Bozrah

About Bozrah

Tucked into the quiet woodlands of New London County, Bozrah is a small, unhurried town with a surprisingly memorable origin story and a genuine small-town soul. With three distinct villages — Fitchville, Leffingwell, and Gilman — this tight-knit community offers a peaceful corner of Southeastern Connecticut where history, nature, and neighborliness all coexist comfortably.

What to Know

• The Bozrah Congregational Church and Parsonage (17 & 23 Bozrah St.) is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a beautifully preserved landmark anchoring the town center.
• Hopemead State Park offers 60 undeveloped acres — a quiet, natural escape perfect for hiking and getting off the beaten path.
• Bozrah is home to three charming villages: Fitchville (the town center), Leffingwell (a crossroads along Route 82), and Gilman (a historic mill village).
• The town sits at a comfortable elevation of 180 feet amid the rolling hills and forests characteristic of eastern Connecticut.

History

Originally settled as part of Norwich's "nine-miles-square," the community became its own parish in 1737 before being incorporated as a town in 1786. Its unusual name comes with a legendary backstory: a local delegate reportedly arrived at the Connecticut General Assembly in such spectacularly odd homespun clothing that an amused legislator quoted Isaiah 63:1 — "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah?" — and the name stuck. In Hebrew, "Bozrah" means "an enclosure," which feels fitting for this quietly sheltered community.

Community & Living

Bozrah is the kind of place where people genuinely know their neighbors, and residents tend to love it for exactly that reason. The town's rural character, low density, and natural surroundings make it a haven for those seeking a slower pace within easy reach of Norwich and the broader Southeastern Connecticut region. It's small-town Connecticut living at its most authentic.