History of Windham, Connecticut, USA

Windham, the seat of justice for the county, and a considerable post township, is situated 14 miles north of Norwich port, 30 east of Hartford, and 44 west of Providence; bounded on the north by Hampton and Mansfield, on the west by Columbia and Lebanon, on the south by Franklin and Lisbon, in New-London county, and on the east by Canterbury. The township comprises and area of about 46 square miles; having a mean length from east to west of about 8 miles, with a medium breadth of nearly 6 miles...

A Gazetteer of the States of Connecticut and Rhode-Island: Written with Care and Impartiality, from Original and Authentic Materials : Consisting of Two Parts ... : with an Accurate and Improved Map of Each State
Authors John Chauncey Pease, John Milton Niles
Publisher W.S. Marsh, 1819

Windham, Connecticut
Windham county. The territory of this town, Mansfield and Canterbury, was given by Joshua, a son of Uncas, the celebrated Mohegan sachem, to John Mason, James Fitch, and others, in the year 1675.

"Lieut. John Cates, a pious puritan who served in the wars in England, holding his commission under Cromwell, when Charles II. came to the throne, fled to this country for safety. He landed first in Virginia, where he procured a negro servant to attend him. But when advertisements and pursuers were spread through this country, to apprehend the adherents of the Protector, he left Virginia, came to New York, and from thence to Norwich. Still feeling that he should be securer in a more retired place, he came to this new plantation, dug the first cellar, and with his servant, raised in Windham the first English habitation, in the spring of 1689. The settlers, rapidly increasing, petitioned the general court, and obtained a grant of town privileges in May, 1692. It was...

Windham, a post-village in Windham co., Connecticut, near the New London, Willimantic, and Palmer railroad, about 30 miles E. by S. from Hartford, contains 2 churches, 1 bank, and an academy. Population of the township, 4503.

From the Hartford Courant, Jan. 2.

When the east-bound Washington express on the New-England Road, leaving this city at 2:45 A. M., was a few miles this side of Willimantic yesterday morning, fire was discovered in a Pullman sleeper. It spread rapidly, and the passengers were ordered out and placed in the other sleeper, which, fortunately, had room enough to accommodate them. It was impossible to extinguish the fire, and at Willimantic the car was cut out and the fire department called. Its services were, however, unnecessary, as the fire was got under control by other means before its arrival. An accident of this kind is very unusual, and though the fire evidently started from the heater, it does not yet appear just how it originated. The wood of the car in which it started was badly burned, and the loss will be considerable. The passengers were in great excitement for a little time, and probably did not have a monopoly of unpleasant agitation. They were all got out without...

Windham, a post-village of Windham co., Conn., in a township of the same name, 3 miles E.S.E. of Willimantic, and about 14 miles N. of Norwich. It has 2 churches and a national bank. The township is drained by the Shetucket River, and contains the village of Willimantic, which is at the junction of several railroads. Pop. of township, 8264.

Windham, a post-village of Windham co., Conn. in Windham township (town), 3 miles ESE. of Willimantic and about 14 miles N. of Norwich. The town is drained by the Shetucket River and contains the city of Willimantic. Pop. of the town in 1900, 10,137; of the village, about 350.

Willimantic, a city of Windham co., Conn., on the Willimantic River, 16 miles NW. of Norwich, on the New York, New Haven and Hartford and the Central Vermont Rs. It contains a state normal training-school, and has extensive manufactures of cotton and silk-thread, cotton and silk goods, machinery, etc. The river here affords abundant hydraulic power. Pop. in 1900, 8937.