Enfield, 1950-1980


Book Description

In the past half-century, Enfield has undergone a transformation from a rural mill-and-farming town of fifteen thousand to a substantial suburban community of forty-five thousand. Located in the north central part of the state on the eastern side of the Connecticut River, the town once known as the Carpet City began to change when the carpet industry moved parts of its operation south and Interstate 91 was built, bringing in new businesses and new residents. Enfield: 1950-1980 traces the changing landscape of Thompsonville, Enfield, and North Thompsonville through the carpet-making days to the town's recent past. Exceptional photographs depict major highway construction and the development of the regional mall district, the destructive forces of the 1955 flood and of fires throughout the years, and the unique leaders, businesses, and events that have shaped the town of today.







The Shakers of Enfield, Connecticut, 1780-1968


Book Description

A comprehensive history of the Enfield, Connecticut, Shaker Community, from its founding to its closure. Noted Shaker author Stephen J. Paterwic, describes the founding, rise, heyday, and decline of the Enfield, Connecticut, Shakers, with detailed information about the people who joined the community, the lands which were acquired, the buildings that were constructed, and the infighting between factions within the community.







Genealogies of Connecticut Families


Book Description




Hidden History of Connecticut


Book Description

Connecticut's history is full of engaging and fascinating stories, rocks that are national monuments, the "people's sculptor," football players on chapel finials, moons on the Travelers calendars, artists Frederic Church and Eric Sloane and even a Thanksgiving Day touch football game with a future president. These are tales from Greenwich to Enfield, from Sharon to Old Lyme and so much in between. Follow along with historian Wilson Faude in this "must-have" Connecticut book as he traverses the state in search of hidden history.







Windsor Locks Canal


Book Description

In 1824, a group of prominent Hartford businessmen formed the Connecticut River Company to construct a canal that would bypass the treacherous rapids of Enfield Falls and extend navigation along the Connecticut River. Soon boats were a frequent sight in the village of Windsor Locks, named after the locks of the canal that ran alongside Main Street. Mills also sprang up in the area, utilizing the canals water to power their manufacturing operations. Today the canal has taken on a more historical, ecological, and recreational significance. Home to diverse plant and animal species, it is an excellent place to enjoy sweeping views of the Connecticut River and to see the factories that played a big part in the regions history.