Norwich hopes to entice tourists with the city's history. What's the plan so far?

NORWICH — State funding means a plan to expand history programs in Norwich could now have enough support to begin.

In Connecticut’s 2023 budget, $500,000 is set aside for the Norwich Historical Society. With that money, the organization is planning to create a Norwich Heritage Triangle, based around Uncas Leap Heritage Park, the Slater Museum, and Norwichtown, the latter also grown into an outdoor historical museum.

The program is meant to bring year-round tourism to the city by highlighting its history, with the hope that tourists would stay for dining or retail experiences, Norwich Historical Society President Regan Miner said during a public hearing Monday.

State Senator Cathy Osten said the Norwich Historical Society has been able to bring people into the city with other historical experiences, such as walking trails, including the Freedom Trail and Millionaires’ Triangle, which showcase different important historical locales.

“By providing them with these resources, it allows them to complete some of the projects that they need to keep their properties solid, and make sure they’re able to maximize the use of them,” Osten said.

In her own experience, Osten said she’s seen people attending Norwich Historical Society events from as close as New London and Windham counties, to as far away as New York and Pennsylvania.

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“People are coming from all over the place to see what Norwich has,” Osten said.   

The Heritage Triangle itself is meant to be fully realized by 2025, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War, and the 350th birthday of the Leffingwell House Museum. However, there are projects the Historical Society needs to complete by then, including the creation of a visitor’s center, repairing buildings, and other beautification.

“Time is of the essence in preparing for participation in these local and statewide celebrations,” Miner said.

Bill Champagne, the Norwich Historical Society’s past president, said during the same public hearing that there had been hype around the American bicentennial in 1975, sparking a lot of interest in American history, and he expects that to happen again.

“There was so much hype about history back then, that we see 2025 as a real opportunity for Norwich,” Champagne said.

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Osten said with sites ranging from Nowichtown to old farmhouses and the Ellis Walter Ruley Memorial Park, Norwich’s historical value “is something that we can treasure, and actually see how our city developed.”

Looking forward, Miner said she’s hoping for more funding from the city for the Norwich Heritage Triangle, including some of the city’s funds from the American Rescue Plan.

“We’re not asking for any more ARP money right now, but there’s a chance we’ll come back once we get everything lined up,” Champagne said.

Champagne said the Norwich Historical Society had requested the $500,000 from the city’s American Rescue Plan dollars, but as the item was removed from the city’s second round of American Rescue Plan funding, Champagne said it was important that Osten and others from the state legislature secured funding for the project.

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“Thank heavens Cathy Osten and the state legislature came through,” Champagne said.

This said, Norwich is expected to contribute $1.4 million in American Rescue Plan funds to finish improvements to the Uncas Leap Heritage Park, some of which include bathrooms, fencing, and completing the stone mill ruin.