[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 81 (Wednesday, May 15, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S2880]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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              300TH ANNIVERSARY OF LITCHFIELD, CONNECTICUT

 Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the 
town of Litchfield, CT, as it celebrates 300 years of local government.
  Incorporated in 1719 by an act of the Colonial Assembly of 
Connecticut, Litchfield was first settled the following year and 
consisted of a mere home lots. Before long, the town grew thanks to a 
breadth of small industries, its significant position as part of two 
stagecoach lines, and its 1751 designation as the county seat.
  A beautiful, welcoming place to live and flourish, Litchfield is 
located in the bucolic hills of western Connecticut and is home to a 
multitude of historic places of interest.
  One of the most notable parts of the town are its historical houses. 
These remarkable structures are not only fascinating because of their 
fine, antique architecture and design, but also for their many famous 
residents. Some held temporary visitors, such as Sheldon's Tavern, 
where George Washington slept during the American Revolution. Others 
were the homes of important Connecticut luminaries including 
Revolutionary War patriot Ethan Allen, Governor and signer of the 
Declaration of Independence Oliver Wolcott, cofounder of the Litchfield 
China Trading Company Alexander Catlin, and Continental Army Colonel 
Benjamin Tallmadge.
  Litchfield has a number of other wonderful historical attractions, 
including the Tapping Reeve Law School. Started in 1775, Tapping Reeve 
began with Aaron Burr as its first student. Throughout its 58 years as 
a functioning law school, it educated over 1,200 students from 
throughout the Nation. Tapping Reeve counts Connecticut Governor Samuel 
A. Foot, U.S. Senator John C. Calhoun, Connecticut Governor Roger 
Sherman Baldwin, and Levi Woodbury, the first U.S. Supreme Court 
justice to attend law school, among its alumni. Now the restored law 
school building and Tapping Reeve House are available for public tours, 
thanks to the Litchfield Historical Society.
  The Connecticut General Assembly recognized Litchfield's rich past 
and important role throughout our State's history by designating the 
borough of Litchfield a historic district in 1959. Litchfield remains a 
constantly growing yet still peaceful part of our State, which is 
highly regarded by residents and visitors alike. I have greatly enjoyed 
visiting Litchfield on numerous occasions and appreciating its 
quintessential New England characteristics.
  A town with a commendable dedication to its impressive past and a 
positive, thoughtful look toward the future, Litchfield is an 
extraordinary Connecticut town. I hope my colleagues will join me in 
congratulating Litchfield on three centuries of distinction, and I send 
my best wishes for the town's future success.

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