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Southington, Connecticut: Birthplace of the American Nut and Bolt

Southington, Connecticut

Pictures from Southington

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Southington Town Green Southington Town Green, second view Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, Southington

Southington's first European settler, Samuel Woodruff, moved south from Farmington to an area then known as "Panthorne" around 1698; a meeting house independent of the Farmington parish, built in 1726, created the "South Society of Farmington," a name later shortened to "South Farmington" and then Southington, which formally incorporated as an independent town on February 15, 1779. Industry arrived early — Atwater's grist mill in 1767, and by 1790 a button factory, saw mills, a brass foundry and potash works. In the mid-1800s Micah Rugg and Martin Barnes ran a factory producing the first machine-made nuts and bolts, with Rugg patenting bolt-trimming machinery in 1842, making Southington the birthplace of the American nut-and-bolt industry. George Washington, the Marquis de Lafayette and the Comte de Rochambeau all passed through town during the Revolution, and Southington's Apple Harvest Festival, running since 1969, draws over 100,000 people to the Town Green each October.

  1. An 1836 homestead bequeathed intact to the town in 1973.

  2. An eight-generation family farm since 1809.

  3. Central Connecticut's local ski hill.

  4. A paved rail-trail along the historic canal towpath.

  5. A reservoir park with walking trails.

  6. Angus steaks over a wood-fired grill since 2001.

  7. A downtown taproom with live music.

  8. A cidery and distillery on Rogers Orchards.

  9. A Connecticut grinder institution since 1922.

Wooden coasters and a homestead intact since 1973

The Barnes Museum, an 1836 Greek Revival homestead built for Amon and Sylvia Bradley, stayed in the family for 137 years until grandson Bradley Barnes — reputedly "the richest man in Southington" — bequeathed the house and all its contents to the town on his death in 1973, so its interiors are original rather than reconstructed. Lake Compounce, which opened in 1846 and is the oldest continuously operating amusement park in the United States, straddles the Bristol-Southington line; its 1927 Wildcat is among the oldest operating roller coasters in the world, and the wooden Boulder Dash has repeatedly won the Golden Ticket Award for Best Wooden Coaster. Rogers Orchards, an eight-generation family farm established in 1809, runs pick-your-own apples from Labor Day weekend through October and a bakery turning out cider donuts daily.

Getting there

Southington sits at the crossroads of I-84 (the Yankee Expressway) and I-691, which connects east toward Meriden and I-91. There is no rail station in Southington; rail travelers use the CTrail Hartford Line and Amtrak stops at Meriden or Berlin, or Metro-North's Waterbury Branch terminus in Waterbury — though Waterbury Branch trains are replaced by buses from July 20, 2026 through May 31, 2027 for station reconstruction — and finish by car. CTtransit's Route 928 Southington-Cheshire-Waterbury Express runs onto the CTfastrak busway into downtown Hartford.

A brewery in a bolt factory

Kinsmen Brewing Company occupies a restored 1854 factory building — the former Clark Brothers Bolt Company — tying directly into Southington's nut-and-bolt heritage, its taproom fitted with reclaimed lumber and pipes from the mill, and it sits directly on the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. Witchdoctor Brewing Company runs a downtown taproom built around a 34-foot bar of reclaimed wood, with photographs of musicians who've played Connecticut shows on the walls. Long View Ciderhouse, built on the Rogers Orchards property, runs a seasonal Orchard Bar & Cider Truck among the apple trees and a year-round bottle shop.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Southington?
By car — I-84 (the Yankee Expressway) and I-691 both serve the town. There is no rail station in Southington; the nearest CTrail Hartford Line stops are Meriden and Berlin.
Is there a train to Southington?
No. The nearest CTrail Hartford Line and Amtrak stops are Meriden and Berlin, both reached by car. Metro-North's Waterbury Branch terminates in nearby Waterbury, but Branch trains are replaced by buses from July 20, 2026 through May 31, 2027 for station reconstruction.
Is Lake Compounce in Southington?
Lake Compounce straddles the Bristol-Southington line; its main address and gate are in Bristol. It's the oldest continuously operating amusement park in the United States, opened in 1846.
What is the Barnes Museum?
An 1836 Greek Revival homestead at 85 North Main Street, bequeathed to the town with all its original contents in 1973. Open Wed/Thu/Fri 1-5 p.m. plus select Saturdays; admission $10 adults, $8 seniors, $5 students, free for Southington Public Library cardholders and children under 5.
Is there a hotel in Southington?
Southington's hotel cluster sits along West Street near I-84, though current operating status could not be independently confirmed — call ahead. The Farmington Inn, an independent inn in neighboring Farmington, is a verified alternative.

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