fishing piers and a boat launch. Food trucks park at Howard T. Brown because it is a convenient gathering spot downtown, and the Norwich Downtown Farmers Market is held here on Wednesdays. The park also faces the Marina at American Wharf, which offers 160 boat slips and services for vessels up to 200 feet.
In East Great Plains, the Norwich Golf Club features an 18-hole public course that hosts tournaments and invitationals. The RoseGarden Ice Arena is adjacent, with public skating hours, hockey leagues and private skating lessons. Both facilities are close to the 10,000-seat Mohegan Sun Arena, where the Connecticut Sun WNBA team plays. For baseball fans, the Norwich Sea Unicorns play at Senator Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium in Yantic, also called Norwichtown.
Shop local at Norwich Farmers Market, held Wednesdays at Howard T. Brown Park, Norwich, CT.
Norwich Golf Course in East Great Plains, CT, is perfect for golf enthusiasts.
Explore vintage and custom cars at the Bozrah's Farmers Market car show in CT.
East Great Plains, CT, is the gateway to Norwich and the well known Mohegan Sun Casino.
1/4
Where to explore history, dining and the arts
History buffs will enjoy a visit to the Leffingwell House Museum, a Colonial-era tavern in Yantic. Built in 1675 and later transformed into a townhouse by Christopher Leffingwell in 1776, the museum is full of artifacts chronicling the Leffingwell family's life in the 18th century. The Norwichtown Historic Cemetery nearby dates to 1715 and is the final resting place of Revolutionary War-era notables like Benedict Arnold’s mother and Samuel Huntington, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Yantic also has shops like Dexter’s Smoothie Coffee Vault, where customers walk up for locally sourced, hand-crafted beverages.
Downtown has some of the trendiest establishments for eating, drinking and live entertainment, such as Strange Brew Pub. Housed in a 1741 Colonial still house, Strange Brew features an extensive beer menu, an art gallery, a lounge area and live music. The downtown area has several other watering holes, like These Guys Brewing, where craft beer is brewed on-site, and the Harp and Dragon Pub, offering Irish fare with high-end scotch and whiskey. Stella’s Pizzeria is in the Carroll Building, also known as Norwich’s Flat Iron Building, which was built in 1887. The Norwich Arts Center on Broadway is part of the city’s arts scene and features two galleries and the 100-seat Donald L. Oat Theater. The Chestnut Street Playhouse, a former hub of the Norwich Fire Department, is also downtown, and the Slater Memorial Museum on the campus of Norwich Free Academy is over 100 years old and houses some of the best examples of fine and decorative art worldwide.
Other parts of Norwich attract people with restaurants and shopping, like Fat Cat Grill and Bar along West Main Street in East Great Plains. Fat Cat is a family restaurant where customers can get a stack of pancakes for breakfast and a cocktail before dinner seven days a week. Shoppers will also find a ShopRite and a Walmart along this route. Less than a mile south of the neighborhood, the Mohegan Sun offers a huge complex with slots and gaming tables, live concerts, entertainment and sporting events. Music and sports fans can see top musicians or athletes perform, including the Connecticut Sun’s WNBA team. Lisbon Landing on Interstate 395, 4 miles east of town, features big-box stores like Target, Lowe’s and Home Depot. Popular outlet stores like Coach, Express and Nike are part of Tanger Outlets Foxwoods, part of the Foxwoods Resort Casino complex, 7 miles east on Route 2.
Share great pizza and Italian dishes with loved ones at La Stella Pizzeria in Norwich, CT.
The Strange Brew Pub is a favorite spot in Norwich, CT, for a relaxing evening with friends.
Step into history at the Leffingwell House Museum, a must visit spot in Norwich, CT.
Founding families and a Declaration signer rest at Norwichtown Historic Cemetery, Norwich.
1/4
Public transportation in and out of Norwich
Cyclists will find bike paths in and near city parks and bike-friendly neighborhoods, especially near Norwich Free Academy, which has a 38-acre campus in Central Norwich. Southeast Area Transit (or SEAT) buses connect most parts of the city to the Norwich Transportation Center, the city’s central hub, and to other towns like New London, Groton and Stonington. Though Norwich once offered passenger rail service from downtown, the nearest serviceable Amtrak station is New London’s Union Station, 15 miles south. Bradley International Airport outside Hartford is 50 miles west, and Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport in Providence is 45 miles east. The two main highways that cross Norwich are Route 2, which takes travelers west to Hartford or east to Stonington, and Interstate 395, which connects to Providence and Boston going northeast or New London via Route 32 and Interstate 95 going south. Drivers can also take Route 12 south into Groton.
