I think the town green is the place that sums up the community s sense of itself. This is where we come together to kind of reaffirm our most basic values and commitments to one another. More than an icon, the green remains for many towns the heart of their community. Some of Connecticut s 172 greens are in the middle of cities, some in the countryside. Some anchor residential neighborhoods, others busy town centers.
Some towns have several greens, others have none.
Yet, despite their remarkable survival, the history of these public spaces is often misunderstood, reflecting four centuries of changing usage and attitudes.