The charm of small-town New England life within easy reach of the city is there to be had in the delightful town of Willington. With a growing population of approximately 6,407, Willington is a small residential, yet rural community. It boasts a special quality of bustling activity that includes a shopping center, a small center of antique shops, and a major travel stop. And lest we forget, the town is only a few miles from the University of Connecticut main campus! You can have the best of both worlds in Willington.
Location and Geography
The Town of Willington is located in Tolland County, in the Hartford metro area of northeast Connecticut. It is bordered by the towns of Tolland and Ellington to the west, Coventry to the southwest, Mansfield to the south, Ashford to the east, Union and Stafford to the north.
The small rural town of Willington is located within the Thames River Watershed, and is bordered by the Willimantic River on the west. With a total area of 33.5 square miles, 33.3 square miles of the town is land and 0.2 square miles is water. Willington sits at an altitude of 761 feet, on terrain consisting primarily of rounded hills and broad flood plain valleys with the Connecticut River further to the west.
Willington is approximately 20 miles northeast of Hartford, CT; 24 miles southeast of Springfield, MA; and 70 miles northwest of Boston, MA.
History/Interesting Facts/Historic Buildings and Places
Settlers from Derby, Fairfield, Milford and Hartford were granted land here in May, 1720. The settlement became the town of Willington in May 1727. It was named after a town in England and the early spelling was actually Wellington.
Willington was a quiet agricultural town until the time of the Industrial Revolution when the Willimantic River waters became an important asset. Woolen mills were built along the river and in 1811 a glass factory began operation, which was the town's first significant industry. Today, most of the town’s industries have disappeared.
Jobs
There is little industry in Willington, with most people commuting to work in area cities. The principal industries are agriculture, manufacturing of machine parts and electroplating. Educational, health and social services provide 24.8% of the employment in the town, retail trade provides14.1%, manufacturing provides11.7%, and arts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation and food services provide10.7%. The local unemployment rate is 4.9% and the average commute time is 27 minutes. The median household income is $56,207 and the average per capita income is $29,427.
Housing
There are a number of new and established homes to choose from in Willington. Some of the housing options include Ranch, Colonial, Cape style and more. You can find a home overlooking a pond, or on acres of scenic woodland.
Parks and Recreation
The Willington Recreation Department offers an impressive range of activities for residents of all ages, including foil fencing, archery, watercraft operation, multi-sport camp, soccer, field hockey, performing arts, volleyball and basketball.
The town boasts beautiful Fenton-Ruby Park and Wildlife Preserve, which provides more than 4 miles of hiking trails on 300 acres of scenic ponds, rivers, marshes, fields and forests. The Taylor Pond Trail has marked special points of interest.
For equestrian skills, the Willington Hills Equestrian Center is a top-notch horse facility that welcomes horses and riders of all ages, disciplines and skill levels. Western, English, Dressage, driving and other techniques are taught here. Also, nearby Ashford is home to Runningwater Warmbloods, a first class breeding farm for horses.
The Greater Hartford area offers a full range of top-notch golf courses in scenic New England settings, both in the city and in surrounding towns. There are 40 courses within a 30-minute drive of downtown Hartford. One such course, the Gillette Ridge Golf Course is an 18-hole championship course of more than 7,000 yards, located on the former 120-acre homestead of Francis Gillette, dating back to 1830.
Special Attractions
There is no shortage of surrounding area attractions that Willington residents can enjoy. Some of these include: Connecticut Repertory Theatre, Stafford Speedway, Ron-a-Roll (roller skating), Brimfield Fair, Shortline Trolley Museum, Nathan Hale Homestead, Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary, Old Sturbridge Village, Pavilions at Buckland Hills, Riverside Amusement Park, Lake Compounce Amusement Park, Foxwoods Casino, Mashatucket Pequot Museum, Mohegan Sun Casino, Misquamicut State Park/Beach, Mystic Aquarium, and Mystic Seaport. Locally, Willington’s beautiful new public library opened in the fall of 2006.
And of course, being ideally situated between New York and Boston, you can take advantage of all the activities, culture and entertainment that these metro areas offer, not to mention nearby Hartford. The area is less than an hour’s drive from the Connecticut and Rhode Island beaches. It is also within easy driving distance of the northern New England ski resorts and the Connecticut lakes, streams, hiking trails, fishing, hunting and camping areas.
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