The early history of the Town of North Haven is recorded within that of the colony and the City of New Haven, of which it formed a part. As the numbers of settlers grew and wants increased, tracts of land were measured and apportioned among the planters. These tracts were called "Divisions" and the Town of North Haven lay principally in the "Third, Fourth and Fifth Divisions." North Haven became a separate and distinct town on the 19th of October, 1786, and the first town meeting was held at the Meeting House, on the second Tuesday of November, 1786. In 1714, Rev. James Pierpont gave land in his will for a meeting house, burying ground, market place, and training ground. The first brickyard on the continent was found when Theophilus Eaton found clay on his property on the west side of the Quinnipiac River. The brickyards continued to play an important role in the development and history of North Haven, well into the 20th century.

Today, North Haven is a suburban residential community with a healthy and growing commercial, retailing and manufacturing base which employs approximately 12,640 people. There are more than 75 highly diversified manufacturing and commercial firms in North Haven, 40 of which are assessed at over $1,000,000. North Haven has five industrial parks containing 490 acres, and boasts such corporate tenants as Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Pratt & Whitney and United States Surgical Corporation. An excellent parks system and a wide variety of housing from the modest to magnificent, make North Haven a quality place to live in - as well as to do business.