USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Farmington > History of New Britain, with sketches of Farmington and Berlin, Connecticut. 1640-1889 > Part 26
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Berlin > History of New Britain, with sketches of Farmington and Berlin, Connecticut. 1640-1889 > Part 26
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > New Britain > History of New Britain, with sketches of Farmington and Berlin, Connecticut. 1640-1889 > Part 26
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CHAPTER XVI.
ROADS, TRANSPORTATION, AND POST-OFFICES.
YOON after the first settlement of Farmington, the
S " path " * to Hartford, through the notch in the moun- tain, became distinctly marked, and a few years later a simi- lar pathway to New Haven through Southington was in use. As no wheeled vehicles were employed at first, the marking out of these ways would have been quite simple. When carts began to be used for the transportation of goods or farm produce, the preparation of the roads seems to have consisted in removing obstructions as rocks and trees, leav- ing the roadway to conform to the general contour of the ground. The highways were often laid out twenty rods, and, in some cases, forty rods wide, giving an opportunity to select a new path when one became water-worn or gullied. The principal street of Farmington is said to have been originally an Indian foot-path, and probably other early roads conformed to some extent to Indian trails. At the north end of the street, a canoe with ropes was furnished for crossing the stream. The first bridge was erected at this place in 1725. The highway to Plainville was laid out in 1695, and the roads to Stanley Quarter, New Britain, and to Great Swamp were first in general use about the same time. Quite early in the history of the town, or as soon as settlements were made to the north and west, there was a path down the
valley of the Tunxis to Avon and Simsbury, and one up the valley from the crossing to West Simsbury or Canton, Farm- ington West Woods, and New Hartford. The Farmington and Harwinton Turnpike Company was incorporated in 1812. The main road from New York to Boston via Hartford
* The early roads were called "paths."
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HISTORY OF NEW BRITAIN, ETC.
passed through Farmington, and at the time of the revolu- tionary war this route was sometimes taken by Washington and his officers, and by the soldiers.
The first traveled ways in Berlin and its parishes were merely paths through the forest or across the meadows, where the contour of the land and absence of trees and stumps made travel practicable. The path from Hartford to Wethersfield was extended to Rocky Hill and Middletown, and a branch to Beckley Quarter and Great Swamp.
On Belcher's tract in the southern part of Berlin, high- ways were constructed before 1690. In 1686, the town of . Farmington voted that highways should be laid "to and through Great Swamp." As early as 1687, a way called " the path from Hartford to New Haven," passed through Berlin west of Berlin Street and then southerly by the Colony road past "Merideen " to Wallingford and New Haven. It was on this road that Belcher's stone tavern * or half-way house, was built in the southern part of his tract. This route was taken by Washington when he passed the night in Meriden. From this main path to New Haven, other ways diverged to Middletown and Southington.
The first settlers of "Christian Lane " passed to and from Farmington by a route which nearly corresponded with the Indian trail between the lodges of the Tunxis and Matta- besett Indians. As the settlement was extended, this path- way was improved, and other routes gradually opened. The principal road from Farmington to "Farmington Village," or Great Swamp, was by the Hartford road east, and then south by Clark's Hill and Stanley Quarter to Stanley Street and East Street, and across the north end of the " Great Meadows " to Christian Lane. Another route was over the mountain by Horse Plain and Hart Quarter. A middle and later route was over the mountain by Osgood Hill. The roads were not " turnpiked up" and rounded at the center, as now, but were left flat, or nearly so, to conform to the sur- face of the ground. Travel was on foot or on horseback,
* This was a short distance from the boundary line between Berlin and Meriden.
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ROADS, TRANSPORTATION, AND POST-OFFICES.
and bags of grain, or flour and meal, and sometimes other burdens, were taken from place to place on the backs of animals.
