Connecticut Towns and Cities:
How They Grew

Town Greens

The land used as the town green or common was generally set aside for public use when the town was first laid out. Some greens were regular in plan, but others were irregular tracts, shaped by the underlying topography. They had a variety of uses. They were used as grazing areas for cattle or sheep, parade grounds for the military, marketplaces, and as general gathering places where people met to discuss the topics of the day. Over time, most greens developed into public parks or squares and many survive to the present day.

< Grazing livestock was one of the traditional uses for the town green in rural farming communties. The cows may be gone, but the tavern building, academy and Congregational church that John Warner Barber depicted in his 1830s view continue to define the center of Woodstock in the 21st century.

John Warner Barber
South view in Thompson, CT
Thompson, ca. 1830’s
Photo CD:2827 Img0003.pcd

< Thompson’s position, near the borders of both Massachusetts and Rhode Island, contributed to its development. The Vernon Stiles Inn, the tavern on the right of this picture, was a popular stop for couples eloping from these states.

Towne’s Studio
The green, Thompson
Thompson, 1884
Photo CD: 2821 File: Img0100.pcd

< As time went by, many greens were transformed into parks with decorative shade trees and shrubbery. The green in Thompson, almost bare in Barber’s 1830s view, was by the 1880s shaded by majestic elm trees planted earlier in the century. Elms were often used for this purpose due to their graceful lines. Unfortunately in the 1930’s Dutch Elm disease wiped out many of these trees.

< The New Britain green, now known as Central Park, developed after the original town church became too small and a new church was built near this site. At one time the green was surrounded by five churches. The men gathered here are on their way to fight in the Civil War, and are probably part of the Third Connecticut Volunteers.

< Compared to the image above, the shape of New Britain’s Central Park has stayed the same even as the town grew up around it. Like many town greens today it is used as a park. The Soldier’s Monument at the far end marks the spot where the troops were mustered in 1861.

Link to other essays in this Journey:

>> Introduction: Connecticut Towns and Cities: How They Grew
>> Early Towns
>> Factory Villages
>> Transportation Hubs
>> Expansion into Suburban Living

>> Guideposts
>> Suggestions for further reading