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Names of places tend to change as the years, decades, and centuries go by. Within Litchfield County, CT and the surrounding area, especially Berkshire County, MA, over the line in New York State, and in northern Fairfield County, there are many localities, neighborhoods, roads, streets, and other landmarks whose names have changed over the years, and in some cases, have disappeared entirely. This page represents the beginnings of a compilation of them.
We'll be working on the Northern Fairfield County section in coming months. There are many reasons place names change over time. Economic development (or lack thereof), international relations, a new industry (or industrialist) who leaves a permanent mark, ethnic migrations into or out of the area, the desire to be "modern", governmental fiat, and sometimes just plain whim are some of them. Interestingly, road names particularly have been changed -- mostly during the 1990s -- to support the 911 emergency system -- if two roads in a general area had the same (or a very similar) name, one was generally changed to something different. Behind every place name change there is a story, and in the stories there are people. To the extent we can capture those changes now, before the backgrounds of the new names are lost, we will benefit those who are puzzling over that question 50 or 100 years from now. Remember, the fact that a name changed recently does NOT make it ineligible for this page. In fact, because more people know that road by the old name, it makes it especially eligible. Please provide input! Your help in
expanding this list is encouraged. Simply click the
There have been plenty of name changes in our tri-state area over the years, and this page will try to provide information about all of them we find out about. If we have additional information about any of these name changes, including the year (or span of years) in which they happened, we'll be very happy to include that too. If you know about place names in Litchfield, Berkshire, Columbia, or Dutchess County that have changed over the years that don't appear here yet, you can help us make this page better by letting us know about it. We will credit all contributors by name right on this page. At least one township in Litchfield County was created from another, preexisting townships, that being North Canaan's separation from Canaan (albeit without changing the name of the village at the heart of North Canaan). While there have been minor adjustment of boundaries between townships in this area, other than those noted below they have not been substantial and we have made no particular effort to address them here. To contact us, just click this
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| According to The Connecticut
Guide (1935), the Town of Salisbury was originally called
Weatogue. The name of Salisbury was selected after the city by the
same name in Wiltshire, England, when the town was incorporated in 1741. Between the Lakes Group has a CD-ROM available about Lime Rock, a hamlet in the town of Salisbury. Click on the CD-ROM to learn more about it.
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| Old Name | New Name | Notes |
| Chapinville | Taconic | This re-naming is said to have been initiated by the Post Office Department in order to reduce the number of post offices ending in "-ville". At any rate, there is no real village of Taconic with the exception of the present-day Taconic Post Office and a piano business. The Post Office serves the Twin Lakes area of the Town of Salisbury since the demise of the Twin Lakes Post Office. |
| Crooked Lake | East Twin Lake (Lake Washining) | "Crooked Lake" may have been the creation of a cartographer attempting to detect unauthorized copying of their map. No evidence has surfaced of its actual use as a name for the lake. |
| Hammertown | Site of a former scythe manufactory, located in the area on Route 41 just south of the Massachusetts state line. | |
| Joyceville | In the same general area as Hammertown, where Route 41 crosses into Massachusetts | |
| Twin Lakes Depot | Once a stop on the Central New England RR located where the two Twin Lakes join. At one time the depot served tourists visiting the nearby Twin Lakes Cave as well as the vacationers on Twin Lakes. | |
| Lakes Road | Between the Lakes Road | This road, which appears on the earliest maps after settlement of the Town of Salisbury, was known simply as "Lakes Road" well into the 19th century. As we work on our forthcoming Twin Lakes Historical Collection we'll be researching this name change and trying to pinpoint the date. |
| Blake's Summit | Washining Station | One-time flag stop on the Central New England Railroad between the Twin Lakes Station and Canaan Yard. Evidently this place was located just before the CNE branches away from lake Washining toward the Housatonic River, and was created during a building boom in that area of Twin Lakes circa 1890, primarily to offload building supplies. |
| O'Hara's | This community on the northeast end of the larger of the Twin Lakes, a summer place when known as O'Hara's, took its name from the O'Hara family who had one or more summer hotels here. At one time there was a Roman Catholic summer chapel in the area, but it has now become an American Orthodox church. | |
