The Two Hundredth Anniversary of the Settlement of the Town of New Milford, Conn. June 17th, 1907 Address Delivered by Daniel Davenport, of Bridgeport, Conn.

In this commemorative address, the speaker paints a vivid picture of New Milford’s birth in 1707, when the town was little more than a log cabin on the edge of a dense, untamed forest. He explains how the colony’s growing population and the desire for security pushed hardy families to carve out new homes far beyond the familiar shoreline, transforming a wilderness into a fledgling community within just a few decades. Listeners will hear the blend of ambition and adventure that drove early settlers to tame the rugged landscape and lay the foundations of what would become Litchfield County.

The speech then widens its lens to the tumultuous world beyond New England, recalling the political strains between the colonies and the British Crown, the looming French wars, and the uneasy marriage of England and Scotland under Queen Anne. By linking these global forces to local decisions, the address illustrates how distant power struggles and economic pressures shaped the everyday lives of the pioneers. It offers a thoughtful snapshot of the early American spirit, rooted in both a love of the land and a resolve to protect emerging liberties.