Connecticut: Consolidated Chronology of State and County Boundaries

10 April 1606

King James I chartered two Virginia companies, headquartered in different English cities, to establish colonies along the coast of North America: the Virginia Company of London, assigned coast between 34 degrees and 41 degrees north latitude; and the Virginia Company of Plymouth, assigned coast between 38 degrees and 45 degrees north latitude, including present Connecticut. Colonies of the two companies were to be at least 100 miles apart, even in area of overlapping grants. (Paullin, pl. 42; Swindler, 10:17-23; Van Zandt, 92)

1613

In 1613, the Dutch established trading posts on the Hudson River and claimed jurisdiction between the Connecticut and Delaware Rivers, including present western Connecticut. (Van Zandt, 74)

3 November 1620

King James I replaced the charter to the Virginia Company of Plymouth with a charter for a Council for New England to establish colonies in a region between 40 degrees and 48 degrees north latitude and extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, including present Connecticut. (Swindler, 5:16-26)

by August 1624

The Dutch West India Company founded the colony of New Netherland, including the first permanent European settlement in the area of present New York at Fort Orange (now Albany). Over the next two and a half decades conflict developed between the Dutch and the English as settlers from both countries moved into Long Island and the area of present western Connecticut. (Flick, 1:234-235, 238, 2:40-48)

3 March 1636

[3 March 1635/1636] The initial government of Connecticut was organized, signaling the creation of that colony. (Taylor, 8)

Summer 1638

New Haven colony was established by immigrants from England, who purchased land from the Indians and set up an independent government. Other settlements were established in present western Connecticut along the coast west of New Haven in 1641 and 1643. (Taylor, 50)

1642

Nathaniel Woodward and Solomon Saffrey officially demarcated the southern limit of Massachusetts, three miles south of the Charles River, as prescribed in the Massachusetts Bay Company charter of 1628/1629, implicitly setting the northern limit of Connecticut. (Hooker, 16-17; Van Zandt, 66-67)

1644

Based upon its participation with Connecticut and New Plymouth in the Pequot War (1636-1637), Massachusetts claimed much of the territory formerly controlled by the Pequots, roughly between the Thames and Pawcatuck Rivers at the eastern end of present Connecticut, plus Block Island in present Rhode Island. Massachusetts established a settlement (now Pawcatuck, Conn.) near the mouth of the Pawcatuck River. (Bowen, Disputes, 31)

19 September 1650

Connecticut and New Netherland agreed on a boundary in the Hartford Treaty, never ratified by England but observed by both sides until war erupted between the English and the Dutch in 1652. This agreement divided Long Island by a line extending due south from Oyster Bay and, on the mainland, prescribed a line 20 miles long running due north from Greenwich Bay, but specified no other limits. Conflict over uncertain colonial limits continued until the Duke of York captured New Netherland in 1664. (Bowen, Disputes, 17-18; Flick, 2:50-57)

18 September 1658

Commissioners of the United Colonies of New England, a confederation of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Haven, and New Plymouth, tried to settle the dispute between Connecticut and Massachusetts over the Pequot Country (area in present eastern Connecticut) when it decided the Mystic River was the boundary between the two colonies, leaving Massachusetts with the territory between the Mystic and Pawcatuck Rivers. (Arnold, 1:277-278; Bowen, Disputes, 32)

23 April 1662

King Charles II granted Connecticut a charter as a self-governing corporate colony, with an eastern boundary at Narragansett Bay, overlapping part of the Rhode Island patent. Rhode Island did not concede its claim to territory between the Pawcatuck River and Narragansett Bay (the Narragansett Country), but Connecticut quickly took control of the area. (Bowen, Disputes, 32; Swindler, 2:135-136)

8 July 1663

King Charles II granted Rhode Island a charter as a self-governing corporate colony. Boundary with Connecticut was prescribed as the Pawcatuck River and a line due north to Massachusetts. This charter also supposedly implemented a 1662 agreement between agents of Connecticut and Rhode Island to establish their boundary along the Pawcatuck, but Connecticut rejected that agreement and continued to claim and control the Narragansett Country. (Bowen, Disputes, 33; Swindler, 8:368)

12 March 1664

[12 March 1663/1664] King Charles II granted to the Duke of York all territory between the Connecticut and Delaware Rivers; the islands of Long Island, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket; and the area between the Kennebec and St. Croix Rivers extending inland from the Atlantic coast to the St. Lawrence River. The grant covered the western half of present Connecticut. (Swindler, 4:278-280)

