Norwich, CT's Jail Hill: A Forgotten Height for Outcasts

Situated in Norwich, CT, Jail Hill Historic District, once dubbed after a 1834 jail on Fountain and Cedar Streets, was rejected by the city's elite. Standing over 100 feet high, this hill attracted the downtrodden elements of society. The first settlers were the Williams and Harris families, free people of color, who began purchasing land in the 1830s. These families were embroiled in a contentious debate concerning the Prudence Crandall School in Canterbury. When a Harris daughter enrolled in this school amidst its all-white student body, resistance ensued, prompting Crandall to open a school exclusively for African-American girls. The Harrises and Williamses were also active in the anti-slavery movement, venturing south post American Civil War to establish schools for emancipated slaves.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons