History of East Norwich



1524 First European Explorer to Long Island - Giovanni Verrazano
1613 Adrian Block, a Dutch trader, determines that Long Island is an island after losing a vessel and being stranded temporarily. Names it "Lange Eilandt"
1683 Long Island divided into counties of Kings, Queens, Suffolk.
1696 Earliest reference to "Norwich" in town records on a deed dated Feb 18. The name was probably used for several years prior. The name was selected by James & George Townsend (of the Oyster Bay Townsends) to honor their father, who was born in Norwich, England.
1732 Black Walnut tree seedling planted.
1774 First Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia
1776-1783 British Occupation of Long Island
1781 Muttontown, a former great sheep district, first appears as a place name in the town record on Oct 17. The name falls out of use by the mid 1800s, and the area began to variously be associated with Norwich, Syosset, Brookville.
1783 Final Evacuation of British troops from Long Island on December 4
1788 NY State Ratifies US Constitution
1790 George Washington tours Long Island
1812-1814 War of 1812
1826 Methodist Society was formed in Norwich
1834 Methodist Church built on site next to present graveyard, south and east of 25a and 106. The land is donated by James Vernon.

The Long Island Railroad Company is incorporated on April 24.

1837 LIRR is extended to Hicksville
1839 Benjamin Thompson publishes a history of Long Island which describes Norwich as situated about midway between the villages of Jericho and Oyster Bay, and at the present termination of the turnpike leading to Flushing. It contains about 25 houses, one or two stores, a fine hotel and nearly 200 inhabitants, primarily agriculturists. The Methodist church was built about four years since.
1841 LIRR is extended to Syosset
1846 Post Office established in Norwich on June 26.
1861-1865 Civil War Era - Hempstead Plains used as training ground for Union soldiers.
1861 Norwich becomes officially East Norwich to distinguish its post office from another Norwich in New York State.
1872 Daniel Horton begins bottling Root Beer near present-day Locust Avenue
1880/TD> East Norwich enterprise begins publication on September 11. Later becomes the Enterprise-Pilot.
1899 Nassau County is established on January 1. Created out of the east most section of Queens County
1905 Present Church Structure was built. Cornerstone was dedicated by Teddy Roosevelt at a ceremony on May 18. The land was for this church was donated by Sarah Vernon.

Second Vanderbilt Cup Race sends course through East Norwich. Held again in 1906.

1907 The Rothmanns buy the Inn on the corner, which may have been built as early as 1752.
1908 William K. Vanderbilt Jr. constructs Long Island Motor Parkway for Vanderbilt Cup Races.
1909-1910 Electricity comes to East Norwich.
1910 LIRR Links to NYC thru tunnel under East River.
1912 East Norwich Volunteer Fire Company is established on January 20.
1917-1918 First World War
1924 Long Island State Park Commission organized under Robert Moses
1925 Public water is piped throughout East Norwich.
1926 Natural gas is piped throughout East Norwich
1927 Charles Lindbergh's solo flight to France.
1931 Muttontown incorporates and adopts the historic name.
1933 Northern State Parkway opens
1938 LaGuardia Airport opens
1940 Queens-Midtown tunnel opens
1941-1945 Second World War
1945 Construction begins on "Miracle Mile" shopping area on Northern Boulevard in Manhasset
1950 Horan Farm sold. Becomes Radcliff and Norwich Green developments.
1951 Roosevelt Field airport reopens as a shopping center.
1952 Shopping Center built on Route 106 (Blueberries, et al)
1955 Vernon School opened

Planting Fields is deeded to NY State upon the death of William Coe. Matinecock Indians, of the Algonquin Nation, of the Iroquois, gave Planting Fields its name. They used the area to cultivate various crops. William Coe retained the name when he developed the area into an estate.

1961 Hearing over road widening at Vernon School

Throgs Neck Bridge opens

1963 Present firehouse constructed.
1994 Voters in Nassau County adopt a legislature.