History of Sherman

Settling in New Fairfield, the Puritans established The New Fairfield Meeting with a meeting house in its center. The north seven miles of the town became well populated, and in 1744, its residents established their own North Meeting with the Congregational Church and schools. 

The North Meeting petitioned the Connecticut General Assembly to be a separate town and in 1802, became Sherman, named for Roger Sherman, the only  American to sign four important historical documents: The Continental Association of 1774,  The Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and The Federal Constitution. 

Farming was the predominant occupation, along with mills for timber, shingles, cider and grain. Early Sherman had one church, one store, a doctor, and men who could build, bank , and deal in cattle and property sales. 

Only after the flooding of Candlewood Lake in 1928, did the town begin to grow to new proportions. 

A Farming Community

Milk cans sitting on a corner stand awaiting morning pickup were once a common site in Sherman. However, as milk production became more regulated, dairy farms began to disappear. 

Tobacco was a large cash crop grown during the early 1900's. Considered to be of superior quality, it was dried in barns and shipped out as the wrapper leaf for cigars.

In recent years, a few farms have been sold to our local  Naromi Land Trust, and carefully sub-divided to preseve the natural views of rolling hills and farm buildings. Others survive to raise pigs, breed sheep, cattle and horses. Newer farmers are growing organic vegetables, fruits and flowers for the open market. Riding stables are also found in all corners of  Sherman. 

The enlarged K-8 school, volunteer file department, town hall and recreation fields are a testament to the growing population and new housing market in Sherman 

Flooded Fields of Memory

Imagine where Candlewood Lake is now, a valley of fertile farmland. Here, in southern Sherman, was once a farming community, with its own school and a cemetery. Familiar Sherman families - Leach, Haviland, Mallory - farmed wrapper tobacco and raised cattle. Two roads bisected the area: the Redding Turnpike, from Danbury to Sherman, and Mill Pond Road which ran across the valley to the New Milford town line.

In 1926, this landscape was changed forever. The Connecticut Light and Power Company began construction of a man-made lake and hydroelectric power plant, the first large-scale operation of its kind in the United States. Trees were cleared, farmland sold, families moved and in just 26 months, the valley had been turned into a lake.

The Sherman Historical Society, Sherman CT 860-354-3083
shermanhistorical@sbcglobal.net

The Society is grateful to SNET of Connecticut for a grant to design this web site and to bring the Sherman Historical Society on-line.