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flag  History of Durham, Connecticut, USA

Journey back in time to Durham, Connecticut, USA

Visit Durham, Connecticut, USA. Discover its history. Learn about the people who lived there through stories, old newspaper articles, pictures, postcards and ancestry.

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Durham, Connecticut, USA - The Durham Fair  The Durham Fair, held in Durham, Connecticut, is one of the largest agricultural fairs in New England and was first held in 1916.

Durham, Middlesex, Connecticut, USA

Durham's public library is the nation's second oldest lending library and the oldest in New England.

courant.com

There is MUCH more to discover about Durham, Connecticut, USA. Read on!

Durham Nostalgia: Vintage Photos, Ads, and Postcards

The Durham Fair
Durham, Connecticut, USA

Postcard
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The Durham Fair

"The Durham Fair, held in Durham, Connecticut, is one of the largest agricultural fairs in New England and was first held in 1916. The four-day event takes place during the last full weekend of September. Activities include livestock and competitive exhibits, pulling contests, craft and commercial tents, various forms of entertainment and a carnival midway. The fairgrounds accommodate both permanent buildings for commercial and agricultural exhibits and space for tents and other non-permanent structures to be brought in each year..." wikipedia
Church of the Epiphany
Durham, Connecticut, USA

Postcard
Pinterest
Church of the Epiphany
Durham, Conn., 1909
museumofcthistory.org
Durham, Connecticut, USA

Postcard
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Durham, Conn., 1909
museumofcthistory.org
Time Out Taverne
Durham, Connecticut, USA

Matchbook
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Time Out Taverne

Discover Durham: History, News, Travel, and Stories

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1708 - (Durham, CT) - Settled in 1699, Durham was named in May of 1708 and incorporated as a town in October that same year.
Originally called Coginchaug, the Native American word for “long swamp,” the area was frequented by the Mattabesset, an Algonquin people.
connecticuthistory.org/ towns-page/ durham/
1819 - Durham
Durham is a post town, situated in the western section of the county 20 miles south of Hartford, and 18 northeast from New-Haven; bounded north on Middletwon, east on Haddam, south on Guilford and Killingworth, and west on Wallingford.

This is a small township, averaging about 6 miles in length from east to west, and nearly 4 in breadth from north to south, comprising an area of about 23 square miles.

The prevailing character of the surface is undulating; exhibiting an agreeable and interesting diversity of moderate hills and gentle declivities and dales. The eastern and western border are somewhat broken and mountainous.

This township is situated at the commencement of the agrillaceous district extending to the north upon Connecticut river; being partly included within it, and partly within the granitic region which prevails upon the borders of Long Island sound. Within the clay slate strata, there is an exhaustless quarry of sandstone, which is a very valuable... Read MORE...

1836 - Durham
The tract of land comprising Durham was formerly supposed to be included in the limits of the neighboring towns, until they were surveyed, when a tract was found to be left. This was considered small for a distinct plantation or town, and does not appear to have been contemplated with that view for a long period. The Legislature however granted many lots or farms in it to persons who had performed important services to the colony. In this way more than 5,000 acres became the property of individuals widely dispersed in the state, before any settlement was made.

"In 1698, however, David Seward, from Guilford, moved into the town, and some of his neighbors contemplated following him. The next spring, therefore, a petition was presented to the Legislature, signed by thirty one inhabitants of that town, that there might be a plantation at Coginchaug, the Indian name of Durham. This was urged on the ground that Coginchaug was so far from other settlements that the people could not go to... Read MORE...

1839 - Durham
Durham, Connecticut
Middlesex county. This town was first settled in 1698. Its Indian name was Coginchaug. It lies 7 miles S. by W. from Middletown and 20 S. from Hartford. Population, 1830, 1,116. Agriculture is the principal employment of the people of Durham, for which they have rather an uneven but fertile soil. "This town has been distinguished for many years for a very fine breed of cattle. Two oxen, presented by some of the inhabitants to General Washington, furnished a dinner for all the officers of the American army at Valley Forge, and all their servants. These oxen were driven almost five hundred miles, through a country nearly exhausted for forage; yet one of them, a steer, five years old, weighed two thousand two hundred and seventy pounds."

Capt. Israel Camp, a noted psalmodist, died in Durham, in 1778.
The New England Gazetteer containing descriptions of all the states, counties and towns in New England: also descriptions of the principal mountains, rivers lakes, capes, bays, harbors, islands and fashionable resorts within that territory. Alphabetically arranged. By John Hayward, author of the Columbian Traveller, Religious Creeds, &c. &c. Boston: John Hayward. Boyd & White, Concord, N.H. 1839
1859
DURHAM, a township of Middlsex co., in the state of Connecticut, 21 m. S of Hartford, watered by West river, a tributary of the Connecticut. It has a hilly surface, but is generally fertile. Pop. 1,095.
A Gazetteer of the World: Or, Dictionary of Geographical Knowledge, Publisher A. Fullarton, 1859
1895 - Durham
Durham, a post-village of Middlesex co., Conn., in Durham township, 3 miles from Middlefield Railroad Station, and about 17 miles N.E. of New Haven. It contains 3 churches, the Durham Academy, and manufactures of tinware and witch hazel. Pop. of the township, 856.
Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott
1916 - Durham Fair
June 16, 1916, it was voted and approved to hold a fair in Durham. The first fair was held entirely on the Durham Town Green.
1956 - Boy, 4, IS DROWNED IN FREAK ACCIDENT
DURHAM, Nov. 16. (UP) Stanley Soule, 4, drowned yesterday in a freak accident near his farm home.