19 October 1664

Massachusetts, faced with new charters for Connecticut and Rhode Island, gave up its claim to the Pequot Country east of the Mystic River in present eastern Connecticut. (Arnold, 1:308)

1664

Connecticut and New York agreed that New York would have sole jurisdiction over Long Island and that their mutual boundary would run north-northwest from the Mamaroneck River to the southern line of Massachusetts. While effective locally, the agreement was never confirmed in England. The line was never surveyed and was not well observed far inland. (Bowen, Disputes, 17, 70-72)

8 April 1665

Royal boundary commissioners decided the dispute over the Narragansett County by dismissing Massachusetts's claim and placing the area under royal jurisdiction. The area was named King's Province, and Rhode Island was given temporary administrative authority over it, pending a conclusive royal decision. Connecticut's claim to the area slipped into abeyance but was not abandoned until the boundary settlement of 12 May 1703. (Arnold, 1:315; James, 86-87; Potter, 178, 181)

1665

IThe town of Rye came under Connecticut jurisdiction as a result of the intercolonial agreement of 1664. (Bowen, Disputes, 17, 70-72)

10 May 1666

The Colony of Connecticut created four original counties: FAIRFIELD, HARTFORD, NEW HAVEN, and NEW LONDON. Part of FAIRFIELD's western limit was not clearly defined, but included part of New York (town of Rye). Non-County Areas 1 and 2 created in the Colony of Connecticut. (Conn. Col. Recs., 2:34-35)

19 May 1669

HAMPSHIRE (Mass.) gained from Non-County Area 2 in Connecticut when the town of Westfield (now Southwick, Mass.) was created from the town of Springfield. Part of Westfield extended into Connecticut, the result of disagreement over the line between Connecticut and Massachusetts. (Bowen, Disputes, 53-58; Mass. Recs., vol. 4, pt. 2:432)

12 May 1670

HARTFORD gained town of Simsbury from Non-County Area 2. Non-County Area 3 created from Non-County Area 2. (Conn. Col. Recs., 2:127)

11 May 1671

NEW HAVEN gained town of Wallingford from Non-County Area 2. Non-County Area 4 created from Non-County Area 2. (Conn. Col. Recs., 2:152)

3 June 1674

HAMPSHIRE (Mass.) gained from Non-County Area 3 in Connecticut when the town of Suffield was created. Suffield was entirely within present Connecticut, the result of uncertain geographical knowledge and disagreement over the boundary between the colonies. (Bowen, Disputes, 53-58; Mass. Recs., 5:13)

29 June 1674

Following the Treaty of Westminster (9 February 1673/1674) that ended the Anglo-Dutch war and restored New York to the English, King Charles II regranted to the Duke of York all territory he had granted on 12 March 1663/1664. Area included all territory between the Connecticut and Delaware Rivers, covering the western part of Connecticut. (Parry, 13:136; Swindler, 4:282; Williamson, 1:446)

13 May 1675

NEW HAVEN gained town of Derby from Non-County Area 2. (Conn. Col. Recs., 2:248-249)

18 May 1675

FAIRFIELD gained town of Woodbury from Non-County Area 2. (Conn. Col. Recs., 2:253)

16 May 1683

HAMPSHIRE (Mass.) gained all of Non-County Area 3 in Connecticut when the town of Enfield was created. Most of Enfield was in present Connecticut, the result of uncertain geographical knowledge and disagreement over the boundary between the colonies. (Bowen, Disputes, 53-58; Mass. Recs., 5:410-411)

28 November 1683

FAIRFIELD lost to WESTCHESTER (N.Y.) when the provincial boundary between Connecticut and New York was adjusted, and the town of Rye reverted to New York. (Bowen, Disputes, 73-74; Van Zandt, 72-73)

15 May 1686

HARTFORD gained town of Waterbury from Non-County Area 2. (Conn. Col. Recs., 3:197)

28 May 1686

The royal governor of the Dominion of New England (a consolidation of older colonies into a single province) proclaimed a provisional government for King's Province in present southwestern Rhode Island and prohibited both Connecticut and Rhode Island from further attempts to exercise authority in the area. (R.I. Recs., 3:197)

13 October 1687

FAIRFIELD gained the town of Danbury from Non-County Area 2. NEW LONDON gained the town of Preston from Non-County Area 1. (Conn. Col. Recs., 3:240)

1 November 1687

The governor of the Dominion of New England formally incorporated Connecticut into the new province, following instructions (27 June 1687) from King James II; no change in counties. (Conn. Col. Recs., 3:248; N.H. Early Laws, 1:171)

