List of Sources for Willimantic History

This list of sources useful in researching Willimantic history includes published materials and other resources that are available in Connecticut libraries and archives. Online versions of many of these are also included in the Web Resources list; these are indicated by the notation Online at the end of the bibliographical entry.
 

Books and Other Printed Matter

Anniversary edition, Willimantic Daily Chronicle, September 8, 1967, 21-40.

Barber, John W. Connecticut Historical Collections. New Haven: Durrie & Peck, 1836. Pp. 446-447. Online.

Bayles, Richard M. History of Windham County, Connecticut. New York: W. W. Preston, 1889. Online.

Beardsley, Thomas R. Willimantic, Industry and Community: The Rise and Decline of a Connecticut Textile City. Willimantic, CT: Windham Textile & History Museum, 1993.

The Borough of Willimantic, Connecticut. Its Advantages as a Manufacturing Point. Willimantic: Hall & Bill, 1887.

Clark, Charles H. "A Spool of Thread," Scribner's Monthly, Vol. 16, No. 5 (September 1878): 697-711. Online.

Gould, E. R. L. The Housing of the Working People. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor, 1895. Online.

History of the Willimantic Linen Company. New York: E. S. Simpson, 1868.

Larned, Ellen D. History of Windham County. Worcester, MA: Charles Hamilton, Vol. 1, 1876, Vol. 2, 1880. Online: Vol. 1, Vol. 2.

Lincoln, Allen B. A Modern History of Windham County, Connecticut 2 vols. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1920.

"The Manufacture of Spool Cotton," Scientific American, 41 (December 6, 1879), 351,357.

A Memorial Volume of the Bicentennial Celebration of the Town of Windham, Connecticut. Hartford: New England Home Printing Company, 1893.

Robillard, Ron. Windham and Willimantic. Mount Pleasant, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2005. Online.

Trowbridge, W. P. Reports on the Water-Power of the United States, Part I. Tenth Census of the United States. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1885.

Winslow, Horace. A Centennial Discourse Delivered in the Congregational Church, Willimantic. Willimantic: Journal Book and Job Print, 1877.

Wright, Carroll D. Report on the Factory System of the United States. Tenth Census of the United States, 1880. Manufactures. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1883.
 

Maps, Views, and Aerial Photographs (in chronological order)

Lester, William. Map of New London and Windham Counties. New Haven, 1833. Includes an inset showing the location of mills in Willimantic. Online.

Hancox, B. F. "Map of the Village of Willimantic as Surveyed by the Hartford, Providence & Fishkill Rail Road Co." Manuscript map, Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, CT.

Woodford, E. M. Map of Windham County, Connecticut, 1855. Philadelphia, 1855. Includes a detailed map and business directory of Willimantic at the lower left. Online.

Schularth, N. B. "Map of the Willimantic Linen Co.'s Mill Property, Willimantic, Conn," 1866. Manuscript map, Windham Textile and History Museum archives, Willimantic, CT.

Gray, O. W. Atlas of Windham and Tolland Counties. Hartford: C. G. Keeney, 1869.

Bird's Eye View of Willimantic, Connecticut. O. H. Bailey & J. C. Hazen, 1876.

Porter, Wills, and Charles Hart. Willimantic, Conn. from Blake Mountain, 1882. New York: W. D. Laughna, 1882. Online.

Sanborn Map and Publishing Company. Insurance Maps of Willimantic, 1887 - 1973. Microfilm, Connecticut State Library, Hartford.

Flynn, Thomas. Map of the City of Willimantic. Philadelphia: D. L. Miller, 1897.

Aero View of Willimantic, Connecticut, 1909. New York: O. H. Bailey, 1909. Online.

Associated Mutual Insurance Company. "The American Thread Company," 1920. Windham Textile and History Museum archives, Willimantic, CT.

Fairchild Aerial Survey, 1934. Connecticut State Library, Hartford. Online. See also Photograph No. 9088.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. Aerial photographs of Windham County, 1951. Connecticut State Library, Hartford. Online. You may need to download the LizardTech MrSid plug-in to view this with your browser.

Connecticut Department of Transportation. Aerial Survey of Connecticut, 1965. Connecticut State Library, Hartford. Online.
 

Directories and Other Biographical Sources:

Commemorative Biographical Record of Tolland and Windham Counties. Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1903.

Donlan, H. F. (comp.) The Willimantic Journal Souvenir Edition. Willimantic, 1894.

Spalding, J. A. Illustrated Popular Biography of Connecticut. Hartford: Case, Lockwood & Brainard Co., 1891. Online (search "Willimantic").

Illustrated Review of Northeastern Connecticut. New York: Sovereign Publishing and Engraving Company, 1891.

Leading Business Men of Willimantic and Colchester. Boston: Mercantile Publishing Company, 1890.

Van Slyck, J. D. Representatives of New England. Manufacturers. Boston: Van Slyck & Co., 1879. Vol. 2, pp. 551-556.

Windham County, Connecticut, Business Directory. West Killingly: Windham County Transcript Office, 1861.

Willimantic Directory. New Haven: Price-Lee, 1873 - .
 

Newspapers

Willimantic Journal, 1848-1910.

Willimantic Weekly Enterprise, 1877-1879.

Willimantic Chronicle, 1879 - .
 

Historic-Preservation Reports

Numerous unpublished intensive-level surveys, archaeological reports, and documentation studies of historic properties have been archived in the Connecticut Historic Preservation Collection at the Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut Library, Storrs, CT. The Willimantic properties are listed under the Town of Windham in the Index.