One of the earliest turnpike charters granted in the State was in 1798, for the Hartford and New Haven turnpike. This turnpike was in almost a direct line between the two places, and was the shortest route, afterwards connecting the two capitals. When the arrangements were making for. laying out this turnpike, there was some opposition to the route selected, and the town of Berlin appointed Gen. Selah Hart, Elijah Hooker, Col. Gad Stanley, James North, Amos Hosford, and Jonathan Hubbard, a committee "to look out for the interests of the town." The route selected for this road, and its becoming a principal thoroughfare, gave to Berlin Street a new importance. There was but little change in the direction and general layout of the high- ways of New Britain, after the alterations made to facili- tate the approach to the first meeting-house, until about 1830. The principal roads extending in a northerly and southerly direction were Main Street, terminating on the north in the Farmington road over Osgood Hill, and on the south uniting with Stanley Street, north of the brick- yard ; Stanley Street, extending from Farmington line to Ken- sington, in nearly the same locality as now ; East Street, extending from Christian Lane through the eastern part of the parish north to Churchill's mills; and the west road, extending from Kensington bounds northerly through Hart Quarter and the western part of the parish, until it united with the Farmington road in Farmington.
East Main and West Main streets had the same general direction as at present, but the latter was more crooked and irregular. Two cross roads connected the north and south roads ; Spiritual Lane and Brady's Lane, the first on the east and the latter on the west, formed outlets of Stanley Street. South Main Street was connected with Stanley Street by the Sand Hill road, Ellis Street, and until 1828 by the very crooked lane extending first cast from the head of Park
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HISTORY OF NEW BRITAIN, ETC.
Street, then south and southeast, connecting with Stanley Street at the present east end of Whiting Street. Kensing- ton Street was nearly the same as at present. The moun- tain road on the southwest, Vine Street, and two or three connecting lanes in the western part of the place, constituted the highways of the New Britain Society.
In 1828, Park Street, from Maple Street directly east to Stanley Street, was opened and worked.
About 1830, after much opposition, and it had been declared that a road never could be built in that locality, Arch Street was laid out and constructed from Main Street to its junction with Kensington Street. After this street was opened for travel in 1832, a person riding through it was thrown out of his wagon by a stump and killed, and the street was not entirely free from obstructions for a consider- able time. Soon after work was commenced on Arch Street, Elm Street, from the corner of Main and Park streets to East Main Street, was laid out and soon after graded. This street was principally on land of Seth J. North, Thomas Lee, and Alvin North, and was built with difficulty on account of the nature and contour of the ground. These three streets passed across land which, at the time, was con- sidered quite unsuitable for road-making, some of it being so soft that cattle and horses could not be driven upon it, but the obstacles were overcome, and the roads have become important thoroughfares of the town. Other highways and connecting streets followed with the growth of the place.
The town of Farmington, at first, had the care of all the roads within its limits. When the Great Swamp Society was organized, the people were required "to maintain the passages and highways they have occasion for there among themselves." In the same manner each parish of Berlin had the care of its own roads and kept them in ordinary repair, but the erection of the larger bridges, laying out new high- ways, and all extraordinary repairs, were provided for by the town. The roads were sometimes much injured by freshets. After the destructive spring freshet of 1798, a town meeting
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ROADS, TRANSPORTATION, AND POST-OFFICES.
was held April 9th, at which Capt. James North, Amos Hosford, and Gen. Selah Hart, were appointed a committee to act, under the following directions :
" To inquire respecting the damages done by the late flood, and deter- mine how much shall be paid to each parish out of the town treasury to make good such damages, the town to be at the expense of repairing the Beckley and Kirby bridges."
The Farmington canal, commenced in 1825 and completed to the State line in 1828, and to Northampton in 1834, afforded an opportunity for the cheap carriage of freight to and from Farmington and New Haven. After this canal was completed, the roads from New Britain to Farmington and Plainville were improved. The Middletown and Berlin turn- pike, which had been constructed about 1810, became a thoroughfare, passing through Berlin and the west part of New Britain. Other streets have been opened more recently, as the demand for building lots and the necessities of travel have seemed to require.
The products of the earliest manufactories of New Britain were transported to New York and Boston on horse- back. When suitable roads were made, until 1839, the farm products sent to market, the articles made in the manufac- tories, the raw material and coal used in Berlin and New Britain, and the store goods, were transported by oxen or horse team, to or from the place of shipment, or to their des- tinations. Teams were employed in this cartage between New Britain and Hartford, Middletown, Plainville, and even New Haven. The first two-horse wagon was used in New Britain about 1789.
