Sabbath Day House, Durham – Jerry Dougherty
Durham, a part of Middlesex County, is located just south of Middletown on the Coginchaug River—centering it in the southern portion of Connecticut. Settled in 1699, Durham was named in May of 1708 and incorporated as a town in October that same year. Originally called Coginchaug, the Native American word for “long swamp,” the area was frequented by the Mattabesset, an Algonquin people. From its earliest history as a settlement, Durham was largely a farming community. Every year since 1916, Durham has displayed its agricultural roots at the Durham Fair, the largest volunteer-managed fair in the United States.
More on Durham from the CT Digital Archive
Browse more interactive content on the CT Digital Archive website.Read More
Learn More
Places
“Durham Fair,” 2012. Link.
“Durham Historical Society,” 2011. Link.
Department of Energy & Environmental Protection. “Millers Pond State ParK,” 2012. Link.
Documents
Connecticut State Library Digital Collections. “Durham - WPA Architectural Survey,” 2014. Link.
“Durham Collection.” Connecticut Digital Archive, n.d. Link.
McCain, Diana Ross. “Durham Historic District Walking Tour.” Historic District Commission Town of Durham, 2005. Link.
Books
Field, David. A Statistical Account of the County of Middlesex, in Connecticut. Middletown, CT: Clark & Lyman, 1819. Link.
Beers, F. W. County Atlas of Middlesex, Connecticut: From Actual Surveys. New York, NY: F.W. Beers & Company, 1874. Link.
Durham Historical Society. Durham, 1900-1950. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2010.
Durham Historical Society. Durham, Connecticut. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 1998.
Durham History Committee, and Barbara Ryan. Durham, Connecticut, 1866-1980: Century of Change. Durham, CT: Durham History Committee, 1981.
Whited, Milton. Durham’s Heritage: Men and Homes of Early Durham. Middletown: Colonial Press, 1976.
Fowler, William. History of Durham, Connecticut, from the First Grant of Land in 1662 to 1866. Hartford: Wiley, Waterman & Eaton, 1866.
Hall, Catherine. The Leading Business Men of Middletown, Portland, Durham and Middlefield. Boston, MA: Mercantile Publishing Company, 1890. Link.
Find Durham
