About Lebanon
Lebanon is a historic, rural town first settled in the 1690s and incorporated in 1700. The town remains one of few still closely in touch with both its colonial-era and agricultural roots. This beautiful, unique community is characterized by its extensive agricultural lands, rolling wooded hills, and low-density residential development.
Lebanon is best known for its unique role in the Revolutionary War, during which it became one of the largest and most politically important towns in Connecticut. Lebanon is the birthplace of five Connecticut governors, including Gov. Jonathan Trumbull — first governor of the State of Connecticut — and his son Gov. Jonathan Trumbull Jr. — who served as both governor and as America’s second Speaker of the House.
Today, the mile-long Lebanon Green is the town’s most distinctive feature, attracting walkers, runners, and bikers from all over the state and even the country as people come to enjoy the peaceful scenery and historic sites which line the 1.5-mile walking path. Connecticut’s war efforts during the Revolution were directed from the War Office which still sits along the Green and the adjacent home of Gov. Trumbull. These and a number of other historic locations make this a popular outdoor destination for people of all ages.
With over 150 active farms, agriculture is the dominant economic activity in town, although residential development has increased over the last couple decades. Lebanon is a Right-to-Farm Town and encourages the pursuit of agriculture while promoting the maintenance and improvement of agricultural land for its natural and ecological value. As a result, both large-scale commercial and traditional land-based farming continue throughout the community. In fact, even the Lebanon Green is still used for agriculture, making it one of the last in New England used for these purposes. The field is hayed by local farmers and even occasionally used for grazing by sheep.
Lebanon contains 55.1 square miles of land area plus several lakes and ponds and has a significant number of parks and trails for walking, hiking, hunting, and more. These include the Lebanon section of the Airline Trail, Mooween State Park, and the Pigeon Swamp Preserve. In addition, the town has preserved over 2,500 acres of farmland since 2006 — making sure Lebanon’s agricultural and natural resources are preserved in the decades and hopefully even centuries to come.
Despite its own rural nature, Lebanon is located in close proximity to urban centers of Willimantic, Colchester, and Norwich. Most residents work outside of the town and commute to places such as Downtown Hartford and New London which are both roughly 30 minutes away before returning home to peaceful Lebanon at the end of their day.