In December, 1839, the New Haven & Hartford Rail- road was opened from New Haven to Hartford, and a station was located in Newington, about a mile and a half from New Britain, on the extension of East Main Street. The men most prominent in securing the charter and construction of this railway were James Brewster of New Haven, Elisha A. Cowles of Meriden, Richard Hubbard of Middletown, and Seth J. North of New Britain. Mr. Hubbard wanted the
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HISTORY OF NEW BRITAIN, ETC.
line carried farther east in order that Middletown might be better accommodated, and a route was twice surveyed through Durham and Rocky Hill, which would have brought the road near Middletown. Mr. North was desirous that the route should be further west and pass through New Britain ; but Mr. Cowles, then active and energetic, secured the co-oper- ation of Mr. Brewster, and the location of the road where it now is, favoring Meriden. The decision is, perhaps, not surprising, when it is remembered that at that time New Britain had a population of less than 1,500, while Middle- town had about 7,000, and Berlin was considerably larger than . New Britain. After the road was open, Berlin was as near a station as now, and New Britain had railway communica- tion brought within a mile and a half of the village.
In 1844, the New Haven & Hartford Railroad was ex- tended to Springfield, and four years later, the New York & New Haven Railroad was opened. The same year, 1848, the New Haven & Northampton Company opened the rail- way from New Haven to Plainville, near the line of the old Farmington canal. In 1849, that portion of the present, New York & New England Railroad which extends from Hartford to Willimantic was opened, and the next year this road was completed as far as Bristol. The Middletown branch of the Hartford & New Haven Railroad was com- pleted the same year, connecting Middletown with the latter road at Berlin station. This station had been removed to its present locality some time before. New Britain at this time, 1850, had direct railway communication to New Haven and New York, via Plainville or Newington, and also to New London, via Hartford and Willimantic.
These means of communication gave increased facilities for the transportation of freight, and were important in their influence upon the industries of New Britain; especially in furnishing cheaper and more expeditious routes for re- ceiving coal and iron, and for sending away goods. In 1865, the New Britain branch was opened, and in 1866, this and the Middletown Railroad -were merged with the Hartford & New Haven Railroad.
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ROADS, TRANSPORTATION, AND POST-OFFICES.
The Hartford, Providence & Fishkill Railroad, the pres- ent New York & New England, was extended from Willi- mantic to Providence in 1854, and from Bristol to Water- bury in 1855. These extensions, connecting with other roads at Providence and Waterbury, provided more ready and easier communication, both east and west. These facilities were still further increased in 1872, by the opening of the route direct to Boston via Willimantic and Putnam; and in 1881, by the extension of the road to Fishkill on the Hudson, giving two independent routes from New Britain to Boston and New York, and placing this city in more direct commu- nication with the coal and iron mines of Pennsylvania and the west.
For many years after the first settlement of Berlin and New Britain, there seems to have been no regular and stated communication with other towns. In 1717 the General Assembly gave John Munson of New Haven the sole privilege of transporting passengers and goods between Hartford and New Haven for seven years, it being lawful, however, for any other person to transport his own goods or any of his own family in his own wagon. Captain Munson had been at " the cost and charge to set up a wagon to pass and transport passengers and goods," before this exclusive privilege was granted by the Assembly, and when granted, it was con- ditioned as follows :
" That said John Munson shall annually during the term aforesaid, at least on the first Monday of every month, excepting December, January, February, and March, set forth with the said waggon from New Haven, and with all convenient dispatch drive up to Hartford, and thence in the same week return to New Haven,- bad weather and extraordinary casualties excepted,-on penalty of ten shillings for each neglect.",
The route was via Wethersfield, Beckley Quarter, and, the old road, Berlin, a short distance east of Christian Lane. Munson's wagon afterwards made the trip once in two weeks.
Some years later, Samuel Farnsworth seems to have been employed as a carrier between Hartford and New York under the following contract:
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HISTORY OF NEW BRITAIN, ETC.
" Whereas Samuel Farnsworth of Hartford hath undertaken to ride as a carrier from Hartford to New York, from the first day of January, 1764, to the first day of January, 1765, to perform said service once a fortnight, the three winter months, and once a week in every of the other months in said year; the subscribers do each severally for himself, promise to pay to said Farnsworth twelve shillings lawful money in consideration of his procuring and bringing for each of us, the New York Thursday's paper during said term, to pay one-half at the end of six months, and the other half at the expiration of said year. Dated in Hartford, January 1, 1764."
