FAIRFIELD

COUNTY.

and west by the State of NewYork.

FAIRFIELD is an ancient ma- || Island sound, and on the southwest ritime county, pleasantly situated upon Long Island sound, in the southwest section of the State; The county lies in a triangular bounded on the north by Litchfield form, and has an average length county, on the northeast and east from east to west of about 30 miles, by the Ousatonick river, which se- and a mean breadth from north to parates it from the county of New-south of about 21 miles; compriHaven, and, for a short distance, sing and area of about 630 square from the county of Litchfield, on miles. the southeast and south by Long

The following TOPOGRAPHICAL AND STATISTICAL TABLE exhibits a view of the several towns in the county; their situation, with relation to Fairfield; population, according to the census of 1810; dwelling-houses; religious societies; school districts, and post-offices.

Towns.

Post- Popu- Dwelling Religious School Distance from offices. lation. houses. societies. districts.

Fairfield.

Fairfield county is pleasantly || ticularly or extensively than in and advantageously situated, hav-other sections, are potatoes, and ing a maritime border upon Long some other articles for the NewIsland sound, of nearly forty miles, York market. indented with numerous bays and The waters of the county are inlets, affording extensive advanta- abundant, and afford important adges for commerce. This border, vantages. In addition to the waters through most of its whole extent, of Long Island sound, which wash. affords the most charming and in-es its southeastern border, and the teresting landscapes; some sec-numerous bays, streams and inlets tions present extensive tracts of connected with it, the Ousatonick, marine alluvial; and, with the ex-(the second river in the State,) ception of the western extremity, washes the eastern and northeastit is in general level, and a highly ern border, for nearly its whole pleasant and interesting country, extent. affording many beautiful views of Of the small streams, which inthe sound, and being diversified tersect and fertilize the different with its numerous bays and inlets. parts of the county, are the Still Proceeding from the sound into river, a tributary stream of the the interior, there is a very gradu-Ousatonick; the Pequonack, which al rise to the most elevated sec-discharges its waters into the sound tions of the county, which overlook at Stratford; the Saugatuck, the the intervening tract, and afford | Ash, Noraton and Miannus rivan interesting view of Long Islanders; Mill river, Stamford and Bysound. The face of the country is, ram river, all of which discharge in general, agreeably diversified their waters into the sound; and with hills and dales. No section of the latter, for some distance, forms it can be considered as mountain- the boundary between this State ous, although, in the northwestern and New-York. part, there are ridges of considerable extent; and many of the hills are very elevated and continuous, and the vallies deep and extensive. The soil, which in general is a primitive, gravelly loam, is, with few exceptions, strong and fertile. The commercial business of the It is, in general, well adapted to county is considerable, and consists arable purposes, and a considera-principally of a coasting trade with ble proportion of the lands are New-York. There are between assigned to a grain culture. The 20 and 30 packets, which ply regucounty of Fairfield is a rich farm-larly between the various harbours ing district, and contains abundant within this county and the city of natural resources of agricultural New-York. In addition to this opulence. The various objects of trade, there are some coasters emhusbandry, common to the State,ployed in a trade with the southare attended to here; and of the ern states; and at Bridgeport, there productions cultivated, more par-is some foreign trade maintained.

The principal harbours in the county are Bridgeport, Black Rock, (which is one of the best in the State,) Mill river, Saugatuck, Norwalk, Stamford & Greenwich harbours.

towns, receive considerable attention as articles of exportation. There are in this county, 1 Forge,

This county is not distinguished for its manufactures, although, in some sections, a conspicuous manufacturing spirit exists, and has pro-1 Slitting and Rolling Mill, 2 Pa

per Mills, 5 Cotton Factories, 9 Woolen Factories, 29 Fulling Mills and Clothiers' works, 40 Carding Machines, '80 Grain Mills, and 170 Mercantile Stores.

The county contains 74 Religious Societies, 28 School Societies, each of which is divided into a con

duced very important results. Of the manufactures which have received the most attention, are those of hats and flour. In some parts of the county, particularly in Danbury, the manufacture of hats is carried on very extensively, and large quantities are annually sent abroad for a market. In seve-venient number of School districts, ral towns upon the sound, particu- the limits of a single School, of larly in Stamford, the manufacture which there are in all 184,exclusive of flour, or milling business, is car- of Weston, & 23 Social Libraries. ried on to great extent. There are The population of the county, also,several manufactures of leath-in 1800, was 38,208; and in 1810, er, particularly of shoes, harness it was 40,950; and the aggregate work and saddlery, which, in some list in 1817, was $903,805.

FAIRFIELD.

FAIRFIELD, an ancient ma-is undulating, or moderately uneritime post town, and the se- ven, presenting an agreeable sucmi-seat of justice of the county, cession of moderate eminences is pleasantly situated upon Long and gentle declivities. Island sound, 21 miles west from Upon the sound are consideraNew-Haven, and 58 northeast from ble tracts of salt marsh; and, proNew-York; bounded northwester-ceeding back, the surface has a ly by Norwalk and Weston, north-gradual elevation; but no portion easterly by Stratford, southeast- of the township is mountainous erly by Long Island sound, and or broken, and it is in general southwesterly by the Saugatuck free from stone. river, which separates it from Norwalk. The township comprises an area of about 54 square miles; having a mean length of about 9 miles, from northeast to southwest, and a mean breadth of about 6 miles.

