The New London, Willimantic and Springfield Railroad was chartered in May 1847 to build from New London on the Long Island Sound north through Willimantic to Springfield, Massachusetts. On April 10, 1848, the name was changed to the New London, Willimantic and Palmer Railroad with the shift of the north terminus to Palmer. The first section, from Norwich north to Willimantic, opened in September 1849, and the part from Norwich south to New London opened the next month. The part north to Stafford opened in March 1850, and the rest of the way to Palmer opened in September of that year.