Farmington, Connecticut
Hartford county. The first settlers of this town were from Hartford, being emigrants from the neighborhood of Boston, Mass. They located themselves, in 1640, on the luxuriant meadows of the Tunxis, or Farmington river, 10 miles W. from Hartford. The township was purchased of the Tunxis Indians, a numerous and warlike tribe. At its incorporation in 1645 the township comprised fifteen miles square; since which the pleasant towns of Southington, Berlin, Bristol, Burlington and Avon have been taken from the original territory of Farmington.
Farmington river rises in the high lands in the N. part of Litchfield county, and after meandering delightfully through the towns of New Hartford and Burlington, in a S.E. direction, it changes its course at Farmington to the N., and passing Avon and Simsbury to the border of Granby, it again turns abruptly to the E. and meets the Connecticut at Windsor. This is a beautiful and fertilizing stream, and gives to the towns through which it passes, but particularly to Farmington, large tracts of rich alluvial meadows.
Farmington village is a delightful place, on an elevated plain, surrounded by high hills. The street is about two miles in length, beautifully shaded, and contains, besides two churches and an academy, about 100 neat dwelling houses, some of which are tasteful and elegant. The Farmington canal passes through the village.
Round Hill, in the meadows, near the village, is a natural curiosity. It rises abruptly, to the height of 60 feet, is nearly circular in its form and covers 12 acres. It is though that this hill was formerly an island in the centre of a lake which covered the whole of the present meadows. The population of Farmington has varied but little from 2,000 within the last 30 years.
