Norwich bulletin., 1917-02-24

The Eastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce held it's February meeting in New London Friday afternoon. A luncheon, at which about 50 were pres ent, was served in the Dutch room of the Mohican hotel at 12-30, after which the business session was held
 President J. T. Cruttenden presided ] and one of the principal matters to velopment of the old& Nipmuck trail between New London and Boston via Norwich, Putnam and Webster. Herbert R. Branche, secretary of the Norwich Chamber of Commerce, made l a lengthy report in behalf of .he Nip muck trail committee, of which he is chairman, and recommended that the name be changed to the Mohegan trail in view of the larger interest attach ing to the name Mohegan, which is familiar all over the country. The committee also recommended that a committee be appointed to take steps National Highway association, and the recommendation was adopted.
 After the report by Mr. Branche, MT. Aver of the Webster Dudley esting talk on the national highway system which was listened to atten- lively.
 Mrs. F. E. Rogers of the Norwich 1 nard Minor of Lucretia Shaw chapter, D. A. R., Walter A. Smith, Mayor Err nest b. Rogers and A. IT, Miner, presi- dent of the New London Chamber of Commerce, spoke in relation to the subject.
 Another matter on the program was the project of establishing hourly ser vice between New London and Willi- mantle by the operation of motor vehicles on the Central Vermont rail- way tracks.
 There was a good sized delegation of ladies present from Norwich. The Nipmuck trail committees re- port follows:
 The committee appointed at the De- cenber meeting of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, held at Norwich on the 18th of the month, for the purpose of making a study of Indian trails in eastern Connecticut, their history and such other informa- ton may be of value in determin- ing what action this body might take with reference to the proposed trail leading from near Webster in 2. south erly direction, passing through Put nam, Danielson, Plainfield, Jewett City, Norwich to New London, it's southern terminus, begs leave to submit the fol- lowing report:
 Your committee obtained the data for. the report from no less authority than that to be found in Miss Caulkins' History of Norwich, History of the Indian Tribes of Connecticut, by John w, DeForest, from the earliest known
 
 Windham County, by Ellen D. Larned, Vol l, 1600-1T60. As a basis for the name of such a trail, the name Nip muck trail was first suggested, pre- sumably because a tribe of that name, prior to the settlement of New Eng land, occupied a tract of land extend ing from the Atlantic ocean to the Connecticut river, now known as the nam, Ponfret, Brooklyn, KiiIingIy, Sterling, .Piainfield, Canterbury, East ford, Ashford, Chaplin, Hampton, Windham, Scotland and Voluntown and formerly part of Windham county Its area comprised a little less than 553 square miles It's in habitants were known collectively as N1pmucks or Nipnets, meaning pond or fresh water Indians. in distinction from river and shore Indians. The Great Fishing Lake. One of their favorite fishing grounds and resorts was the great lake Chau- bunnagunggamaug, the bound mark territory. This lake lies a few rods north of the present northern boun- d2ry line of iWindham county, and the Nipmueks claimed land some Is or 20 mics south of it. They had no grand sachem of their own, and were subject sometimes to one and some times to another of the more powerful communities around them. They we're subject clans of little spirit or dis junction, their number was small and they spent their time chiefly in hunt ing and fishing, id1ing and squabbiing, At the termination of King Philips war, those of the Nipmucks dwelling east of the Quinebaug or Mohegan river went with the Narragansetts Those west of the river went with the Mohegans and the powerful Uncas. The Nipmuck trail over which this scattered tribe passed when seeking from hn and east runs in a straight line from the northerly boundary of the town of NorWich, at point near Occum, near the Junction of the Little river and course of the former in straight line due north through what is now the village of Hanover, Towards Valley to Hampton, where 1t leaves the Little river and curves in northeasterly di- rectlon to a point in the town of Woodstock where it joined the old Connecticut path or trail.
 Mohegan Trail Recommended,
 In view of the facts submitted in the foregoing, substantiated by the best authority extant in Indian hfs- tory, covering the section of Connecti- cut with which this committee has to do, we feel that to sacrifice truth for expediency would not be tolerated by the chamber. Therefore it is our unanimous opinion that the trail fol- lowing the course of the Quinebaug river to the objective referred to in the authority vested in us by this chamber. viz, to a point in southern Massachusetts known as Webster, can not consistently or truthfuIly be called the Nipmuck trail. With this point definitely settled, it is the duty of your committee to recommend what. in their Judgment, after considering all the facts at hand. would be a suitable name Tor this highway, and your com mittee has settled upon the Mohegan trail as fitting name, and will state briefly our reasons and our grounds for same: