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The Story of Norwalk

The Name “Norwalk” itself comes from the
Algonquin word “noyank” meaning “point of land”,

or its Native American name, “Naramauke”, a Native
American chief. Norwalk was purchased in 1640 by

Roger Ludlow.
The original purchase included all land be-

tween the Norwalk and Saugatuck rivers and a day’s
walk north from the sea. Norwalk was chartered as a

town on September 11, 1651.
The traditional American song “Yankee Doo-

dle” has Norwalk related origins. During the French
and Indian War, a regiment of Norwalkers arrived at

Fort Crailo, NY, the British regulars began to mock
and ridicule the rag-tag CT troops who only had

chicken feathers for uniforms.
Dr. Richard Shuckburgh, who was a British

army surgeon, added some new words to a popular
tune of the time, Lucy Locket (for example, “stuck a

feather in his cap and called it “macaroni, macaro-
ni being the London slang at the time for a foppish

dandy).
In 1849, the New York and New Haven Rail-

road started operating through Norwalk. In 1852 the
Danbury and Norwalk Railroad connected Norwalk

with Danbury. Both railroads eventually became
parts of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Rail-

road.
Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Con-

necticut. It is estimated that Norwalk is the sixth
largest city in Connecticut, and the third largest in

Fairfield County. The city is part of the New York
Metropolitan area. Residents of Norwalk are often

referred to as “Norwalkers”.