North Haven, Connecticut
New Haven county. North Haven was taken from New Haven in 1786. The town lies on both sides of the Wallingford, or Quinnipiac river, and comprises the valley and a part of the bordering hills. The valley is partly rich intervale land, and more extensively sand; covered with a thin stratum of loam; light but warm. Near the northern line of the town it is so light as, in two or three places of small extent, to be blown into drifts. The soil of the hills is good, being a reddish loam.
From the vicinity of this town to New Haven, and from its light and warm soil, which is favorable for early vegetation, there are various culinary vegetables, particularly peas, cultivated for the New Haven market. But the most striking feature of the township is the large and beautiful tract of salt meadows on both sides of the Quinnipiac.—These meadows produce large quantites of grass, which is mowed and stacked upon the land, from whence, when the ground is frozen sufficiently solid in the winter, it is removed. Upon the salt marsh the hay is salt; but on those meadows which are protected from the salt water by means of dikes, the grass is fresh and of a better quality.—These are called dike marshes or meadows. The making of brick receives considerable attention in this town. Four and a half millions of them are manufactured annually, and principally sold in New Haven.
The village is very pleasant, and was, for more than half a century, the residence of Dr. Trumbull, the celebrated historian of Connecticut.
Ezra Stiles, D.D., president of Yale College, was born in this town in 1727, and died in 1795.
