Torrington was originally settled in 1735 by Ebenezer Lyman Jr. of Durham, Connecticut. Its early settlers resided on the hills west of the Naugatuck River where the first school, church, store, and tavern were constructed. Later, the eastern hill known as Torringford was settled as it provided the best farmland for agricultural work. Torrington was given permission to organize a government and incorporate as a town in October of 1740.

The fast moving waters of the Naugatuck River were utilized as waterpower for early 19th century industries. Industrial growth skyrocketed in 1813 when Frederick Wolcott constructed a woolen mill. The mill attracted a large workforce and created a demand for goods, services, and housing.

From a postcard sent in 1906Israel Coe and Erastus Hodges began the construction of two brass mills on the Naugatuck River in 1834. This event sparked the beginning of the brass industry in Torrington, which would later spread throughout the entire Naugatuck Valley. In 1849, the Naugatuck Valley railroad was completed which connected Torrington with other population centers, ending its isolation and stimulating further industrial growth. Soon, Torrington was producing a variety of metal products including needles, brass, hardware, bicycles, and tacks. Torrington's growing industrial plants attracted English, Irish, and German immigrants throughout the 19th and early 20th century. Between 1880 and 1920, Torrington's population exploded from 3,000 to 22,000 as immigration from southern and eastern Europe increased. During this period, immigrants included the Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Italians and Lebanese. Torrington was charted as a city in 1923.

In 1955, a massive flood destroyed much of the downtown area and property in the region when Hurricane Connie and Hurricane Diane caused local rivers to overflow.

Torrington is the birthplace of abolitionist John Brown.

 

Torrington History

Beginnings

Strong Fowler house build ca. 1750
Native Americans occupied parts of Northwestern Connecticut as long as 10,000 years ago. Torrington’s Native American population was an offshoot of the Algonquian family of tribes and numerous stone points and stone tools have been found here documenting their presence over thousands of years. In 1720 Hartford and Windsor purchased a large tract of land in western Connecticut from the Native Americans. Torrington was included in that purchase but there were no Native American settlements in Torrington at that time.

This purchase cleared the title to lands previously claimed by Hartford and Windsor and in 1732 the Colony of Connecticut finalized the transaction by granting to Windsor several towns including Torrington. At the same time the General Assembly authorized Windsor to subdivide Torrington’s 20,924 acres among 136 of Windsor’s taxpayers. Ebenezer Lyman Jr. of Durham purchased land from one of the Windsor proprietors and in 1735 became Torrington’s first settler.

The first school, store and church were built high on the hills, west of the Naugatuck River, near the homes of the earliest settlers. The next area to be settled was the eastern hill known as Torringford. These hills provided the best agricultural land for the settler’s agrarian lifestyle. Torrington was given permission to organize a town government and an Ecclesiastical Society in October 1740. One year later, the first church was organized and was referred to for some time as the Church of Christ in Torrington. Before the first meeting house was erected in 1746, services were held in the homes of the settlers.

One of the first priorities was the need for protection. In October 1744, the settlers voted to build a fort near Ebenezer Lyman’s place on the west side of what is now Klug Hill Road. It was built to protect the people from attacks by the Indians from the north and west but in fact was probably more reassuring than useful. The fort, which was 75’ x 100’ was built of chestnut logs split in half and stood about eight feet high. The alarm usually was given by lighting signal fires on the hills from Albany eastward.

In 1752, a committee voted to lay a highway from north to south through the center of town. This was to become Main Street. Another road was laid out along the west branch of the Naugatuck River until it met with Main Street and was called Water Street. These two roads were intersected by the old road coming down from the eastern hills. In 1801 this thoroughfare was chartered as the Litchfield Turnpike, a toll road between West Simsbury and Litchfield. The road followed what is now East Main Street and crossed the river at Center Bridge. The old north south highway was later chartered as the Waterbury Turnpike and it intersected the Litchfield Turnpike at center bridge. The junction of these roads triggered commercial development in this area which would later be known as Wolcottville and is now the central business district or downtown Torrington.


Industrialization

View of Torrington, ca. 1835, John Warner Barber
Near Water Street, the west branch of the Naugatuck River dropped in elevation and its rapidly moving water was harnessed to provide water power for developing industries. Significant industrial growth began to occur here in 1813 when Frederick Wolcott erected a woolen mill. The mill attracted a relatively large workforce with its consequent demand for housing, goods and services. In 1834 Israel Coe and Erastus Hodges began the construction of rival brass mills. This was the beginning of the brass industry in Torrington, an industry that would later be synonymous with the entire Naugatuck valley. Also contributing to the growth of Torrington was the Naugatuck Valley Railroad, completed to Torrington in 1849. The railroad linked Torrington with other population centers thereby ending its isolation and stimulating industrial development.

Major immigrants to Torrington in the mid 19th century included: English, Irish and Germans, who found employment opportunities in the growing factories and in building Torrington’s infrastructure. During the late nineteenth century both the Torrington Water Company and the Torrington Electric Company were founded. The Wolcottville Fire District was also formed at this time. Sewer lines were laid and sidewalks soon followed. By the 1890s the population had doubled from 6,000 to 12,000. New immigrants during this period included the Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Italians and Lebanese. Most of the Italians came from Northern Italy and brought with them their skills as stonecutters, masons and carvers. Their architectural contributions to the city can still be seen today in its cut granite buildings and red brick masonry.