New Haven Antique Maps

One of eight counties in the state of Connecticut, New Haven County, located in the southern central portion of the state, was established in 1666 along with the counties of Hartford, Fairfield, and New London, all of which were the first counties in the state.  Today it boasts a population of over 850,000 residents (as of the 2010 U.S. census), making it the third largest county in Connecticut.

 The city of New Haven, Connecticut is the second largest city in the state and has been dubbed "The Elm City" because of the vast canopy of mature trees, which are the product of the first tree planting program in the United States.  New Haven (the town) was established in 1638 by English Puritan settlers and is noted as the first municipality to employ the "nine square plan".

 This system of designing a city grid included the use of a four-by-four layout of streets in a square pattern, essentially forming nine square sections (hence the name).  Some claim that this makes New Haven the first planned town in the U.S.  The 16-acre central square of this grid was declared a National Historic Landmark and is now a park and recreation area in downtown New Haven known as New Haven Green.

 The city of New Haven was the co-capital of Connecticut, along with Hartford, from 1701 to 1873, when Hartford became the sole state capital.  However, New Haven is still recognized as the "cultural capital" of the state thanks to numerous museums and performance arts venues.

 It is also home to the prestigious Ivy League school, Yale University, which was originally established as the Collegiate School in 1701 (and renamed Yale University after benefactor Elihu Yale in 1718).  Yale University holds the distinction of being the third oldest institution of higher learning in America.

 Prior to European settlement, this area was home to Native Americans of the Quinnipiac tribe, who had settled in the region to take advantage of nearby fishing capabilities and the fertile soil ideal for planting maize.  The inhabitants sold their land to the New Haven colonists, led by Reverend John Davenport, in exchange for protection from the Pequot tribe.

 New Haven County enjoys a long and storied history with high points including harboring judges who signed the death warrant of Charles I of England in 1661, as well as Powder House Day, so named for the April 23, 1775 rebellion in which members of the New Haven militia under Benedict Arnold raided the powder house to seize weapons.  In the late 18th century, Yale graduate Eli Whitney remained in New Haven, where he developed the cotton gin and opened a gun manufacturing factory, launching profitable industry in the county.