Cottonville, Once a Cigarette Town, Now Silver City

Established in English-colonized Glastonbury, Cottonville initially harnessed the power of Salmon Brook. In the 1840s, Oswin Welles introduced wooden knick-knacks and smokes. His brothers, Frederick and Joseph, diversified the town with a silver plating factory, putting Cottonville on the map. However, finances crumbled in 1860. Thomas Vail, a silver plater and rifle-maker, saw an opportunity, switching production to rifles and single-shot pistols during the American Civil War. But Vail's business collapsed soon after the war's end. Presently, Cottonville centers around residential properties, primarily 19th-century structures built for workers. Notable houses include Federal and Greek Revival styles, a Gothic Revival cottage assigned to a mill supervisor, and an Italianate villa given to a Welles family member. A 1870 brick mill complex was constructed.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons