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Connecticut- Willimantic - 1
bedroom - 1 bath - spacious, clean & sunny unit! - Brick Building - Hardwood
Floors - Modern Kitchen - Spacious Living Room - Large Bedroom w/ Double Sliding
Door Closet - Updated Bathroom - Off Street Parking - access to commuter rail,
bus, shops & restaurants, first and last months rent
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About Willimantic
Willimantic is a census-designated place and city located in the town of
Windham, Connecticut in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The
population was 15,823 at the 2000 census. It is home to Eastern Connecticut
State University, as well as the Windham Textile and History Museum. The city
was incorporated in 1893 as a section of the town of Windham. The city
government was dissolved in 1983 with the area reverting back to the town.
The "Battle of Frog Pond" was an incident in 1754 around the time of the French
and Indian War. The citizens of Windham (Willimantic is located in Windham
township) were awakened in the middle of the night by a tremendously frightening
racket just outside of town. Assuming the worst, they seized their arms and
prepared for the impending Indian attack. When morning arrived, the armed
villagers marched in the direction of the noise only to discover that the nearby
pond had dried up, and the area was littered with hundreds of dead bullfrogs.
The frogs that still lived were heading to the Willimantic River in search of
water. Thus, the fearsome sounds that had plagued the citizenry the previous
night had not been Indians but rather bullfrogs “fighting” for water. The pond
was renamed Frog Pond, the story spread throughout the towns and colonies, and
the legend was born. The story is apocryphal, and most likely well embellished
by local color. Nevertheless, the town has recently erected a to commemorate the
incident, featuring frogs atop spools of thread. Giant sculptures of frogs atop
spools of thread adorn a bridge next to the mill.
Giant sculptures of frogs atop spools of thread adorn a bridge next to the mill.
Giant sculptures of frogs atop spools of thread adorn a bridge next to the mill.
The thread spools are included in the bridge's design because Willimantic was,
at one time, known as “Thread City.” The American Thread Company had a mill in
Willimantic on the banks of the Willimantic River, and was at one time the
largest employer in the state as well as one of the largest producers of thread
in the world.
Willimantic has also received national and international attention for its
annual Boom Box Parade. Back in 1986, with the local Windham High School
marching Band having disbanded, Kathleen Clark, a free spirit and independent
thinker, approached the local radio station WILI with the idea of a people’s
parade. She offered her collection of vintage marching music records to the
radio station with her idea that they play these patriotic marches throughout
the duration of the parade. Parade goers were encouraged to bring their Boom Box
radios and tune in to 1400 AM. The parade was a hit, and its unique notion of
having no live music has drawn the attention of CBS Evening News and the
Washington Post, among others. The parade Grand Marshal is WILI radio host and
local celebrity Wayne Norman. Parade participation is equally as important as
parade attendance, with the vast majority of parade participants being
individual citizens or local citizens groups who simply wish to share their
creativity and national pride with spectators. Other cities from Madison, WI and
Lubbock, TX, to Newfane, NY and Bullhead City, AZ, have had Boom Box Parades,
but none have endured or been as large as Willimantic's.