Connecticut
Connecticut turns 237 years old today. Here’s the story of how it became a state
Norwich History Walk
Museum of Connecticut History’s curator, Patrick Smith, gathered a group of enthusiasts at Howard T. Brown Memorial Park for a tour of Norwich.
Sandy Meindersma, The Bulletin
Happy Birthday Connecticut!
As one of the original 13 colonies, Connecticut has an interesting founding story, from being the first state to write a constitution to being the fifth state to join the United States.
In fact, Connecticut became a state on Jan. 9, 1788 – 237 years ago today. However, the state’s history extends back much before that. To celebrate the state’s official birthday, here’s a look back at Connecticut’s history, from its very first settlements up until its statehood.
Connecticut history timeline
The journey to Connecticut becoming a state dates back thousands of years, as various Indigenous tribes have lived on the land for over 12,000 years. In fact, the name Connecticut comes from its first Indigenous inhabitants, who called the area “Quinatucquet,” an Algonquian word meaning “beside the long tidal river.”
Europeans first arrived in Connecticut in the early 1600s, with Dutch explorer Adriaen Block credited as the first European to explore the area in 1614. In the 1630s, the Dutch established a settlement near Hartford, while English settlements popped up in the modern-day towns of Windsor, Wethersfield and Saybrook.
In 1636, prominent Puritan minister Thomas Hooker traveled from the Boston area to Connecticut, officially founding Hartford. The towns of Hartford, Windsor and Wethersfield soon joined together to create the Connecticut River Colony.
Despite the well-established trade networks with Native Americans, in 1637, the Connecticut Colony officially declared war on the Pequot. The conflict, known as the Pequot War, ended in 1638 with the Treaty of Hartford, which forcefully disbanded the Pequot tribe, whose people dispersed among the Mohegan and Narragansett tribes.
Why is Connecticut nicknamed the Constitution State?
In 1639, Connecticut Colony wrote and adopted the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, a set of laws establishing Connecticut as its own colony separate from Massachusetts. This document is believed to be the first written constitution of a democratic government, which is why Connecticut is nicknamed “the Constitution state.” The Fundamental Orders governed Connecticut Colony until 1662, when England officially granted the colony a royal charter.
Connecticut went on to play an important part in the Revolutionary War, producing soldiers in the Connecticut Militia, leaders in the country’s founding documents and famous patriots like Nathan Hale. After the war, Connecticut ratified the U.S. Constitution and became the fifth state on Jan. 9, 1788 – 237 years ago today.
Who was Connecticut founded by?
While early Connecticut had various towns founded by different people, the establishment of Connecticut is credited to Thomas Hooker, the Puritan minister who founded Hartford.
Known as “the father of Connecticut,” Hooker was a leading figure of the Connecticut Colony and the official minister of Hartford. In 1638, Hooker preached a sermon about the right to choose one’s own government, laying down the groundwork for the Fundamental Orders.
KILLINGLY, CT — Police on Wednesday identified both the man who was fatally shot Monday night and the woman accused of shooting him.
The victim, Andrew Michael Olson, 39, of Canterbury, was shot in the chest at a residence at 23 Pratt Rd., according to state police.
Police have arrested Michelle Yeagher, 65, of 23 Pratt Rd., Killingly, for the slaying.
Yeagher is charged with murder, carrying a dangerous weapon, risk of injury to a child, and first-degree reckless endangerment.
Police have not yet disclosed the relationship between the victim and the suspect, or any potential motive.
Yeagher remains in custody, held on a $1 million bond. She has been arraigned in Superior Court in Danielson. She has not yet entered a plea, and she is next due in court on Dec. 11, according to the state Judicial Branch website.
State police said they responded to Yeagher’s residence at 23 Pratt Rd. around 9:21 p.m. on Monday for a report of a shooting.
Troopers found the male victim suffering a single gunshot wound to the chest, according to state police. He was rushed to Day Kimball Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased, state police said.
State police arrested Yeagher at the residence.
The homicide investigation remains active and ongoing, according to police. The Eastern District Major Crime Squad is in charge of the investigation.
Read more:
State Police Probe Homicide In Killingly
(WFSB) – Voters across Connecticut will decide on local ballot questions on November 4th, including infrastructure spending, municipal leadership positions and policy changes that could impact their communities for years.
In Middletown, voters will consider two major spending proposals: $33 million for infrastructure improvements and $9.5 million for water and sewer upgrades.
“I think everybody has that responsibility if you want to be a good citizen. You should make your voice heard,” said Stephen Civitello, a Middletown voter.
Plainville voters will decide whether their town manager can keep their job if they choose to move out of town.
Manchester faces a similar question about their superintendent, along with two additional ballot items: whether the town should become a city and whether to spend $19.5 million on buildings and roads.
In Glastonbury, voters are split on whether to allow large artificial turf fields, excluding the current one at the high school. Campaign signs throughout the town reflect the division on the issue.
“I saw all the signs and I thought everyone seems to care a lot about this referendum and it’s for the turf,” said Maggie Dunn, a Glastonbury voter.
Dunn said she felt compelled to vote despite the smaller scale of local elections.
“So, I was like I can’t just yell about how everybody should go vote and then not go vote,” she said.
Civitello called voting a “civic duty.”
Local elections typically see lower turnout than state and federal races, but the issues directly affect residents’ daily lives through money, schools and infrastructure.
Some local ballot questions are decided by dozens of votes.
Copyright 2025 WFSB. All rights reserved.
KILLINGLY — Troopers responded to a Pratt Road home Monday to investigate a suspicious incident, state police said.
A spokesperson for the Connecticut State Police said that as of 10 p.m. the scene was active and no further information was available.
This is a developing story and will be updated as new information becomes available.
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