Schools and health care providers in Norwich
Public schools in Norwich belong to the Norwich Public Schools District, which receives a C-minus from Niche. The school district serves approximately 3,600 students at 10 facilities, including seven elementary schools, two magnet middle schools and a 9-12 transition academy. Eighth graders can apply to several high schools that serve the area, such as Norwich Free Academy, an independently governed high school that draws students from Norwich and eight other partner communities that fund student tuition.
Students can also apply to high schools with a specialty focus, such as Norwich Tech High School, Ledyard Agri-Science Program and the Marine Science Magnet School in Groton. The Three Rivers campus of CT State Community College also operates a magnet high school with a dual enrollment program. CT State is comprised of 12 community colleges across Connecticut. At the Three Rivers campus, students can choose from 47 associate degrees and 11 certificate programs.
Backus Hospital has served the Norwich region for over 125 years. Part of Hartford HealthCare, the state’s comprehensive healthcare network, Backus features 213 beds and is the city’s largest non-government employer. The hospital’s emergency department sees more than 65,000 patients per year.
Norwich’s Three Rivers Middle College Magnet School focuses on student success.
Empowering tomorrow’s leaders at Norwich Technical High School in Norwich, CT.
Building futures through creativity at Thomas W. Mahan Elementary in Norwich, CT.
Celebrating tradition and excellence at Norwich Free Academy, a pillar of Norwich, CT.
1/4
Improving crime numbers and regional climate
Crime in Norwich appears to be on a stable-to-downward trend. According to the State of Connecticut Crime Reporting Program, reported crimes dropped from 2,600 in 2022 to 2,106 in 2023, a decrease of 494 incidents, or 19%. Even though the number of incidents has declined, Norwich has continued to trend above U.S. and Connecticut violent crime rates and alongside or below the national and state property crime rates for the last five years.
Norwich experiences four distinct seasons with temperatures that dip down to an average low of 21 degrees in winter with freezing and snowy precipitation, and climb to an average high of 82 degrees in summer with warm and humid weather. For the most part, the climate in Norwich is mild to pleasant.
Areas of investment and potential flooding in Norwich
The Business Park North project in Occum, a rural part of the city in the northeast corner, received an $11.4 million state grant to fund infrastructure supporting 12 new building sites. The sites will host warehouses, manufacturing plants, distribution centers, offices, and research and development firms. The Norwich Community Development Corporation has helped facilitate many new building projects in Norwich, like Business Park North and Foundry 66, a rentable workspace for entrepreneurs and small businesses downtown. Also near downtown, Mattern Construction Inc. is transforming the long-closed YMCA on Main Street into a mixed-use commercial and residential development, with apartments, a restaurant, retail spaces and offices for Mattern’s headquarters. Main Street is a key gateway to downtown.
On the waterfront, Norwich Public Utilities has broken ground on a 5-year, $200-million construction project, the largest in the city’s history, to replace its current wastewater treatment plant on Holly Hock Island in the Yantic River. “The city’s utilities company is well-known and respected,” Lee says. “When the power goes out for days in neighboring communities, Norwich’s doesn’t. We’re known for that.” Norwich Public Utilities plans to keep the old plant operational and within compliance during the construction.
In January 2024 after heavy rain, a partial break in the Fitchville Pond Dam outside the city in Bozrah caused the Yantic River to overflow. Flooding led to home and business evacuations along Route 2, which runs near the Yantic and through town. “We had one dam breach, which caused substantial flooding,” Obuchowski says, “but Norwich is not a low-lying place. There are many hills here, so flooding is more an exception than a rule.”
Discover Downtown Norwich’s architecture, a favorite for Laurel Hill residents to explore.
Discover the perfect balance of city access and suburban comfort in Laurel Hill, CT.
Explore the richness of human culture at Slater Memorial Museum in Taftville, CT.
Downtown Norwich offers a delightful mix of eateries and unique small businesses to explore.
Educating clients who are looking to sell, buy, rent, or invest through the process from the start to the close. Providing the information and resources they need to make a smart, educated decision when it comes to Real Estate transactions with ease. Always Humble and enjoy providing professional service to my clients while always maintaining an honest and transparent mindset. Changing lives and rebuilding communities one at a time is the end goal!
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