State police said the boy was playing with two other youngsters near a shallow well when he fell into it. A boulder near the lip of the spring-fed well fell on top of Soule pinning him in eight inches of water. Two men were unable to move the boulder, and by the time additional help arrived, the boy was dead.

The medical examiner said death was caused by drowning.
The Bridgeport Post
Bridgeport, Connecticut
November 16, 1956
2023 - Here's a list of the best places to go and things to do in Durham:
1. Wadsworth Falls State Park:
Explore the beauty of nature at Wadsworth Falls State Park. Hike the trails, have a picnic, and don't forget to visit the stunning waterfalls. It's a perfect spot for outdoor enthusiasts.

2. Durham Historic District:
Immerse yourself in history by strolling through Durham's Historic District. The architecture and atmosphere provide a glimpse into the town's rich past.

3. Lyman Orchards:
Enjoy a day of fun at Lyman Orchards. Depending on the season, you can pick your own fruits, navigate the corn maze, or indulge in freshly baked goods at the Apple Barrel market.

4. Durham Fair:
If you happen to visit in September, don't miss the Durham Fair. It's the largest agricultural fair in Connecticut, featuring live music, carnival rides, and a variety of delicious fair food.

5. Powder Ridge Mountain Park & Resort:
In winter, head to Powder Ridge for skiing and snowboarding. In the warmer months, the resort offers activities like zip-lining and... Read MORE...

Discover Your Roots: Durham Ancestry

Ancestors Who Were Born or Died in Durham, Connecticut, USA

We currently have information about ancestors who were born or died in Durham.

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female ancestorLydia BUSHNELL (1661, Old Saybrook, Connecticut, USA (Saybrook Colony) - 24 August 1753, Durham, Connecticut, USA)
female ancestorMehitabel (Mabel) GRANNIS (1667, Hartford, Connecticut, USA - 9 December 1745, Durham, Connecticut, USA)
male ancestorNathaniel SUTLIFF (27 July 1672, Medfield, Massachusetts, USA (Harding) - 1 April 1732, Durham, Connecticut, USA)
female ancestorSarah SAVAGE (10 March 1674, Rehoboth, Massachusetts, USA - 4 July 1733, Durham, Connecticut, USA)
male ancestorJoel PARMELEE (31 July 1679, Guilford, Connecticut, USA - 20 July 1748, Durham, Connecticut, USA)
female ancestorAbigail ANDREWS (20 July 1685, Middletown, Connecticut, USA - 19 November 1769, Durham, Connecticut, USA)
male ancestorJohn CAMP (15 February 1685, Milford, Connecticut, USA - 6 January 1767, Durham, Connecticut, USA)
female ancestorPhoebe CANFIELD (25 May 1687, Milford, Connecticut, USA - 18 October 1774, Durham, Connecticut, USA)
male ancestorCornelius HULL (26 September 1687, Killingworth, Connecticut, USA - 24 March 1756, Durham, Connecticut, USA)

Ancestors Who Were Married in Durham, Connecticut, USA

We currently have information about ancestors who were married in Durham.

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male ancestorJoel PARMELEE (31 July 1679 - 20 July 1748) and female ancestorAbigail ANDREWS (20 July 1685 - 19 November 1769) married 30 June 1706
male ancestorDavid ROBINSON (1694 - 9 February 1780) and female ancestorRebekah MILLER (15 December 1698 - 18 September 1786) married 26 January 1719
male ancestorGideon LEETE (4 February 1702 - 21 December 1786) and female ancestorAbigail PENFIELD (23 October 1692 - 9 September 1756) married 6 September 1727
male ancestorJohn CAMP (1 March 1700 - 20 September 1756) and female ancestorHannah HICKOX (1704 - 21 June 1789) married 27 June 1728
male ancestorJonathan COE (10 February 1710 - 23 April 1795) and female ancestorElizabeth ELMER (11 February 1710 - 28 June 1794) married 23 September 1737
male ancestorJoel PARMELE (8 March 1714 - 14 April 1788) and female ancestorRhoda CAMP (15 January 1723 - 1 June 1777) married 6 January 1743
male ancestorIsrael CAMP (16 February 1724 - 6 May 1778) and female ancestorAnn TALCOTT (6 September 1725 - 18 March 1765) married 24 December 1747
male ancestorAbel COE (20 July 1727 - 10 January 1798) and female ancestorPrudence ROSSITER (12 September 1730 - 23 November 1795) married 23 January 1756
male ancestorJohn Noyes WADSWORTH (26 July 1732 - 29 April 1787) and female ancestorEsther PARSONS (22 February 1729 - 6 October 1799) married 27 October 1757

Genealogy Resources for Durham

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Updated: 9/28/2023 11:50:04 AM