This township, having an interesting situation upon the sound, is very pleasant, and affords some beautiful landscapes, which are scarcely surpassed. The surface

The prevailing soil is a gravelly loam, corresponding with the primitive granitic geological character of the township. There are some sections of primitive argillaceous loam, and some tracts of alluvial. We know of no minerals in the town; but in the Society of Greenfield there are several quarries of freestone, valuable for building and other purposes. The most important is at Blue stone

hill, about one mile from Green-arts. This mortar was a great field Hill village. improvement upon the more simAbout two miles distance from ple and rude method of pulverithis village is a precipice of about zing corn, which preceded it,30 feet in height, being the termi-that of pounding it between two nation of a granitic ridge, which stones. To such rude and simple runs northerly for some distance.discoveries as this, can the most This precipice is called Samp mor-noble and useful inventions in the tar rock, from the circumstance of arts be traced.

there being upon its summit an The natural and agricultural excavation, in the form of a mor-productions of this town are such tar, and of sufficient dimensions as are common to the county. The to contain a bushel of corn or original growth of timber was, at other grain. It is evidently the an early period, from a common work of art; and, according to but lamentable improvidence,printhe authority of tradition, was us-cipally destroyed; so that the foed by the native Indians, for the rests now existing are of a recent purpose of pounding or grinding growth, and comprise little timber their corn. Although with us it fit for building. Wood and timber may seem difficult to conceive, are valuable in this town, and comhow this mortar, consisting of so mand a high price. It is obserconsiderable an excavation, in a sol-ved that the texture of the presid granitic stratum,could have been ent growth of timber is firmer made without the use of iron tools; than that which was found at the yet it can scarcely be doubted that first settlement; and that the timit was the work of the natives, and ber growing upon the sound is less for the purposes here noticed. porous and tougher than that And this opinion is strengthened which grows in the interior. Forfrom the facts, that, in the rich merly, wheat was successfully culvalley south of the rock, was a tivated here; but it cannot now large Indian town; and at the ve-be raised without a liberal use of ry foot of the precipice there ap-manure. Indian corn is extensivepears to have been a buryingly and successfully cultivated, and ground. It is probable that this may be regarded as the staple mortar was the only and common production of the town. mill of this town or settlement. some years past, potatoes have Here the primitive inhabitants of been raised in great quantities, our country, in this simple inven- and are found a very profitable tion, and by a process equally sim-crop, from the facility which exple yet laborious, pulverized their ists of sending them to New-York corn, and supplied themselves with market. Rye, oats, grass, &c. bread stuffs. This mortar, which are cultivated; and fruits of vamay be considered as a primitive rious kinds receive attention. grain mill, is not more important, as a monument of the aboriginal inhabitants, than as an illustration of the origin and progress of the

For

This is a rich, agricultural township, and in general in a flourishing state of cultivation. soil is naturally strong and fertile ;

The

and the town affords several unu- at the "cows," a point of rocks sual and important sources of ma-extending a mile into the sound. nure, of which the inhabitants Vessels can enter and depart from have recently availed themselves. this harbour at any time of the Sea-weed, which washes from the tide. At the head of the bay formbottom of Long Island sound, and ing this harbour, there is a small lodges upon the shore, and sedge, settlement, where considerable or salt grass, which grows in the coasting business is carried on. salt marshes near the sound, afford|| During the late war, a small fort a valuable and almost inexhausti-was erected on a hill, commanding ble manure. Large quantities of the entrance of this harbour, by peat are also found in several of the exertions of individuals, in the swamps, which supply a valu- which the State of Connecticut a able manure. It is collected and short time maintained a small body thrown into heaps upon the land, of militia, as a garrison. This where it soon decomposes, giving||fort was found very useful in proit a suitable consistence, so that tecting the coasting trade in the it will readily amalgamate with sound from the cruisers of the enthe soil. It is principally adapted emy. The cannon in this fort to a dry soil, but is valuable upon||were furnished by the U. States. almost any kind of land. This Mill river harbour is very compeat is also used for the purposes modious for the coasting trade, of fuel. but has not sufficient depth of waThe township is well watered,ter to admit large vessels. It is being washed by Long Island formed by the river of the same sound, upon its southeastern bor-name; on which, within the disder, and by the Saugatuck river & tance of two miles,, stand 3 large harbour, which form a part of its Grain Mills, 2 Fulling Mills and western boundary, and is naviga-2 Carding Machines. This harble for vessels of considerable size for nearly three miles, by Mill and Sasco rivers, and Ash creek.

bour is seldom frozen with sufficient firmness to obstruct vessels from passing out into the sound.

There are three harbours in the Saugatuck harbour is formed by town; Black Rock, Mill river, and the river bearing the same name; Saugatuck harbours. With the it has not sufficient depth of waexception of New-London, Black||ter for large vessels, but is a conRock is one of the best harbours venient harbour for the smaller or in the sound; being safe and com-ordinary coasters employed in the modious, and having 19 feet of sound.

water at the summer tides, below The commercial business of this what is called the middle ground. town is very respectable; there At the entrance of the harbour, being about 2500 tons of shipping on Fairweather's Island, belong-owned here, which is employed ing to the United States, and which in the coasting trade. Oysters, forms the easterly chop of this har- clams, and some other shell fish bour, a light-house has been erect-are taken in the sound, but not to ed; a spindle also has been placed any considerable extent. Former