This is a marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue…read morebackground. It's located on a small grassy patch along Main Street in front of Piedmont Hall. It's a two-sided marker with the same description on both sides. A brief history of Somers is described on the plaque -its settlement in 1706, it's naming in 1734 after an English Lord, it's separation from Massachusetts and annexation by Connecticut, it's agricultural heritage of potatoes and tobacco, and it's manufacturing heritage of mills and bonnet making (!!). The marker is in pretty good condition but is starting to signs of age, with faded and peeling paint in some areas. The full inscription reads: SOMERS Named 1734 Settlement was begun here in "East Enfield" about 1706 by Nenjamin Jones, followed in 1713 by Edward Kibbe, James Pease, Timothy Roote, and John McGregory. The Town of Somers was incorporated in 1734 by the General Court of Massachusetts and named for Lord John Somers of England. In 1749 Somers separated from Massachusetts and was annexed to Connecticut. There has always been an agricultural community with potato, tobacco and dairy farms. The Four-Town Fair was organized in 1838 as a contest to see which of the ten school districts had the most oxen. "Little Sorrel", the favorite horse of Civil War General "Stonewall" Jackson, was born at the Collins Farm on Prink Street, now Springfield Road. Industries have included grist- and sawmills, and bonnet making. In 1839, the Billings Satinette Mill was established on the Scantic River. Rockwell Keeney purchased it in 1879 for a woolen mill. As the Somersville Mfg. Co., it was the main industry here until 1970. Erected by the Town of Somers, the Somers Historical Society and the Connecticut Historical Commission, 1980

Political wheeling and dealing has a long history. All you have to do is look at the origin of…read moreMansfield, CT, as described in their historical marker. It seems that a request to subdivide the area into two sections (and what would become Mansfield) was granted under certain conditions- namely payment of back taxes, and continued support of the local church until a new minister could be found for the new town. You'll find the marker in front of the Mansfield Public Library. It's a 2-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. There is a different inscription on each side. The marker was dedicated in 1975 and is in pretty good condition. The full inscription reads: The area that became Mansfield was included in land acquired by sixteen residents of Norwich and nearby towns from Mohegan Indian chief Joshua, son of Uncas. This tract was incorporated as the town of Windham in 1692. At that time the families of Samuel Hide, Jonathan Hough, and John Royce were living at Pond Place, later named Mansfield Center. Partly because of hazards encountered in crossing the "bad and dangerous" Natchaug River, differences arose about location of the meetinghouse. In May, 1702 Joseph Hall, representing Windham, petitioned the General Assembly to divide Windham into two towns This was granted under certain conditions: the new town must pay arrears of parish taxes and continue supporting the Windham Church until Mansfield secured "an able orthodox minister of the gospel." In May, 1703 the General Assembly defined the boundaries of Mansfield. Following establishment of the First Church of Christ at Mansfield Center in 1710, the population grew so rapidly that before long the town was divided into north and south parishes, and the Second Congregational Church of Mansfield was established in 1744. By 1774 Mansfield had 2,466 inhabitants. The estimated population in 1974 was 20,000. Erected 1975 by Town of Mansfield, the Mansfield Historical Society, and the Connecticut Historical Commission.

With every list of data, something has to be first and something has to be last…read more With every list of race finishers, someone has to be the fastest and someone has to be the slowest. And with every list of historical events, (say the settling of a town?), one has to be the earliest and one has to be the latest. Which brings us to the Town of Wethersfield, whose marker proudly states is the "Most Auncient Towne in Connecticut". How ancient? Well would you believe 1634! That's a whole lot of a long time ago... Located on a strip of grass between Town Hall and its parking lot behind the Silas Deane Highway, this is a two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. The marker has the same text on both sides. The marker dates to 1976 and is in pretty good shape, but is starting to show some slight streaking damage from the elements.

