Experience 300 Years of Norwich History
The primary goal of this website is to educate the public about Norwich, Connecticut’s rich heritage and history spanning the 300-year period from 1659 to 1959. The site offers quick and easy access to an extensive collection of media, focusing on Norwich’s historical events, places, and other interesting tidbits.
This site is entirely free of charge
IconicNorwich.org features over 3,000 concise articles and numerous historical maps of Norwich. The articles are organized into more than 30 categories. The Bibliography connects you to thousands of historical web-based links from Norwich. Several quizzes, prepared presentations, and crossword puzzles are provided to enhance the learning environment.
You are invited to add or contribute to new or existing placemarks by filling out the form in the “Contribute Article” section.
Recent Updates to IconicNorwich.org
Added: George W. Kies Biography: Click Here
Added: William Henry Huntington Biography: Click Here
Added: James Monroe Huntington Biography: Click Here
Added: Emily Huntington Biography: Click Here
Added: Dr. Ralph Farnsworth Biography: Click Here
Added: Alfred A. Adam Biography: Click Here
Added: Henry B. Norton Biography: Click Here
1829-1906 William Hamilton Page
Norwich History … It Never Gets Old
William Hamilton Page started his long and illustrious career as a printer’s apprentice at age 14. He became the most important American wood type manufacturer of the 19th century.
William Page was an active and engaged inventor, granted patents on numerous inventions and product improvements across a range of industries over the course of his life. From 1863-1889, he was awarded patents focused on wood type, furnaces, steam boilers, and radiators.
He was a forward-thinking businessman for his time. It was written, “…during the Civil War, Page had hired women because of the manpower shortage, and finding them so adept at many of the operations in the manufacture of wood type, he continued to hire women regularly until the business sold in 1891.”
Among the numerous wood type and ornamental borders he designed and patented, Page was also successful in developing and producing a range of chromatic wood types. Chromatic types were designed to print a letterform in two or more colors simultaneously.
In 1871, Page started a non-wood type-related business, Page’s City Gardens. The gardens produced fruits and vegetables, maintained hothouses for fresh flowers, and included a modern dairy farm. Records indicate that the gardens flourished well into the 1880s. He also served as the vice-president of the Norwich Horticulture Society.
Click HERE to learn about William H. Page
Click HERE to learn more about William H. Page and his many inventions.
Click HERE to read previous “Norwich History … It Never Gets Old” articles
“Norwich History … It Never Gets Old” is published here bi-monthly on Fridays.
Next issue will appear here on Friday, September 11
Wm. H. Page Company Catalog
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An historical fiction novel by Bob Dees about Norwich's 1850s Gold Mining Company. Click image to see.
The IconicNorwich.org website was designed, developed, and is maintained by Bob Dees