The oldest section of the Leffingwell House, on Washington Street in Norwich, dates to 1675 and was built by Steven Backus. Sometime later, the house was sold by Backus to Ensign Thomas Leffingwell, son of Lt. Thomas Leffingwell, who had given assistance to the Mohegan Chief Uncas in 1645, when he brought supplies at time when Uncas was under siege by the Narragansett. Leffingwell converted the building for use as a tavern in 1701, adding more rooms. The house is now named for his descendant, Christopher Leffingwell, who later inherited the tavern. He was a merchant and entrepreneur, who eventually built several mills. During the Revolutionary War, Leffingwell was a deputy commissary to the Continental Army and George Washington occasionally stayed at the Leffingwell Inn. In 1957, the house was moved to its present location when a connector was built linking Washington and Town Streets. Today, the Leffingwell House Museum is open to the public and operated by the Society of the Founders of Norwich.
Tours of the house are available on Saturdays from Noon – 4 PM April through October. Admission includes special exhibits, demonstrations and events. Group tours are available by appointment. Volunteers and demonstrators are encouraged. Visit soon and often!
Due to popular demand, the hours of the Leffingwell have been expanded from 11 am to 4 pm on Sat.
Also, be sure to visit the Norwich Heritage Center located on the GREEN.
A remarkable treasure, good to see that it is in good hands.