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AHistory
History · Harwinton

Harwinton dates to 1730, and 13% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 89% of U.S. towns · #53 of 155 in Connecticut. What drives it

3 places in town are on the National Register, among them two historic districts with 81 buildings between them. Below: 5 old photos and papers, maps from 1892 on, and the census since 1820.

1730founded
3on the National Register
13%homes built before 1940
5old photos & papers
5famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Harwinton’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Harwinton began

When was Harwinton founded?

1730

Harwinton dates its founding to 1730 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1820.

First census: 1,500 in 1820296 years

How historic is Harwinton?

A

More historic than 89% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1801.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Harwinton’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Harwinton is more historic than 89% of U.S. towns, #53 of 155 in Connecticut. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.

A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Harwinton’s overall grade.
Founding era1730, from Wikipedia: founded before 1776, an older era than 96% of U.S. townsA+Homes built before 194013.1% of homes (±4.4) · typical CT town 15.1% · U.S. 8.4%B−National Register3 listings, 82 historic buildings, 147 per 10,000 residents · typical CT town 73.3 · U.S. 2.4A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 89%
NewerOlder
Connecticut towns of 2,500+ (155)Ahead of 66%

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 Harwinton’s 147 sits above most of its state (66% of Connecticut towns have fewer) while its 82 historic buildings outnumber those of 88% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.4 points). Two sources give 1730.

Founding year: Wikipedia (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 Harwinton’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

Shrank, then grewLost half of its people between 1920 and 1930, then grew 5-fold.On the map since 18925 editions of the USGS map, 1892 to 1984. Watch Harwinton change.A historic districtThe Litchfield-South Roads Historic District takes in 50 historic buildings.Lost villages2 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Harwinton, and 1 old place names are still on the map.
★ What stands out · People over time

Harwinton, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0004,5005,0005,5006,00018501900195020002,020 in 1920Low: 949

Lost half of its people between 1920 and 1930, then grew 5-fold.

19 censuses, 1820–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Harwinton’s Wikipedia page.

On the map

Harwinton on the map, 1892 to 1984

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Harwinton. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Harwinton on the 1892 USGS mapHarwinton on the 1948 USGS mapHarwinton on the 1956 USGS mapHarwinton on the 1969 USGS mapHarwinton on the 1984 USGS map1892Winsted sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Harwinton.

On the National Register

3 listings protect 82 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
3
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
82
each building in a district counts
first listed
1985
Jason Skinner House
Jason Skinner HouseBurlington-Harmony Hill Roads Historic DistrictLitchfield-South Roads Historic District
BuildingsDistricts

Architectural styles listings

Postmedieval2
Vernacular Greek Revival1
Georgian1
Queen Anne1
Colonial Revival1
Federal1
Jason Skinner HouseVernacular Greek Revival
Burlington-Harmony Hill Roads Historic DistrictPostmedieval
Litchfield-South Roads Historic DistrictPostmedieval

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

The story

How Harwinton came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Harwinton.

Read it all →

Prior to settlement by colonists, Harwinton sat at the confluence of various tribal territories, including the Tunxis tribe. The Connecticut Colony granted and split the area of modern-day Harwinton to the townships of Hartford and Windsor in May 1729. Harwinton was first settled in January 1730 by Daniel Messenger. Townships were formally established in the following years in the Hartford and Windsor allotments.

Harwinton was incorporated as an independent town in October 1737. The name of the town alludes to Hartford and Windsor, Connecticut (HAR + WIN) followed by the suffix -ton, meaning town.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Harwinton, 1730 to 2010

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 18th century
  2. 1730
    FoundingHarwinton is established
  3. 1754Born hereJonathan Brace is born here
  4. 19th century
  5. 1801Post officeThe Harwintown post office opens
  6. 1808Born hereGeorge S. Catlin is born here
  7. 1808Born hereAbner Wilcox is born here
  8. 1821Born hereCollis Potter Huntington is born here
  9. 1849Post officeThe Campville post office opens
  10. 1880In the archive1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Connecticut - Litchfield County - Harwinton - ED …
  11. 1892On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  12. 20th century
  13. 1902Post officeThe Harwintown post office closes
  14. 1906In the archiveHarwinton Cong'l Church
  15. 1916Post officeThe Campville post office closes
  16. 21st century
  17. 2010CensusPopulation peaks at 5,642
By decade

Harwinton, decade by decade

2 decades in the archive, from the 1880s to the 1900s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1880s–1900s5 items
1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Connecticut - Litchfield County - Harwinton - ED 3-1118801940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Connecticut -…Harwinton Cong'l Church1906Harwinton Cong'l ChurchHarwinton Center, Conn1906Harwinton Center, ConnGreen-Harwinton Center1906Green-Harwinton CenterCatlin Homestead1906Catlin Homestead
1910s–1990snothing yet
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.
Add from your album
Today7 recent
Harwinton Congregational Church2023Harwinton Congregational ChurchJASON SKINNER HOUSE2016JASON SKINNER HOUSETownHallHarwintonCT2011TownHallHarwintonCTHungerfordMemorialLibraryHarwintonCT2011HungerfordMemorialLibraryHarwintonCTConnecticut State Route 1182011Connecticut State Route 118Harwinton CT lg2010Harwinton CT lgWarrior Soldiers conduct Raven training DVIDS1116252008Warrior Soldiers conduct Raven training DVIDS111625
Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Connecticut - Litchfield County - Harwinton - ED 3-11
Retake this view1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Connecticut - Litchfield County - Harwinton - ED 3-11, 1880

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Harwinton’s page.

Retake this view · +15
Famous people

5 famous people were born in Harwinton

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Collis Potter HuntingtonAmerican businessman · b. 1821
Jonathan BraceAmerican politician · b. 1754
G
George S. CatlinAmerican politician · b. 1808
Abner WilcoxAmerican missionary · b. 1808
M
Milton W. HopkinsPainter · b. 1789
Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Two other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Harwintown
1801–1902
Campville
1849–1916
18001910today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Campville
Gone or out of use
Four Cornerslocale
5cemeteries and burying grounds inside Harwinton
EastNorthScovilleSouthWest

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Help out

Finish Harwinton’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old view1940 Census Enumeration District Maps -…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Litchfield12 historic placesA+Northwest Harwinton1 historic placenot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townBurlington6 historic placesBTorrington13 historic placesAPlymouth3 historic placesANew Hartford5 historic placesA+Thomaston4 historic placesB−

Questions about Harwinton’s history

What year was Harwinton founded?

In 1730, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Harwinton’s post office opened in 1801, and the census of 1820 counted 1,500 people here.

How does Harwinton rank for history?

Harwinton is more historic than 89% of U.S. towns, #53 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 Harwinton?

Three places: the Jason Skinner House (listed 1985), the Burlington-Harmony Hill Roads Historic District (1996) and the Litchfield-South Roads Historic District (1996).

How old are the homes in Harwinton?

13% of Harwinton’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.4 points), against a typical 15% for a Connecticut town; the median home was built in 1961.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

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 (8), the Library of Congress (4), the National Register of Historic Places (3), 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) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.