18 April 1689

Upon learning of the Glorious Revolution (replacement of King James II by King William III and Queen Mary II) in England, Bostonians imprisoned the royal governor and others, thereby ending the Dominion of New England. Over the next months Connecticut and the other colonies that had been united to form the Dominion had to resume self-government. (Craven, 224; Morris and Kelly, pl. 11)

9 May 1689

Connecticut reinstated its former government after the fall of the Dominion of New England (18 April 1689). Connecticut and Rhode Island soon resumed their boundary dispute over the Narragansett Country (King's Province) in present southwestern Rhode Island. (Arnold, 1:512; Craven, 225)

15 March 1690

[15 March 1689/1690] SUFFOLK (Mass.) gained from Non-County Area 1 when Massachusetts created the town of Woodstock. Woodstock lay almost entirely within present Connecticut, the result of uncertain geographical knowledge and disagreement over the line between the two colonies. (Bowen, Disputes, 53-58; Bowen, Woodstock, 1:31)

10 May 1694

HARTFORD gained town of Windham from Non-County Area 1. (Conn. Col. Recs., 4:123-124)

14 October 1697

NEW LONDON gained the Quinebaug River Valley from Non-County Area 1. Non-County Area 5 created from Non-County Area 1. (Conn. Col. Recs., 4:226)

12 October 1699

NEW LONDON gained the town of Colchester from Non-County Area 1. (Conn. Col. Recs., 4:298)

10 October 1700

NEW LONDON gained the town of Lebanon from Non-County Area 1. (Conn. Col. Recs., 4:334)

12 May 1703

Connecticut and Rhode Island agreed on their mutual boundary substantially along the line established by colonial agents in 1662, described in Rhode Island's 1663 charter, and claimed since then by Rhode Island. Boundary was to run up the Pawcatuck River to the junction with the Ashaway River, thence a straight line to the southwestern corner of the Warwick Purchase, and thence due north to the southern line of Massachusetts. Although not confirmed in London until February 1726/1727, this boundary appears to have become effective almost immediately, and, except for small refinements through surveying, it has not changed since. (Potter, 206-211; R.I. Recs, 3:474; Van Zandt, 71)

10 October 1706

NEW HAVEN gained town of New Milford from Non-County Area 2. Non-County Area 6 created from Non-County Area 2. (Conn. Col. Recs., 5:10)

13 May 1708

NEW HAVEN gained town of Durham from Non-County Area 4; Non-County Area 4 eliminated. (Conn. Col. Recs., 5:51)

HARTFORD gained town of Hebron from Non-County Area 1. (Conn. Col. Recs., 5:64)

14 October 1708

HARTFORD gained town of Colchester from NEW LONDON. (Conn. Col. Recs., 5:80-81)

13 October 1709

FAIRFIELD gained town of Ridgefield from Non-County Area 2. (Conn. Col. Recs., 5:120-122)

8 May 1712

HARTFORD gained town of Coventry from Non-County Area 1. (Conn. Col. Recs., 5:321-322)

13 July 1713

Agents of Connecticut and Massachusetts accepted a 1702 survey as the definitive rendition of their mutual chartered limits east of the Connecticut River (substantially the same as the present line and up to eight miles north of the Woodward-Saffrey line of 1642). They also agreed that Massachusetts would retain its jurisdiction over the border towns of Enfield and Woodstock that it had formed when the 1642 line was believed to be accurate, even though those towns extended south of the new line into Connecticut's territory. This agreement was accepted by both colonies but never confirmed by London. Demarcation of the new line was completed in 1717. (Bowen, Disputes, 58; Hooker, 20)

13 May 1714

HARTFORD gained all of Non-County Area 1; Non-County Area 1 eliminated. (Conn. Col. Recs., 5:427)

14 October 1714

FAIRFIELD gained town of Newtown from Non-County Area 6; Non-County Area 6 eliminated. (Conn. Col. Recs., 5:469-470)

9 May 1717

NEW LONDON gained all of Non-County Area 5; Non-County Area 5 eliminated. (Conn. Col. Recs., 6:6-7)

1717

Commissioners from Connecticut and Massachusetts settled their boundary from the Connecticut River westward to New York. Massachusetts retained its jurisdiction over the border towns of Suffield and Westfield, which it had created earlier and which extended south of the line into Connecticut. (Bowen, Disputes, 59)

