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Colchester (CT)

Colchester, Connecticut
Town
Official seal of Colchester, Connecticut
Seal
Location in New London County, Connecticut
Location in New London County, Connecticut
Coordinates: 41°34′N 72°21′W / 41.567°N 72.350°W / 41.567; -72.350Coordinates: 41°34′N 72°21′W / 41.567°N 72.350°W / 41.567; -72.350
Country United States
State Connecticut
NECTA Hartford
Region Southeastern Connecticut
Incorporated 1698 / 1699
Government
 • Type Selectman–town meeting
 • First Selectman Art Shilosky (elected 11/2015)
Area
 • Total 49.8 sq mi (129.0 km2)
 • Land 49.1 sq mi (127.1 km2)
 • Water 0.7 sq mi (1.9 km2)
Elevation 551 ft (168 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 16,068
 • Density 320/sq mi (120/km2)
Time zone Eastern (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code 06415, 06420
Area code(s) 860 Exchange: 537
FIPS code 09-15910
GNIS feature ID 0213409
Website www.colchesterct.gov

Colchester is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 16,068 at the 2010 census. In 2010 Colchester became the first town in Connecticut, and the 36th in the country, to be certified with the National Wildlife Federation as a Community Wildlife Habitat.

Colchester is one of the fastest growing towns in Connecticut. The villages of Westchester and North Westchester are located within Colchester. The town center village, which was previously incorporated as a borough, is a census-designated place, with a population of 4,781 at the 2010 census.

The Colchester Historical Society operates a local history museum in town.

The originally settlement of Colchester, was founded by Jeremy Adams upon an area of land known as: "Jerimiah's Farme". The land given to Jeremy, by Uncas, Sachem of the Mohegan tribe.

In 1692, the town of Colchester was confirmed unto Danial Mason, son of Major John Mason.

On October 13, 1698, Michael Taintor, Samuel Northam and Nathaniel Foote III applied to go forth and settle the Town. Jerimiah's Farm was selected as the main point of reference for the town, with its north boundary as the Twenty Mile River. The southern side is bordered by Lyme. The west boundary meets the east bounds of Middletown and Haddam. The east and northeast boundary run to the bounds of Lebanon and Norwich. During the initial settlement, the area was also referred to as the Plantation of the Twenty-mile River.

On May 11, 1699, the town's principal founders, Nathaniel Foote, Samuel Northam and Michael Taintor asked the general court of Hartford for assistance with persons hindering the advancement of the settlement, to be transferred under the jurisdiction of the New London colony, and for the Town to be recognized as Colchester. On May 11, 1699 the town name was so named and incorporated into the colony of New London. The town is said to be named after Colchester, a borough and port in Essex, England, where many colonists had emigrated from, most notably, where Nathaniel's grandfather Nathaniel Foote was born.


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