Norwich bulletin., 1909-07-03
CHELSEA IN 172o- 17s4.
After Being 70 Years Wilderness the Landing is Developed Because Bet tier Adopted to Trade-Commercial Pursuits Take Root at the Head of the Thames.

After all these village sites had been more or less developed, the growth of Chelsea began. As has be.an said, the original landing place, for both the Indians and the English, was just below the Falls, at the head of Yan- tic cove. and near the site of Elder kin's mills, As trade increased, and term Landing Place was transferred to the point where the rivers unite, and the upper station was known as the old Landing Place.
 What we know as the city of Nor wich was for seventy years after the settlement, little more than a wilder ness called Weequaw's Hill, Rocky . sheep walk, or common pasturage, extending from No-man's Acre to the mouth of the Shetucket. and enclosed with fence. Access from the set tlement at Norwich was by means of a gateway. near the house of John Reynolds, connecting with cart path. Here and there a COW path or a sheep track led around the hills, but for the most part there was little to be seen but rocks, swamps, and woods In the spring floods, and even in common rains, East Chelsea, including Frank lin square was overflowed, as the low CT, or Water street
 Early in 1884 a spot was chosen for a public landing place and a highway to connect with it. This landing must have been below Eldcrkin's mill and the highway ran via Yantic street and Mill lane, now Lafayette street, to the Reynolds, gate. It was agreed and voted that the rest of the ungranted and unlayed out land at the mouth of the Showtuck shall be and remain for the benefit of cattle watering and nev- CT to be disposed of without the con sent of eight or ten of the familys at the east end of the towne." This shows that at this date there was no village at Chelsea.
 This act, however, did not remain in force very long; for sites at the river side were in great demand for com mercial purposes. Capt. James Fitch and Capt. Caleb Bushnell were granted sufficient land for each to build a wharf and warehouse near the mouth of Yantic cove.
 Other grants were made for ship building facilities, but with the excep- tion of these grants for wharves, ship yards and warehouses, the land was held in common. The rivers were fill- ed with fish and the shores were pop ulous with water fowl. Miss Caulkins tells US that the young people from the farms around Norwich, when hay
 
 Landing to wander over the hills, eat oysters, and take a trip down the river in canoes and sailboats."
 By 1726 the undivided lands which remained were chiefly included in two sheep walks, the east and the west. The East Sheep Walk, Of about 900 acres, was divided into forty-two shares of twenty acres each, the lots extending along the water from the Shetucket ferry to the cove, with a highway through them two rods wide In the rear of these was a second tier of lots, and so on. Each share was divided into tenths, and the tenths in- to eights and distributed apparently by lot. After this, houses and people increased rapidly, and in few years Rocky Point had become a flourish ing trading post, generally called The Landing, but gradually coming to be known as New Chelsey, or Chelsea So- ctety. The West Sheen Walk or some 700 acres, was. likewise divided and confirmed to thirty-seven proprietors.
 The first househoIders of whom we know were Daniel Tracy, Benejah Bushnell and Nathaniel Backus.
 The merchants who had been so for tunate as to secure land at the wa ter's edge, entered into commercial pursuits. By 1730 four sloops were owned in Norwich and engaged in the West India trade. Soon after this Norwich traders sent a sloop and a. schooner to Ireland, where the sloop was probably sold. the crew return ing in the schooner. The business of ship building was at the foundation of the prosperity of West Chelsea, stiU known as the West Side.
 Between TAO and 175O two high ways were opened to the Landing, one on each side of the central hill. The eastern road coincided with the pres- ent Crescent street, but continued across Broad street, and came into Broadway at the point now occupied by the residence of William A. Nor ton. Thence it ran through Union street and lower Broadway, terminat- ing at the house of Nathaniel Backus, where the Central building now stands.
 The western road Miss Caulkins thinks, coincided withsthe greater part of Washington street and ended at Capt. Bushnel's old,Warehouse." But 1t is moresppobable that it followed Che course of Mill lane (now Lafayette street), and the present Yantic street to the old landing at the Fails. and then, crossing the western edge of the