1910 — The Norwich Telephone Company built this structure at the bottom of Union Street to house its expanding number of phone lines. By 1940, the company — now called the Southern New England Telephone Company, or SNETCo — had outgrown this structure with no way to expand, as Norwich City Hall was next to it. SNETCo decided to build a much bigger building on the corner of Chestnut and Bath Streets. After the new building was finished, the Union Street building was sold to the city to house the Norwich Police Department, which had previously been housed in the basement of City Hall.

Ken Keeley is the author of 17 pictorial history books about Norwich, Taftville, New London, The Norwich Rose Arts Festival, Ocean Beach Park, and The History of the Norwich Little League & Farm System - 1950-1975. His books can be purchased at La Stella’s Italian Bakery in Taftville, La Stella’s Pizzeria on Market Street in downtown Norwich, and the Backus Hospital Gift Shop. He can be reached on Facebook or via email at kenekjr000@comcast.net.