Hayward’s New England Gazetteer (1839) page 293
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NEW ENGLAND GAZETTEER.

ever there was of good., or evil, of
wisdom or folly, in laying the foun-
dations of civilized society in this
part of New England, must be as-
cribed in a great measure to them.
Though the government which
was established'was extremely pop-
ular in its form, these men with-
out doubt were looked up to for
devising and executing the most
important measures. Their “ com-
pany,” as it was called, appear to
have had entire confidence in their
sound judgment, ability and integ-
rity ; and they did notning to for-
feit the' good opinion of their fol-
lowers. Their influence in all the
concerns of the colony, especially
in what respected the form of gov-
ernment, the means of education,
and the institutions of religion,
must have been constant and com-
manding.

In 1784*, New Haven was incor-
porated as a city, the limits of which
on the northwest fall within those
of the town, so that Westville, a
settlement on the foot of West Rock,
is excluded from the former. About
one half of the village of Fair Ha-
ven, in the eastern portion of the
town, lies within the bounds of the
city. The area of the town is about
eight, and that of the city about six
square miles. The harbor is well
protected and spacious, but the wa-
ter is shallow. A wharf extends
into the harbor about three quar-
ters of a mile.

The original town is a square,
half a mile on each side, and subdi-
vided by streets four rods in width,
into nine squares, the central one
of which is reserved for public uses.
Most of the squares are further di-
vided by intermediate streets. At
the present day, this original plot
comprises less than half of the in-
habited part of the city. Streets
and avenues have been opened on
every side, and many of them have
become thickly settled. The streets
are in general, spacious and regu-
lar; very’ many of them adorned
with lpfly elms, which in the sum-
mer season contribute much to the
beauty and comfort of the place.
The number of shade trees through-
out the city is uncommonly large,
and they constitute one of its most
attractive features. ■ Most of the
dwelling houses are distinguished
for simplicity and neatness. With-
in a few years the style of build-
ing has greatly improved, and many
private houses have been erected
and are now going up, which dis-
play much elegance and architectu-
ral taste. The houses are com-
monly detached, and supplied with
court yards and gardens ornament-
ed with trees and shrubbery, and
the eye is thus gratified with a de-
lightful Union -of the country and
the city.

There are two principal public
squares. The first, commonly call-
ed
the Green, is in the centre of
the original town, and comprises
in all a little more than sixteen
acres. - It is divided into two sec-
tions by Temple street, which is
lined with ranges of stately and
over-arching elms, and is considered
one of tbe finest streets in the city.
The eastern section of the Green is
entirely free from buildings. On
the western section, facing the S.E.,
L.tand 3 churches, two Congregation-
al, built of brick, and one Episco-
pal, of stone: all of these build-
ings are of excellent appearance.
In the rear of tbe centre church
stands the state house. These four
buildings, taken in connexion with
the line of college edifices on the
next square beyond, and with the
surrounding scenery, constitute a
group not often > equalled in this
country. The state house is a
structure of great size and admira-
ble proportions. The porticos are
modelled from those of the temple
of Theseus, at Athens, and the
building, viewed at a short distance,
has an air of uncommon beauty



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