The Connecticut panhandle is the southwestern appendage of
Connecticut, where it abuts
New York State. It is contained entirely in
Fairfield County and includes all of
Greenwich,
Stamford,
New Canaan, and
Darien, as well as parts of
Norwalk and
Wilton. It has
some of the most expensive residential real estate in the United States.
The irregularity in the boundary is the result of
territorial disputes in the late 17th century, culminating with New York giving up its claim to this area, whose residents considered themselves part of Connecticut. In exchange, New York received an equivalent area extending northwards from
Ridgefield, Connecticut, to the
Massachusetts border, as well as undisputed claim to
Rye, New York.
The two British colonies negotiated an agreement on November 28, 1683, establishing the New York–Connecticut border as east of the
Hudson River, north to Massachusetts. The east of the
Byram River making up the Connecticut panhandle were granted to Connecticut, in recognition of the wishes of the residents. In exchange, Rye was granted to New York, along with a strip of land known as the "Oblong" running north from Ridgefield to Massachusetts, alongside the New York counties of
Westchester
Westchester most commonly refers to Westchester County, New York, immediately north of New York City.
__NOTOC__
It may also refer to: Geography Canada
*Westchester Station, Nova Scotia, Canada
United States
*Town of Westchester, the original seat ...
,
Putnam, and
Dutchess.
See also
*
Philipse Patent
*
Border disputes between New York and Connecticut § Settling of the boundary
References
External links
Connecticut's "Panhandle"
{{Connecticut-geo-stub
Darien, Connecticut
Greenwich, Connecticut
Geography of Stamford, Connecticut
New Canaan, Connecticut
Norwalk, Connecticut
Geography of Westchester County, New York
Border irregularities of the United States
Borders of Connecticut
Geography of Fairfield County, Connecticut
Geography of Dutchess County, New York
Geography of Putnam County, New York