It's May 12, 1796, and the CT General Assembly is voting on a motion to charter a new city to be…read moreknown as Farmingbury. It was a close vote, so close in fact that it ended in a tie, setting the stage for the Governor to cast the deciding vote. The Governor was named Oliver Wolcott, and he voted "aye"'. In gratitude, the fathers of CT's newest town ditched the name Farmingbury and changed it to Wolcott. This is a one-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. It's located indoors -in the front lobby of Wolcott Town Hall at 10 Kenea Avenue. . The marker was dedicated in 1971 and is in excellent condition

I guess the very busy Berlin Turnpike of today used to be an Indian path…read more Welcome to Berlin, CT!! It's the geographic center of the state, and its historic heritage includes the manufacture of tin pots and pans and pistols. For centuries it has been a popular stopping place for weary travelers. This is a two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission, with the familiar white lettering on a blue background. The marker dates to 1982 and is in pretty good shape. It's located on a grassy hilly green with benches known as Deming Park on the corner of Kensington Road and Main Street. The full inscription reads: This land, granted to settlers in 1661 and 1668 by the General Court of Connecticut, was also purchased from the local Mattabesett Indian tribe. Founders of the community include Sergeant Richard Beckley, who came north on the trail from New Haven before 1660 and built a home in the northeast section; Jonathan Gilbert, owner of a tract of land along the Hartford-New Haven path; and Captain Richard Seymour, who led a group of families from Farmington in 1686 to begin the settlement at Christian Lane. The area was named the Great Swamp Society in 1705, when it was granted a distinct ecclesiastical unit. Portions of Farmington, Wethersfield, and Middletown were included in the reorganization of 1722, when the name became Kensington. The Worthington Society was later separated from Kensington, but in 1785 all parts were incorporated as the Town of Berlin, including Worthington, Kensington, East Berlin and New Britain. Known as the "Town at the Crossroads" Berlin is the geographic center of Connecticut. (Reverse) Here in the birthplace of the Yankee Pedlar, the Pattison brothers started the tin industry in 1740, when they began manufacturing and selling tin pots and pans. Simeon North, official pistol maker for the United States Government, developed a system of standard interchangeable parts here in his shop c. 1800. Other citizens who brought fame to Berlin include: Emma Hart Willard, educator; Robert Brandegee, artist-poet; Elisha Cheney, clock maker; James Gates Percival, poet-geologist; and General Selah Hart, regimental and brigade commander in the American Revolutionary War. The period from 1850 to 1900 saw the New Britain section grow from a farming village to a thriving industrial center after its separation from Berlin in 1850. Some factories still operated in Berlin, however, and the brick industry flourished well into the 20th century because of the excellent quality of the local clay. The Berlin area has long been a major stop on the main routes of travel, from Indian paths, to superhighways. Erected by the Town of Berlin The Berlin Historical Society And the Connecticut Historical Commission 1982

I love the location of this marker. It's on the exterior front wall of Town Hall, mounted to the…read moreright of the front door. A nice place of honor for a pretty interesting marker, unlike the boring one I just saw in Bristol. Being mounted on the front wall, it should be no surprise that this is a one-sided marker. It's from the CT Historical Commission with the familiar white lettering on a blue background. Here's the highlights - Torrington was named for an English town, it was a spin-off of Windsor, it became a town in its own right in 1740 and had to wait all the way until 1923 to become a city. Manufacturing was king in the early days of Torrington's history as this quintessential mill town churned out metal works, hardware, textiles, and wood trim. John Brown, the lightning rod abolitionist, was born in Torrington. Recognize the name? You definitely recognize the epic song written in his honor in 1861. John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave, But his soul goes marching on. Chorus: Glory, glory, hallelujah, hallelujah, Glory, glory, hallelujah, Glory, glory, hallelujah, His soul goes marching on. Want another great Torrington nugget? OK. Quick, when I say "condensed milk" what names comes into mind? "Bordens", did you say? Yup - Gail Borden patented and manufactured both condensed and evaporated milk in Torrington in 1856. (I wonder if I have any of those original cans buried in the back of my cupboard behind the lentil soup?). Anyway, Torrington's marker is a pretty darned good one. Plus it's in great shape as far as the paint and lettering go. The full inscription reads: Named in 1732 for Torrington in Devonshire, England, this was one of the townships of the Western Lands allotted to Windsor. Since the early settlers were taxpayers in that town, their shares in the division of land depended upon the amount of taxes paid to Windsor. Torrington was incorporated as a town in 1740 and became a city on October 1, 1923. Industries were established on the banks of the Naugatuck River and smaller streams, among them the manufacture of brass, needles, tacks, hooks and eyes, woolen cloth, and millwork. John Brown, noted for his efforts to abolish slavery in the Civil War era, and Samuel J. Mills, Jr., founder in 1810 of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, were born in Torrington. In 1856 Gail Borden was granted a patent for the "process of evaporating milk in vacuum." In the following year he began the manufacture of condensed milk in the Burrville section of town. The economy of Torrington remains largely industrial, with many of the earlier products continued and supplemented in modern form. Erected 1980 by the City of Torrington, The Torrington Historical Society and the Connecticut Historical Commission.