11 October 1722

HARTFORD gained town of Litchfield from Non-County Area 2. NEW HAVEN gained from Non-County Area 2. (Conn. Col. Recs., 6:339)

12 May 1726

WINDHAM created from HARTFORD and NEW LONDON. (Conn. Col. Recs., 7:11-13)

9 May 1728

NEW HAVEN gained town of Waterbury from HARTFORD. (Conn. Col. Recs., 7:168)

10 October 1728

FAIRFIELD gained town of New Fairfield from Non-County Area 2; Non-County Area 2 eliminated. (Conn. Col. Recs., 7:214)

14 May 1730

HARTFORD gained towns of Barkhamsted, Colebrook, Hartland, Harwinton, New Hartford, Torrington, and Winchester from NEW HAVEN. (Conn. Col. Recs., 7:272, 387-390, 445-449)

10 July 1731

WORCESTER (Mass.) created from HAMPSHIRE (Mass.), MIDDLESEX (Mass.), and SUFFOLK (Mass.). WORCESTER included the town of Woodstock in Connecticut. SUFFOLK (Mass.) eliminated from Connecticut. (Mass. Col. Acts, vol. 2, ch. 8 [1730-1731], sec. 1/p. 584)

29 June 1732

WORCESTER (Mass.) exchanged with MIDDLESEX (Mass.) when town of Harvard was created from towns of Groton, Lancaster, and Stow; area in Connecticut was unchanged. (Mass. Col. Acts, vol. 2, ch. 4 [1732-1733], sec. 1/p. 644)

14 June 1735

WORCESTER (Mass.) gained small area from MIDDLESEX (Mass.) when town of Upton was created from town of Hopkinton; area in Connecticut was unchanged. (Mass. Col. Acts, vol. 2, ch. 11 [1735-1736], sec. 1/p. 764)

11 May 1738

HARTFORD gained towns of Canaan, Cornwall, Goshen, Kent, and Norfolk from NEW HAVEN. (Conn. Col. Recs., 8:169-171)

16 January 1742

[16 January 1741/1742] WORCESTER (Mass.) gained from HAMPSHIRE (Mass.) when town of Western (now Warren) was created from Brookfield, Brimfield, and Kingsfield. Area within Connecticut was unchanged. (Mass. Col. Acts, vol. 2, ch. 17 [1741-1742], sec. 2/p. 1088)

May 1749

HAMPSHIRE (Mass.) lost the towns of Enfield, Somers (formerly part of Enfield), and Suffield to Connecticut, and WORCESTER (Mass.) lost town of Woodstock to Connecticut when Connecticut responded to the towns' request for annexation and extended jurisdiction over the area south of the 1713 provincial line. HAMPSHIRE (Mass.) continued to control a small part of Southwick (Mass.) that extended into Connecticut; WORCESTER (Mass.) eliminated from Connecticut. (Bowen, Disputes, 62; Hooker, 22, 26)

12 October 1749

HARTFORD gained towns of Enfield, Somers, and Suffield from HAMPSHIRE (Mass.), and WINDHAM gained the town of Woodstock from WORCESTER (Mass.) in accordance with the May 1749 annexation of towns from Massachusetts. (Conn. Col. Recs., 9:476)

9 October 1751

LITCHFIELD created from FAIRFIELD, HARTFORD, and NEW HAVEN. (Conn. Col. Recs., 10:56-58)

12 April 1753

HAMPSHIRE (Mass.) boundaries were redefined to cover all territory west of the Connecticut River [no change]. (Mass. Col. Acts, vol. 3, ch. 27 [1752-1753]/p. 656)

9 May 1754

FAIRFIELD gained small area from LITCHFIELD. (Conn. Col. Recs., 10:274-275)

9 June 1756

HAMPSHIRE (Mass.) boundary with WORCESTER (Mass.) was adjusted when the dispute between the towns of Greenwich and Hardwick was settled [no discernible change]. (Mass. Col. Acts, vol. 15, ch. 51 [1756-1757]/p. 550)

30 June 1761

HAMPSHIRE (Mass.) lost to creation of BERKSHIRE (Mass.); area within Connecticut was unchanged. (Mass. Col. Acts, vol. 4, ch. 33 [1760-1761], sec. 1/p. 432)

10 February 1763

The Treaty of Paris, ending the Seven Years' War between Great Britain (the victor) and France and Spain, implicitly set the Mississippi River as a new western limit for British colonies, including Connecticut, whose charter bounds had technically extended to the Pacific Ocean. (Cappon, Petchenik, and Long, 1)

