A Brief Newhall History

The Newhall area of Hamden, also called Highwood, was mostly swamp and farmlands until the 1870s when residential subdivisions were built to house families of workers in New Haven’s factories.

Two public health issues played important roles in the Newhall Street neighborhood’s change from a swampy wetland to residential community: the first was the supposed link between wetlands and disease; the second was the link between waste and disease. From 1900 to about 1950, public health officials were convinced that by filling in low, marshy areas with refuse, the problems associated with wetlands and with waste could both be resolved. In this period several dumps were established in the Newhall neighborhood.

Many sources of information were used in preparing the history section of this website. Each specific source is noted by listing the author and page number such as (Haley & Aldrich, p.26)

For additional information, consult the Hamden Historical Society Library at the Miller Public Library, 2901 Dixwell Avenue, Hamden.