| Furnace Village | Lakeville | The Connecticut Guide, 1935 |
| Salmon Fell Kill (sometimes Salmon-Fell Kill) | Salmon Kill | The Connecticut Guide, 1935 and Sanford's 1899 map of Lime Rock |
| The Hollow | Lime Rock | The Connecticut Guide, 1935 |
| Route 199, in the Town of Salisbury and points east | US Route 44 | The Connecticut Guide, 1935. Note that the Route 199 nomenclature is still applied to the New York State highway West of Millerton, NY |
| Old Hill | Ore Hill | (now a lake -- a flooded iron ore mine, once consisting both of open pit and tunneling operations) |
| Ore Hill | In 1900, Ore Hill was a stop on the Central New England RR near the site of Ore Hill mine, as well as a Post Office (now consolidated with the Lakeville Post Office). | |
| State Line | In 1900, State Line was a stop on the Central New England RR near where US 44 now crosses from Connecticut to New York State | |
| Bald Peak | Mt. Riga | The Connecticut Guide, 1935. (presumably called Bald Peak after the trees were harvested for charcoal) |
| Mt. Riga | Former hamlet (with a Post Office) that ceased to exist as a year-round community with the demise of the iron furnace on top of Mount Riga. Today is a rustic collection of summer cabins. | |
|
Lamb's 3-acre Grant Hendrick's Ore Bed |
Davis Ore Bed (or Davis Mine) | Sharon Historical Society Iron Industry Article |
| Forge Pond (on Mt. Riga) | South Pond | Per Ed Kirby's "Exploring the Berkshire Hills" |
| Barnum Avenue (in Lime Rock) | White Hollow Road | per Sanford's 1899 map of Lime Rock; name in use at least until 1909. |
| Lakeside Drive (in Lime Rock) | Route 112/Lime Rock Road | per Sanford's 1899 map of Lime Rock. Note that the lake (really a mill pond) disappeared after the flood of 1955. |
| Elm (Street) (in Lime Rock) | Route 112/Lime Rock Road | per Sanford's 1899 map of Lime Rock. Name was in use at least until 1909. |
| Gallow's Hill | Brinton Hill | An 1853 map of the Town of Salisbury shows the "Gallow's (sic) Hill" designation. |
| Lincoln City | One-time village in the vicinity of Lincoln City Road in Salisbury. | |
| Old Name | New Name | Notes |
| Ellsworth | Once a village, now simply several houses just off Route 4 between Sharon and Cornwall Bridge. | |
| Sackett's Farm | Sharon | White's History of Litchfield says that the Sharon area was referred to as Sackett's Farm during the Indian wars of the 1720s. |
| Caulkintown | No longer a community, recalled today only by Calkintown Road, a/k/a West Cornwall Road | |
| Old Name | New Name | Notes |
| Dudleytown | Dark Entry Forest Association (private) | Abandoned settlement in Cornwall about which many legends of the supernatural exist. |
| Puffingham | Former community located near the junction of Route 7 and Route 45. Best known today as the site of the Puffingham Cemetery, now known as the Calhoun Cemetery. | |
| Old Name | New Name | Notes |
| South Canaan | now the triangle of the junctions of Route 7, Route 63, and Barnes Road | 1956 map still identifies South Canaan as a locality |
| Huntsville | Located on Route 63 east of the junction with Route 126 and west of the Cobble Road intersection on the topo map of 1951 | |
| Lower City | On the 1951 topo map, located on Route 63 near Hollenbeck Pond | |
| Lime Rock Station | This was the station used by Barnum Richardson Company to transship its railroad car wheels via the Housatonic Railroad. The platform was built of stone (rather than the usual wood) to withstand the wheels. | |
| Meekertown | This locale survives today only in Meekertown Brook, which joins the Hollenbeck in what was formerly Lower City, and drains Wapato Pond, just over the Norfolk line. It was occupied, in the days of the iron industry, by charcoal burners. One Deacon Minor, from Norfolk, visited the community and attempted to get them to accept religion and renounce their way of life. On his return, he allegedly reported that they were "a hamlet of heathens, living in intellectual, moral, and spiritual darkness." See tcextra.com for more information. |
| Between the Lakes Group has a
CD-ROM available about North Canaan. Click on the CD-ROM to learn more
about it.
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| Old Name | New Name | Notes |
| Foley | Out Clayton Road from Route 7, on the MA line. All that is left today is a dirt road called Foley Hill Road. | |
| Old Name | New Name | Notes |
| Mill Brook | neighborhood on 1892 topo map, still present on 1951 topo map | |
| Mill Brook | Center Brook and Loon Brook | This watercourse was once known as Mill Brook for its entire length, according to the Town of Colebrook website. |
| Robertsville North Colebrook Colebrook Center Colebrook River |
Historic localities in Colebrook identified on the Town of Colebrook website. Robertsville was notably the place where boring bits used to manufacture cannon during the Revolutionary War in Salisbury were made, according to the same source. | |
| Between the Lakes Group has a
CD-ROM available about Winchester and the City of Winsted. Click on
the CD-ROM to learn more about it.