In 1772 a stage began to run between Boston and New York, by the way of Hartford, making the trip each way every second week. About 1823 a line of four-horse stage- coaches commenced running between New Haven and North- ampton, passing through Farmington three times a week in each direction. This line afterwards ran daily, and a line to Litchfield was also established about the same time. On the opening of the Hartford and New Haven turnpike, a daily line of stages was run between the two cities, passing through Berlin.
The first local package express between New Britain and Hartford was started by John Judd. At first the trip was made once a week, afterwards twice or three times a week, and then daily. A small one-horse wagon was sufficient for a time, but before the Providence & Fishkill Railroad was opened through New Britain, a large two-horse wagon was required for the daily business. After the railroad was com- pleted, the late Gilman Hinsdale and others had a local express on the cars, in addition to the business done by Adams Express. Several companies or individuals now do express business for New Britain, Farmington, and Berlin.
The first passenger railway station in New Britain was built by the Providence, Hartford & Fishkill Railroad. Though adequate at first, the increase of travel incident to the growth of the city, and the construction of the New Britain Railroad, rendered it entirely insufficient for the demands of the public long before it was abandoned. The present convenient passenger station was erected by the New
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ROADS, TRANSPORTATION, AND POST-OFFICES.
York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company, and was opened for public use in the summer of 1887.
POST-OFFICES.
The first arrangements for the transmission of letters and packages from one principal town to another, were made by the authority of the different colonies. On the first of January, 1673, a sworn messenger was dispatched from New York to Boston with instructions to make the journey there and back within the month. Between New Haven and Hartford, letters were dispatched once a week, the journey usually being performed in two days. The principal stop- ping-places were at the tavern in Wallingford and the stone house on the Belcher tract. The latter seems to have been changed quite early for the old tavern in the Worthington Society, thus dividing the distance between the two capitals more equally. As some of the post riders patronized the taverns too liberally, the General Court in 1674 passed the following general order, and specifications for the routes through Berlin and to Farmington :
"This court being made sensible of the great damage that may accrue to the publique by a liberty or boldness which some persons may take to themselves (when employed by order of authority for the conveyance of letters, post and other important occasions of this Colony) by profuse and extravigent spending at the ordinaries and other places on the road upon the countrye's accot, and allso by great delayes on journeys very preju- diciall to the Colony, which willing to prevent we therefore order that the alowance for those persons (who shall be employed on such services) for their wages and expenses of themselves and horses shall be as followeth from the first of May to the midle of October;
From New Haven to Hartford, the horse hyer five shillings, the man and expences eight shillings sixpence; all is thirteen shillings sixpence:
From Wallingford to Hartford, the horse hyer fower shillings, the man and expences six shillings; all is ten shillings:
From Farmington to Hartford, the horse hyer one shilling sixpence, the man and expences two shillings sixpence; all is fower shillings:
And from the midle of October to the last of April to be eight pence more than the above, for every night they lye out for oates to the horses wherein great care is to be had by the ordinary keepers, that hyred horses are not deprived of their allowance."
21
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HISTORY OF NEW BRITAIN, ETC.
The post-office system was first established in Connecti- cut in 1693, by special authority from the Crown of Great Britain. Under this authority, letters were delivered in the principal towns. By act of Parliament in 1710, New London was made the chief post-office in Connecticut. Farmington letters were brought from Hartford, and letters for Berlin and New Britain were received first from Hartford, and then from Farmington. Berlin being upon the direct route from Hartford to New Haven, a post-office was established in that village quite early, the office being kept in the tavern where the stages, or mail wagons, were accustomed to stop.
For more than seventy years after New Britain was or- ganized as a separate society, letters were sent and received through the Farmington or Berlin post-offices. Correspond- ence was infrequent, and the letters for a neighborhood would all be brought from the office by one person. When the increase of business made it desirable to have regular and direct communication with the post-office, the people would take turns in going, or sending, to Berlin once a week, on mail day, for the New Britain letters, and by a similar arrangement the newspapers were brought from Hartford weekly.
