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History of Norwalk
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On July 11, 1779,
Norwalk, Connecticut was burned by the British Tories under Governor
Tryon. A committee of the General Assembly estimated the losses to the
inhabitants at $116,238.66. Later, our federal government gave an area
in the Western Reserve of Ohio as compensation for those established
losses.
On May 30, 1800, the United States ceded the land titles to the "fire
sufferers" and the representatives of the Reserve transferred the
political jurisdiction to the general government. The Indian title was
extinguished by treaty on July 4, 1805, on payment of $18,916.67; and in
1806, 13 men arrived to make the first survey of the Firelands.
On November 9, 1808, a group of prominent citizens from Ridgefield,
Norwalk, New Haven, Greenwich, and Fairfield met at the courthouse in
New Haven, Connecticut, as the Board of Directors of the Proprietors of
the half-million acres of land lying south of Lake Erie, called the
"Sufferers Land." They passed a resolution naming many of the townships
in this area known as the "Firelands of Ohio."
Between 1806 and 1810, many families made the trip to look over land
they had purchased in the "Firelands." During the War of 1812, because
of the fear of British and Indian raids, settlement of the Huron County
area came almost to a standstill. However, in 1815, Platt Benedict of
Danbury, Connecticut visited and examined the present site of Norwalk.
He returned to Danbury and purchased 1,300 acres of land with an eye
toward establishing a town.
In July of 1817, Benedict returned to Norwalk with his family and
immediately built a house. This was the first permanent residence
established within the limits of Norwalk Village. In May of 1818, the
county seat was successfully removed from Avery, Ohio to Norwalk, and by
1819 a census showed a population of 109 residents. Platt Benedict, the
founder of Norwalk and its first mayor, died in 1866 at the age of 91.
He is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery.
Among the earliest settlers of Norwalk were other men of wealth and
education. They brought with them not only the customs, but also the
architecture of New England. Many of their homes are still standing
today.
 In 1881, Norwalk's population reached the required minimum entitling her
to incorporate as a city and the City of Norwalk dates from April 12,
1881.
The characteristic New England spirit of energy, perseverance, and
frugality, imbued by its settlers who so successfully met untold
hardships, still remains in their descendants. We credit this for
Norwalk's continued growth. It has not matured by spasmodic impulses,
but has developed at a measured and steady pace to its present size and
importance among the cities of Northern Ohio.
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