Established 1639 ------------- Stratford Point -------------- Great Neck -----------Lordship Manor-------------Lordship Park
The History of Lordship
Stratford, Connecticut
Lordship, the land at the southern tip of Stratford, jutting into the heart of Long Island Sound. The first inhabitants of Lordship were the Paugussetts who had a large village at Fresh (Frash) Pond, but had encampments at Stratford Point and at Indian Well. Indian Well was a fresh water pond where the old trolley line crossed Duck Neck Creek just north of the rotary near the firehouse. When the first settlers arrived in 1639, they found that Indians were using this area to plant corn, so there was little clearing necessary. Originally Lordship, called Great Neck, was a Common Field worked and owned by settlers who returned home to the safety of the palisade fort at night. Richard Mills was the first to build a farmhouse in Great Neck in the western end near present day Second Avenue. He sold his estate to Joseph Hawley in 1650 and moved. It is in connection with his name that the term Lordship is first found, as applied to a meadow on what is still known as the Lordship farm. It is said in deeds of land - 1650 to 1660 several times, Mills Lordship and the Lordship Meadow. Richard Beach came to Stratford with a family and in 1662, he purchased one of five acres on west point of the Neck, butted south upon the meadow called Mills Lordship. In colonial days, Lordship was a desolate and feared place. There were a few farms and very little trees on the windswept landscape. Breezy Point (north end of Stratford Road) was thought to be haunted and was avoided at night. According to legend, witches and their servants would build bonfires there to lure ships onto the rocks along the beach.
The purpose of this website is to collect and preserve the history of Lordship. Anyone wishing to contribute material, pictures or stories is asked to contact Tom Halverson. All material will be scanned and returned.
THE LORDSHIP FATHERS CLUB HAS REVISED THEIR WEBPAGE AND ADDED A COMMUNITY CALENDAR. ANYONE INTERESTED IN ADDING YOUR EVENT TO THE CALENDAR PLEASE CONTACT THE WEBMASTER AT: webmaster@lordshipfathersclub.com
Anyone interested in becoming active in the community is asked to contact one of the board members or attend the next meeting. Currect activities are on the club's website at:
APRIL 15, 2010 - LORDSHIP HISTORY WEBSITE'S SECOND ANNIVERSARY. AUGUST 26 PASSED 19,400 INDIVIDUALS HAVE VIEWED THE HISTORY OF LORDSHIP FROM 117 COUNTRIES
It is hard to believe that my site has been up for 2 years and over 15,000 people from 108 countries have viewed the History of Lordship. I grew up in Lordship and did not know a fraction of what I have discovered. From the founding of Lordship in 1639, to Captain Kidd, Gustave Whitehead and Stratford Point lighthouse; my site has offered interest to people all over the world. The Trolley Tour of Lordship was a result of this website. I continue to use all available resources to find further items, but am running out of material. Anyone interested in donating or lending material is asked to contact me. Tom Halverson, Lordshipper since 1957.
THE LORDSHIP DIRECTORY - The 61st edition of the Lordship Directory 2010 - 2011 has been issued by the Lordship Volunteer Fireman Company. If you have not received your copy, please contact Bill Green on Stratford Road. The cover of the 61st edition of the Lordship Directory 2010 - 2011.
