TRACKS THROUGH TIME: A WALKING TOUR EXPLORE SOUTHINGTON’S INDUSTRIAL HISTORY. A guide to Southington's historical manufacturing sites along the Farmington Canal Greenway walking trail is available on the website. The walking trail was formerly the NorthHampton-New Haven Railroad Line that supplied Southington's manufacturers and distributed their products to the world.

The Southington Historical Society was formed in 1965 to collect items that explain and illustrate the history of uthington,Connecticut. We also provide for their preservation, interpretation, care, and exhibition.

Farmington settlers first reached Southington in 1698. The “South Parish,” grew to 1,500 by 1779, when the town was incorporated. Most residents were farmers, which in addition to mills and small industries supplied local necessities. Unlike Farmington, however, the land here is poorly suited for agriculture, and the residents quickly had to supplement farm income with “winter work,” such as charcoal production, nail manufacturing, and tinware. “Yankee Peddlers” sold the goods from Southington throughout the United States and eventually to other countries. The commercial routes that developed were later used to transport industrial products internationally.