Editing Farmington, Connecticut (section)

==History==
===Eighteenth and nineteenth centuries===
{|
!Town
!Date of separation
|-
|[[Harwinton, Connecticut|Harwinton]] (portion)
|1737
|-
|[[Southington, Connecticut|Southington]]
|1779
|-
|[[Berlin, Connecticut|Berlin]]
|1785
|-
|[[Bristol, Connecticut|Bristol]]
|1785
|- 
|[[Wolcott, Connecticut|Wolcott]] (eastern part)
|1796
|-
|[[Burlington, Connecticut|Burlington]] (from Bristol)
|1806
|-
|[[Avon, Connecticut|Avon]] 
|1830
|-
|[[Bloomfield, Connecticut|Bloomfield]] 
|1835
|-
|[[New Britain, Connecticut|New Britain]] (from Berlin)
|1850
|-
|[[Plainville, Connecticut|Plainville]] 
|1869
|}

Farmington was originally inhabited by the [[Tunxis]] [[Native Americans in the United States|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.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Connecticut Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qoEyAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA332|year=1903|publisher=Connecticut Magazine Company|page=332}}</ref>

Farmington has been called the "mother of towns" because its vast area was divided to produce nine other central Connecticut communities. The borough of Unionville, in Farmington's northwestern corner, was once home to many factories harnessing the [[water power]] of the Farmington River.

Farmington is steeped in [[New England]] history.  Main Street, in the historic village section, is lined with [[American colonial architecture|colonial]] estates, some of which date back to the 17th century. On May 19, 1774, in response to the adoption of the [[Boston Port Act]], the people of Farmington assembled, held a mock trial for the bill, found the bill guilty of "being instigated by the devil," and subsequently had a copy of the bill hung and then set on fire.<ref>{{cite web|title=Proceedings of Farmington, Connecticut, on the Boston Port Act; May 19, 1774|url=https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/proc_farm_ct_1774.asp|access-date=July 4, 2021|publisher=Avalon Project}}</ref> During the [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]], [[George Washington]] passed through Farmington on several occasions and referred to the town as "the village of pretty houses."<ref>{{cite news |first=Eve |last=Glasberg |title=A 'Village of Pretty Houses,' Where Women's Lives Were Reshaped |url=http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/03/03/travel/03trip.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1146283463-YKay2YVq+ebGHCcNTtHgUA/ |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=March 3, 2006 |access-date=March 15, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070313210323/http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/03/03/travel/03trip.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1146283463-YKay2YVq+ebGHCcNTtHgUA%2F |archive-date=March 13, 2007 }}</ref>  In addition, French troops under General [[Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau|Rochambeau]] encamped in Farmington en route to [[Westchester County, New York|Westchester County]] to offer crucial support to General Washington's army.

===Nineteenth century===
[[File:John Warner Barber - Northwest View of Farmington from Round Hill.jpg|thumb|left|''Northwest View of Farmington from Round Hill'', by [[John Warner Barber]], 1836]]
[[File:PostcardPO&StageCoachFarmingtonCT1906.jpg|thumb|right|Post office and stage coach, 1907 postcard]]

The majority of Farmington residents were [[Abolitionism in the United States|abolitionists]] and were active in aiding escaped [[slavery in the United States|slaves]]. Several homes in the town were "safe houses" on the [[Underground Railroad]]. The town became known as "Grand Central Station"<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.charteroaktree.com/farmingtonamistadtour.html | access-date=September 20, 2010 | title=Underground Railroad, Black History Freedom Trail and Amistad Sites Tour in Farmington | publisher=Heritage Trails Sightseeing Tours | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100925013335/http://www.charteroaktree.com/farmingtonamistadtour.html | archive-date=September 25, 2010 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.farmingtonhistoricalsociety-ct.org/fh_farmhist_pg4.html | publisher=Farmington Historical Society | access-date=September 20, 2010 | title=History of Farmington | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101109080759/http://www.farmingtonhistoricalsociety-ct.org/fh_farmhist_pg4.html | archive-date=November 9, 2010 | url-status=dead }}</ref> among escaped slaves and their "guides".

Farmington played an important role in the famous [[United States v. The Amistad|''Amistad'' trial]].  In 1841, 38 [[Mende people|Mende]] [[Ethnic groups of Africa|Africans]] and [[Joseph Cinqué|Cinqué]], the leader of the revolt on the ''Amistad'' [[slave ship]], were housed and educated in Farmington after the U.S. government refused to provide for their return to Africa following the trial.  The Mende were educated in English and [[Christianity]] while funds were raised by residents for their return to Africa.

The [[Farmington Canal]], connecting [[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]] with [[Northampton, Massachusetts]], passed through the Farmington River on its eastern bank and was in operation between 1828 and 1848.  The canal's [[Right-of-way (transportation)|right of way]] and [[towpath]] were eventually used for a railroad, portions of which were active up to the 1990s.  Part of the canal and railroad line has now been converted to multi-use paved trails, called the [[Farmington Canal Heritage Trail]] and the Farmington River Trail, respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Trail System {{!}} Town of Farmington, CT|url=https://www.farmington-ct.org/community/trail-system|access-date=December 9, 2020|website=www.farmington-ct.org}}</ref>