Farmington dates to 1641, and 10% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 81% of U.S. towns · #89 of 155 in Connecticut. What drives it
10 places in town are on the National Register, among them 4 National Historic Landmarks and a historic district with 114 buildings. Below: 7 old photos and papers, maps from 1892 on, and the census since 1790.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1799.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Farmington’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Farmington is more historic than 81% of U.S. towns, #89 of 155 in Connecticut. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Farmington’s overall grade.
Connecticut towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Connecticut town has 73.3 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Farmington’s 47.2 sits near the middle of its state (37% of Connecticut towns have fewer) while its 128 historic buildings outnumber those of 91% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1641.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B to A. The pre-1940 share (±2.0 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Farmington’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Farmington was originally inhabited by the Tunxis Indian tribe. In 1640, a community of English immigrants was established by residents of Hartford, making Farmington the oldest inland settlement west of the Connecticut River and the twelfth oldest community in the state. Settlers found the area ideal because of its rich soil, location along the floodplain of the Farmington River, and valley geography.
The town and river were given their present names in 1645, which is considered the incorporation year of the town. The town's boundaries were later enlarged several times, making it the largest in the Connecticut Colony. The town was named "Farmington" on account of its location within a farming district.
Passages that mention Farmington, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of New Britain, with sketches of Farmington and Berlin, Connecticut. 1640-18891889 · page 318Read the page →
Read the text
THOUGH no special military school or camp was located in the parishes whose history has been given, except temporarily at Farmington, these parishes were early represented in the military history of the town and State. As early as 1649, four years after the incorporation of the town, Farmington had a train-band under the command of a sergeant. This company, then small in numbers, was increased until it became a full company of 64 men, entitled to be
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of New Britain, with sketches of Farmington and Berlin, Connecticut. 1640-18891889 · page 84Read the page →
Read the text
The pioneers of Farmington, coming principally from the older settlements on the Connecticut River, seem for a few years to have worshiped with the First Church in Hartford, but within five years after the beginning of the Farmington settlement, a pastor was obtained, and preaching services were held regularly. The first pastor. Rev. Roger Newton, ministered to this town several years before the church was formed.*
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
By decade
Farmington, decade by decade
4 decades in the archive, from the 1870s to the 1960s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1641, according to Wikidata. Farmington’s post office opened in 1799, and the first U.S. census counted 2,696 people here in 1790.
How does Farmington rank for history?
Farmington is more historic than 81% of U.S. towns, #89 of 155 in Connecticut. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Farmington?
10 listings, 4 of them National Historic Landmarks: 8 buildings, among them the Stanley-Whitman House (a National Historic Landmark since 1960), 1 historic district, the Farmington Historic District, with 114 contributing buildings, and 1 structure. 128 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Farmington?
10% of Farmington’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.0 points), against a typical 15% for a Connecticut town; the median home was built in 1980.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (7), the Library of Congress (4), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (10), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
★ Landmark
★ Landmark
1919
1921
1968
2007
2007
2007
2006
