Nestled in Fairfield County, Connecticut, Norwalk has a population of around eighty-five thousand. In the list of most populated cities in Connecticut, Norwalk is the sixth highest and third highest in Fairfield County itself.
Some Background Info
Originally, the city was named Norwaukee, which is of unknown origin, but could possibly have derived from a Native American word in the Algonquian language, meaning ‘point of land’. Other theories suggest it could have come from a Native American chief named Naramauke, but again, this is unproven too.
Norwalk is best known for its fresh oyster farms and its famous Oyster Festival, held in September. Norwalk was actually purchased by Roger Ludlow in 1640 and originally included all the land between Norwalk river and the Saugatuck river. Norwalk became a chartered town in September of 1651. According to sources, the song “Yankee Doodle” has origins within the town of Norwalk, but there are no citations to prove this theory. The song is alleged to have been a mocking gesture towards the Connecticut soldiers during the French/Indian war because their uniforms were made from chicken feathers. A British Army doctor, named Richard Shuckburgh changed the words of a popular tune of the time, Lucy Locket and added that they ‘stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni’. At the time, the word macaroni was not associated with pasta as it is now, but more that it referred to an English slang word for a dandy, a fop. Hence, ‘I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy’.
It was during the late nineteenth century that the oyster farming hit its peak in Norwalk, carrying on well into the twentieth century, when Norwalk had the biggest fleet of oyster boats in the world – all steam-powered.
In 1836 Norwalk was reincorporated as a borough of Connecticut, but then reinstated as a city in 1893. The successful revitalization of Norwalk in the 1970’s and has enjoyed a spectacular growth since then. Norwalk real estate is much in demand and Norwalk Apartment Rentals are among the most sought after in the area. For a total of around 36.3 square miles, Norwalk has around thirteen square miles of water. The landmarks make Norwalk one of the most picturesque places in the area, too and its Maritime Aquarium attracts tourists and visitors from all over.