Cool Colebrook trivia:…read more It was the last town settled in colonial Connecticut. It was named after a town in England for an unknown reason. The first baby born in Colebrook was named "Alpha". Cannons used in the Revolutionary War were made here. At one time, Colebrook had a scythe factory! This is a two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission, with the familiar white lettering on a blue background. It has the a different inscription on each side.. The marker dates to 1980 and is in pretty good shape with no chipping or peeling and just a little fading observed. It's located on the side of the road in front of a huge white colonial in a pretty part of town The full inscription reads: The last town in colonial Connecticut to be settled, Colebrook was named after a town in Devonshire, England. The reason is now unknown. The year 1765 saw Benjamin Horton, leader of a trickle of settlers, arrive amid virgin forests. Samuel Rockwell, among those who shortly followed, two years afterward built one of the outpost's first houses. Here, before long, was born Colebrook's first child, a boy whose parents fittingly named him Alpha. Iron forges soon developed, ore being drawn by oxen from Salisbury for smelting with the plentiful local wood. Cannon for use in the Revolution were made and lugged where needed. A story connects one of these with the piece on exhibit in Quebec whose label states: "Taken by the British at Bunker Hill." Notable structures from the past crowd about this marker. Northward, on the left is the Samuel Rockwell House (1767); below it is the Colebrook Store (1812), a Greek revival gem and a federally registered historic building. To the left stands the combined Historical Society quarters and Town Hall (1816), built as the Colebrook Tavern to serve the needs of travelers on the old New Haven Turnpike, the road just to the right. On the west side of the church in front of the viewer is the Martin Rockwell House (1793) and, lastly the church itself rises serenely above the nearby conifers and maples. Its measurements precisely like the one attributed to Charles Bullfinch, an architect of the United States Capitol. The whole forms a setting that has been declared the best-preserved example of a small post-Revolutionary village center that has survived in the State of Connecticut, and perhaps in all New England. The Town's population peaked just before the Civil War. So did its commercial importance, which was marked by mills, a scythe factory, tanneries, and woolen and wooden-ware works. Today its cool, airy climate and rural quiet each year attract a sizeable summer colony. Erected by the Town of Colebrook The Colebrook Historical Society and the Connecticut Historical Commission 1980

Cool Bolton Fact # 1 ... Rochambeau's army of French soldiers marched through Bolton on their way…read moreto aid George Washington's army at Yorktown. Cool Bolton Fact # 2 ... The plaque specifically mentions that one of Bolton's earliest products was cider brandy. Cool Bolton Fact # 3 ...Another early product was quarried stone that ended up as pavement in the streets of Hartford and major cities along the East Coast. Some very cool facts about a very small town, don't you agree? This is a two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission, with the familiar white lettering on a blue background. It has the same inscription on both sides. The marker dates to 1980 and is in very good shape. It's located on the Town Green where Bolton Center Road crosses Hebron Road.