What’s in a Name…

Seventy or so years ago this highway sign reminded drivers on what is now Route 7 of New Milford’s Native American roots. CHS 2003.165.1

The Connecticut landscape is filled with place names based on Native American antecedents, from towns and villages like Naugatuck, Niantic and Scitico to rivers such as the Housatonic, the Shetucket and, of course, lest we forget, the Connecticut. Many of these names are based on words in various Algonquian dialects spoken by Native inhabitants during the 17th century, when first contact with Europeans occurred. Lacking a written language, Native Americans’ names, stories—their history—was handed down orally from generation to generation.