5 January 1764

HAMPSHIRE (Mass.) lost small area to WORCESTER (Mass.) when town of Western (now Warren) gained from town of Palmer; area in Connecticut was unchanged. (Mass. Col. Acts, vol. 17, ch. 14 [1764-1765]/p. 516)

5 February 1765

HAMPSHIRE (Mass.) gained small area from WORCESTER (Mass.) when town of Greenwich gained from town of Hardwick; area in Connecticut was unchanged. (Mass. Col. Acts, vol. 17, ch. 218 [1764-1765]/p. 603)

30 June 1768

HAMPSHIRE (Mass.) gained from BERKSHIRE (Mass.) when town of Worthington was created from Plantation #3; area in Connecticut was unchanged. (Mass. Col. Acts, vol. 4, ch. 16 [1768], sec. 1/p. 1028)

12 January 1774

LITCHFIELD gained the town of Westmoreland, a town created by Connecticut in northeastern Pennsylvania and a narrow strip of New York about 3 miles wide. Connecticut claimed the area based on its 1662 charter. Although LITCHFIELD encroached slightly into New York, the dispute was between Connecticut and Pennsylvania. (Cappon, Petchenik, and Long, 17, 92; Conn. Col. Recs., 13:427, 14:218)

22 June 1774

King George III approved the Quebec Act, which added to Quebec all territory west of Pennsylvania and north of the Ohio River, implicitly reducing the western extent of Connecticut and other colonies whose charter limits had technically extended to the Pacific Ocean. (Cappon, Petchenik, and Long, 90)

August 1774

New York and Pennsylvania agreed to define their boundary as running up the Delaware River to the parallel of 42 degrees north latitude. Both colonies were motivated in part by Connecticut's creation (12 January 1774) of the town of Westmoreland in present northeastern Pennsylvania. (Cappon, Petchenik, and Long, 17; Pratt, 1:241-248)

1774

HARTFORD gained from HAMPSHIRE (Mass.) when Connecticut unilaterally took over a small part of the town of Southwick (Mass.) that extended south of the 1713 provincial boundary. HARTFORD included a small area of Massachusetts. (Bowen, Disputes, 65; Hooker, 25)

11 May 1775

LITCHFIELD gained territory in Pennsylvania and New York when Connecticut enlarged the town of Westmoreland to the Fort Stanwix Indian Treaty line. (Cappon, Petchenik, and Long, 17, 92; Conn. Col. Recs., 15:13)

14 December 1775

LITCHFIELD gained territory from New York and exchanged territory with Pennsylvania when Connecticut reduced the area of the town of Westmoreland. (Cappon, Petchenik, and Long, 17, 92; Conn. Col. Recs., 15:197-198)

4 July 1776

Connecticut became an independent state. (Declaration of Independence)

10 October 1776

WESTMORELAND (extinct) created from LITCHFIELD when Connecticut removed the town of Westmoreland from LITCHFIELD and made it "a distinct County;" WESTMORELAND was located entirely within Pennsylvania and a narrow strip of New York about 3 miles wide. (Cappon, Petchenik, and Long, 17, 92; Conn. St. Recs. 1:7)

11 May 1780

LITCHFIELD gained from NEW HAVEN when the town of Watertown was created from town of Waterbury. (Conn. St. Recs., 3:73-75)

30 December 1782

A special court of arbitration, established by Congress under the Articles of Confederation, decided the dispute over the Connecticut county and town of WESTMORELAND in northeastern Pennsylvania, in favor of Pennsylvania; WESTMORELAND eliminated. Within a few weeks Pennsylvania was exercising full jurisdiction in the area. (Susquehannah Co. Papers, 7:xxxiii, 245)

3 September 1783

Commissioners from Great Britain and the United States signed the Treaty of Paris (ratifications exchanged 12 May 1784) ending the War of the American Revolution and recognizing American independence. (Parry, 48:481-486; Van Zandt, 12)

9 October 1783

NEW LONDON gained the town of Colchester from HARTFORD. (Conn. St. Recs., 5:220, 281, 378, 384)

12 May 1785

MIDDLESEX created from HARTFORD and NEW LONDON. (Conn. St. Recs., 6:10-11)

13 October 1785

TOLLAND created from HARTFORD and WINDHAM. (Conn. St. Recs., 6:93)

11 May 1786

TOLLAND gained the town of Coventry from WINDHAM. (Conn. St. Recs., 6:154)

