Did You Know?
Did you know that at a Town Meeting in August 1849, Eastford selectmen authorized an order for $100 for hiring a competent surveyor to obtain the best route for a railroad from Willimantic to the Massachusetts line through Mansfield, Chaplin, Eastford, Woodstock and Thompson?
A charter had already been obtained from the CT General Assembly, but the line was never built. In the 1880’s more surveying work was done to assess the feasibility of a line from Willimantic through Eastford to Southborough, Mass. This route likely would have travelled along a similar path as today’s Route 198, but no railroad connecting through Eastford was ever built. Eventually, a proper road was built from Phoenixville to Abington (now today’s Route 44) to provide access to the train station in Abington.
Donations of original writings/documents, old photographs, and small historic items are greatly appreciated. Please think of us when cleaning out basements and attics or sorting through belongings of loved ones. If you have items to donate, please call Linda Torgeson at (860) 933-0468, or Tom Latham at (860) 974-1610.