What’s Next

Upcoming Celebrations and Plans

From the completion of restoration projects to the celebration of some major anniversaries, The Norwich Historical Society has some big plans in store for the coming years!

2024

Uncas Leap Heritage Park 

Opening of Uncas Leap Heritage Park (Summer 2024)

Uncas Leap Heritage Park will highlight the natural beauty of the nearby cliffs and waterfall, and pay tribute to the significance of the site in Native American, colonial, and modern history. Features will include an overlook, story circle with amphitheater style seating, exhibition space in a 19th century mill ruin, and much more!

Marquis de Lafayette U.S. Tour Bicentennial (August 2024)

In 1824, the Marquis de Lafayette returned to the United States to revisit many of the places where he served with General George Washington in the Revolutionary War. We will host a celebration commemorating the bicentennial of Lafayette’s visit to Norwich as part of this grand tour.

2025 & Beyond

Leffingwell House Museum 350th Anniversary (2025)

The Leffingwell House Museum is planning a celebration to recognize the home’s landmark 350th anniversary in 2025. The residence was built by Stephen Backus in 1675 and sold to Lt. Thomas Leffingwell in 1700; the pre-Revolutionary War tavern opened as a museum in 1967.

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Completion of Greenleaf House Restoration and Debut of Historic Norwichtown (2025)

We are developing a plan to create an outdoor history museum and programming to interpret the history of the Norwichtown neighborhood. Our goal is to debut a “visitor ready” Historic Norwichtown in 2025.

We plan to complete the restoration of the 1763 David Greenleaf House in 2025. This building will serve as a handicapped accessible multipurpose event space, complementing the neighboring Leffingwell House Museum to create a historic campus.

Revolutionary War 250th Anniversary (2026 and beyond)

July 4, 2026 will mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. The Norwich Historical Society is preparing a slate of programming and events to celebrate the semiquincentennial, as well as Norwich’s prominent role in the Revolutionary War and the establishment of our nation.