Willington

Willington, incorporated in 1727, is located in Connecticut’s northeast corner, providing easy access to Hartford, Connecticut, and Boston, Massachusetts. With steep hills and mineral-laden soil, Willington proved to be a challenging terrain for early farmers trying to grow crops. Instead, they came to rely on a variety of animals, which they sold in markets as far away as New York City. Although the area was rural in nature, button, thread, and glass industries all existed in Willington; residents claim Willington as the place where America’s first spool of thread was made. Today, businesses include art galleries, gift shops, and independent restaurants. Through photographs, Willington captures how a small community that once had 11 one-room schoolhouses has managed to grow into a modern community with two schools for students from kindergarten through eighth grade all while maintaining elements of its original historic charm. This charm can be seen in the form of 18th- and 19th-century homes that dot Willington’s quintessential country roads.