14 September 1786

Connecticut ceded to the United States its claim to lands north and west of Pennsylvania and the Ohio River, except for a tract lying between 41 degrees and 42 degrees, 2 minutes north latitude (Connecticut's southern and northern limits) and extending 120 miles west of Pennsylvania. This tract, lying in the northeast corner of present Ohio, was known as the Connecticut Western Reserve. (Terr. Papers U.S., 2:24 n.62)

8 May 1788

FAIRFIELD gained from LITCHFIELD when town of Brookfield was created from towns of Danbury, Newtown, and New Milford. (Conn. St. Recs., 6:410)

14 May 1789

TOLLAND gained from HARTFORD when the town of Bolton gained from town of East Windsor. (Conn. St. Recs., 7:62)

2 May 1796

NEW HAVEN gained from HARTFORD when the town of Wolcott was created from towns of Southington and Waterbury. (Conn. St. Recs., 8:373)

HARTFORD gained town of Hartland from LITCHFIELD. (Conn. St. Recs., 8:372-373)

31 October 1796

All county boundaries were redefined [no change]. (Conn. Pub. Acts 1796, pp. 123-124)

11 October 1798

HARTFORD gained from NEW HAVEN when town of Berlin gained from town of Wallingford. (Conn. St. Recs., 9:284-285)

NEW HAVEN gained from LITCHFIELD when the town of Oxford was created from towns of Derby and Southbury. (Conn. St. Recs., 9:311-313)

9 May 1799

MIDDLESEX gained town of Durham from NEW HAVEN. (Conn. St. Recs., 9:351)

28 April 1800

Connecticut ceded the Western Reserve in present Ohio to the United States, and the area was incorporated into the Northwest Territory. (Terr. Papers U.S., 3:84-86; U.S. Stat., vol. 2, ch. 38 [1800]/pp. 56-57)

13 October 1803

HARTFORD gained from NEW LONDON and TOLLAND when the town of Marlborough was created from the towns of Colchester, Glastonbury, and Hebron. (Conn. Spec. Acts 1803, 2:1157-1158)

1804

HARTFORD lost part of the town of Southwick (the "Southwick Jog") to HAMPSHIRE (Mass.) when the state boundary was adjusted. (Hooker, 25-26; Van Zandt, 69)

8 May 1806

HARTFORD gained from LITCHFIELD when town of Canton was created from towns of New Hartford and Simsbury. (Conn. Pub. Acts 1806, p. 721)

14 May 1807

NEW HAVEN gained the town of Southbury from LITCHFIELD. (Conn. Pub. Acts 1807, p. 771)

8 October 1807

NEW HAVEN gained from LITCHFIELD when the town of Middlebury was created from towns of Southbury, Waterbury, and Woodbury. (Conn. Pub. Acts 1807, p. 800; Conn. Pub. Acts 1808, p. 815)

3 June 1824

NEW LONDON gained the town of Lebanon from WINDHAM. (Conn. Pub. Acts 1824, ch. 8/p. 47)

3 November 1826

TOLLAND exchanged narrow strips with HAMPDEN (Mass.) and WORCESTER (Mass.), and WINDHAM exchanged narrow strips with WORCESTER (Mass.) when an irregularity in the state boundary was straightened [not mapped]. (Bowen, Disputes, 66; Hooker, 28)

25 May 1827

TOLLAND gained the towns of Columbia and Mansfield from WINDHAM. (Conn. Pub. Acts 1827, ch. 20-21/pp. 157-158)

26 February 1881

Congress confirmed a redefinition of the boundary between Connecticut and New York over land and through Long Island Sound [no change]. (Van Zandt, 74)

16 March 1881

NEW LONDON gained the town of Voluntown from WINDHAM. (Conn. Pub. Acts 1881, ch. 28, sec. 1/p. 16)

22 March 1881

Jurisdiction of FAIRFIELD, NEW HAVEN, MIDDLESEX, and NEW LONDON over the waters of Long Island Sound was redefined, in accordance with the redefinition of the state line that took effect 26 February 1881 [no change]. (Conn. Pub. Acts 1881, ch. 37, sec. 1/p. 19)

7 April 1885

WINDHAM gained from TOLLAND when the town of Windham gained from town of Mansfield. (Conn. Spec. Acts 1885, no. 122, sec. 1/p. 117)

1 October 1960

Connecticut abolished all its counties as operational institutions. Their functions have been performed since this date directly by the state. Counties continue to be used as geographical units. (Conn. Pub. Acts 1959, no. 152/pp. 442-489)