Windham

Formed May 12, 1726 (5^th county)

Windham County (116,418), Willimantic* (18,149), Danielson (4,163)

The Modern style courthouse is very much like a small business building.  It is located on Valley Street and North Street.  This building was built in 1972.  Lawrence Associates provided the designs.  There are augmenting courthouses in Danielson and Putnam.  The county was created on May 12, 1726 from parts of Hartford and New London counties as the 5^th county.  Windham (1726), Brooklyn (1819), Putnam (1895), and Willimantic (1895) all served as county seat.  The county seat is a Native American term meaning “land of the swift running water.”  The county is named for Windham, England.  Windham County was the birthplace of 4 Connecticut Governors, Samuel Huntington, Chauncey F. Cleveland, Everett J. Lake, and John H. Trumbull. 

Windham County doesn’t have a unified government as each township governs.  Twelve Superior District Court Judges and Three Probate Judges serve Windham County.  The county is located in northeast Connecticut on the border with both Massachusetts and Rhode Island.  The center of the county is 14.6 miles Northeast of Willimantic nearer Hampton.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Massachusetts and Rhode Island and New London and Tolland counties. 

The area of the county is 513 square miles.  It is 6 out of 8 in the state.  It ranks 8 out of 8 in population in the state.  It has a density of 226.9 persons per square mile making it 7 out of 8 in the state.  Windham County has 3.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 6 crosses east to west in the county from Rhode Island to Tolland County.  United States Highway 44 also crosses east to west from Rhode Island to Tolland County.  The county shape is rectangular with two extensions to the west.  Willimantic is located in the southwest quarter of the county.  Danielson is located in the eastern quarter of the county.  Willimantic is the county seat although unincorporated and Danielson is the largest and only incorporated city.  Willimantic is 15.6% of the county population while Danielson is 3.6% of county population.  The county is in the Willimantic Micropolitan Statistical Area.