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| Old Name | New Name | Notes |
| Colebrook Station | On 1892 topographic map, a stop on the CNE RR between West Winsted and Norfolk | |
| West Winsted | on 1892 topo map, NW of Winsted. Now refers to the area just before Route 44 starts up the hill. | |
| East Winsted | on 1892 topo map, NE of Winsted. Now refers to the area around Northwest Connecticut Community College. | |
| Winchester | Winchester Center | |
| Camp Wabigoon and Camp Wahonda | On 1951 topo map, near Rowley Pond North of Winsted | |
| Nelsons Corner | On 1951 topo map, on Route 8 north of Winsted | |
| Mooreville | On 1951 topo map, just south of Winsted city limits | |
| buildings on south side of Route 41 in Winsted city | no longer present due to Winsted flood of 1955 | still present on 1951 topo map |
| Camp Delaware | On 1951 topo map, on south shore of Crystal Lake | |
| The Little Red Schoolhouse | On 1951 map, on Platt Hill road | |
| Tor-Win Airport | On 1951 map, just north of Winchester - Torrington Town Line | |
| Long Lake | Highland Lake | Shown as Long Lake on 1874 Winchester map. |
| Little Pond | Crystal Lake | Shown as Little Pond on 1874 Winchester map. |
| Danbury Quarter | Traditional name for the northwest quadrant of the Township; the last settled area. |
| Old Name | New Name | Notes |
| Bantam | At the time of the purchase from Native Americans, the multi-town area of which Litchfield was the center was known as "Bantam" | |
| South-East Farms | Northfield | According to White, Northfield was known as South-East Farms before 1794 |
| West Farms | Milton Parish | According to White, the area that became the Milton Parish was previously known as West Farms. Note that a portion of this parish lay in the Towns of Cornwall and Goshen. |
| Fluteville | Locale identified by White in his "History of Litchfield," once a stop north of Thomaston on the Naugatuck Railroad. | |
| Lavinville | Per White's History of Litchfield, a "colony" of Irish located at the foot of East Hill, centering on the home of the Lavin family. | |
| Bantam Falls | Formerly, localities in the Bantam area of the Town of Litchfield | White's History of Litchfield |
| Bradleyville |
| Old Name | New Name | Notes |
| New Bantam | Goshen | White, in his History of Litchfield, reports that the original name of the Town of Goshen (prior to its settlement) was "New Bantam" |
| Old Name | New Name | Notes |
| Footville | West Morris | Per White, in his History of Litchfield |
| Old Name | New Name | Notes |
| Between the Lakes Group has
a CD-ROM available about New Milford. Click on the CD-ROM to
learn more about it.
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| Old Name | New Name | Notes |
| New Dilloway | Per "Two Centuries of New Milford" is was the locale where Roger Sherman and his brother settled | |
| Pug Lane | Park Lane | Per "Two Centuries of New Milford" |
| South Farm | Per "Two Centuries" this is the lower part of New Milford | |
| Pleasant Valley | Lanesville | Per "Two Centuries of New Milford" |
| Jerusalem | A hamlet appearing on the 1906 topographic map, but submerged under the New Milford branch of Candlewood Lake. |
| Old Name | New Name | Notes |
| Summit | On old CNE RR, south of Norfolk village on 1892 topographic map. | |
| South Norfolk | At south border of township on 1892 map. | |
| Old Name | New Name | Notes |
| Newfield | on 1892 topographic map | |
| Daytonville | Just north of Torrington city on 1892 topographic map | |
| West Torrington | Just west of Torrington city on 1892 topographic map | |
| Walcottville | Torrington | Torrington's original name was Walcottville |
| Old Name | New Name | Notes |
| Boston Corners, in the Town of Mt. Washington, MA | Boston Corners, NY | Due to geographic isolation from Massachusetts, annexed to NY State, effective April 13, 1857 |
| Weed Mine (Post Office and Ore Bed) | On the Ancram/Copake border, per Eugene McIntyre | |
| Mt. Riga | Former stop on the Harlem RR between Millerton NY and Boston Corners | |
| Coleman's | Former stop on the Harlem RR between Sharon Station and Millerton |
| Old Name | New Name | Notes |
| Gomorrah | (none) | You might surmise that if there was a locality named Gomorrah, there must have been one named Sodom somewhere nearby. You would be correct -- Sodom remains the name of a crossroads in North Canaan, CT, best located by following Sodom Road from Route 7. Gomorrah, however, has vanished, at least from the maps. |
| Boston Corners, MA | Boston Corners, NY | (see Dutchess/Columbia County NY section) |
| Indian Town | Stockbridge | John Chandler dates this change as 1739 |
| Taconic Mountain | Mt. Washington | Chandler dates this change as 1779 |
| Yokum | Richmont | Per Chandler, dated 1765 |
| Richmont | Richmond | Per Chandler, dated 1785 |
Please provide additions! Click the
button to go to the page to send us an e-mail or letter.
"Ghost Towns" is the name of a website we're happy
to recommend. These folks have made a specialty of just those throughout
the US. If you're interested in places whose names have changed, you'll
likely enjoy the material on their website. It's definitely worth a
look.
to visit it!
to go to the page for our Litchfield County, CT
project
to go to our page about the historic iron industry in this
area
© 1999-2009 Between the Lakes Group LLC | |||||||||||||