As the Berlin office in the Worthington Society was directly upon the line of the first stage route, it became a convenient place of resort. When the 'turnpike from Hart- ford to New Haven was opened, and the tavern was removed to Main Street, the office was kept for some years in this tavern, and when removed afterwards, was still located on Main Street, near the center of what was then the principal business locality in the three societies. The mail for all these societies, or the whole town, was distributed from this office.
The following is a list of postmasters who kept the Berlin post-office, some early names possibly omitted :
Samuel Porter, died Jan. 21, 1818; Jesse Hart, died March 15, 1827; Norris Wilcox removed to New Haven; James M. Plumb removed to New York; Edward Wilcox; Jacob S. Brandagee; Edward Wilcox; Henry N.
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ROADS, TRANSPORTATION, AND POST-OFFICES.
Galpin; Sherlock C. Hall; Walter D. Atwater; Henry N. Galpin, and Henry L. Porter.
The post-office in New Britain was established in 1825. The inconvenience of going to Berlin, four miles, to post letters and receive the mail had been felt for some time, but as New Britain was not on a thoroughfare, or post-route, the expense was supposed to be greater than the business of a separate office in this village would justify.
On the change of administration in 1825, and the acces- sion to the presidency of John Quincy Adams, by concerted action and through the efforts and by the influence of Thomas Lee * and a few other gentlemen, the department was induced to establish a post-office in New Britain. It was considered a doubtful experiment, and the request was granted on con- dition that the office should be no expense to the government, and at the same time, the government relinquished all claim to revenue from it for the time being. The whole proceeds from the office for the first quarter were about nineteen dollars, a little less than the cost of carrying the mail to and from Hartford. For three years or a little more the office was kept in the stone store on the west side of Main Street, opposite the head of East Main. It was then removed to a small building, a few rods further north, near the present corner of Main and Lafayette streets. These buildings belonged to Thomas Lee, the stone store being occupied as a store at the time, and the other building being the former store of the Lees, removed from the corner opposite the present post-office.
Lorenzo P. Lee was the first postmaster, and he held the office through the remainder of Adams' administration and through the administrations of Jackson and Van Buren, or until 1841. Soon after the accession of Harrison, Henry
* It is quite evident that Thomas Lee took the lead in securing the establish- ment of the first post-office. It was kept in his store, by his son, and the ar- rangement for carrying the mail to and from the distributing office at Hartford seemed to have been made by him. John Francis was the first mail carrier, going to Hartford and back twice a week.
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HISTORY OF NEW BRITAIN, ETC.
Nash was appointed postmaster, and he continued in the position about two years, the post-office being removed to the building for many years occupied as an office by S. W. Hart, M.D., which at that time was south of the Hendrick house. .
President Tyler appointed Marcellus Clark postmaster, and he held the office also through the administrations of Polk and Taylor. When Mr. Clark entered upon his duties, the post-office was removed to the store of Curtis Whaples on the east side of Main Street. About 1845, Mr. Clark erected a building on the corner of Main and Church streets, in which the office was kept until his term expired.
During Fillmore's administration, Frederick Knapp was postmaster, and the office was kept in a building erected for the purpose, on the east side of Main Street nearly opposite the Baptist Church. This building was afterwards removed to the railway crossing, and for several years was occupied by J. O. Deming for a news office and fruit store. On the accession of Pierce in 1853, Marcellus Clark was again appointed postmaster, and he held the position under Pierce and also under Buchanan. Mr. Clark transferred the office to the corner of Main and Church streets, where he had previously kept it, and where it remained until Walter Glad- den became postmaster in 1861.
After Mr. Gladden's appointment, the office was removed to a small building standing on the west side of the site of the Russell & Erwin Building, north of the Green, and whichi was afterwards known as "The Art Store." The present post-office building was erected for this purpose in 1870, only a small part of the first floor being occupied by the post-office. Mr. Gladden held the office of postmaster through the administrations of Lincoln, Johnson, Grant, Hayes, and Garfield, and during a part of the term of Arthur. J. N. Bartlett had charge of the office for a few weeks before and after Mr. Gladden's death. Julius H. Pease was ap- pointed postmaster in 1884.
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