15 Connecticut Towns That Sound Like Indie Band Names

New England is famous for its quaint towns and quirky names, but Connecticut really outdid itself. Some of our towns don’t just sound old-fashioned—they sound like they’d be opening acts at an underground music festival, playing songs about heartbreak, fog, and gluten-free pastries. Here’s a playful look at 15 Connecticut towns named after Native American Tribes that could easily moonlight as indie band names, along with some fun facts for good measure.

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1. Bantam:
Genre: Garage rock, proudly unpolished.
Bonus: It’s technically a borough inside Litchfield. Their latest album? "Songs from Mom’s Basement."

2. Higganum:
Genre: Alt-country with ironic overalls.
Known For: A section of Haddam, is derived from an Indian name meaning either "at the tomahawk rock"^[or "Great Bend in River".

3. Moodus: A village in the town of East Haddam...
Genre: Sad synth-pop for rainy days.
Fun Fact: Moodus means “place of noises” for its bizarre underground rumblings. Yeah, it literally hums.

4. Naugatuck:
Genre: Grungy post-punk that only plays in basements.
Claim to Fame: Birthplace of Naugahyde (yup, fake leather). Their merch? Vegan-friendly vinyl jackets.

5. Niantic:
Genre: Lo-fi beach rock. Every song references sunscreen and heartbreak.
Fact: The Niantic are a tribe of Algonquian-speaking American Indians who lived in the area of Connecticut and Rhode Island during the early colonial period.

6. Pomfret:
Genre: Minimalist indie-folk. They all have beards and own vintage typewriters.
Fun Fact: Known for its fancy boarding school and scenic hills—peak hipster material.

7. Poquonock:
Genre: Experimental noise project, no melodies allowed.
Bonus: It’s technically a village inside Windsor, which makes them that much edgier.

8. Squantz Pond:
Genre: Psychedelic jam band. Their concerts last four hours… minimum.
Fact: Chief Squantz was a leader of the people of the Schaghticoke tribe who lived until 1724. Chief Squantz refused to sell the land that is now called the towns of Sherman, Connecticut, and New Fairfield, Connecticut, to a group of twelve colonists called "The Proprietors" who came from Fairfield to find land for a new colonial township.

9. Quinebaug:
Genre: Banjo-laden indie-folk with flannel overload.
Fact: The name comes from a Native American word for “long pond”—which, ironically, is also the name of their debut EP.

10. Uncasville:
Genre: Darkwave synth, lots of fog machines.
Native American Connection: Named after Chief Uncas (or Wonkus), a Mohegan leader.

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