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Stafford, Connecticut: Mineral Springs and a Half-Mile Oval

Stafford, Connecticut

Pictures from Stafford

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Main Street, Stafford Springs Stafford Speedway race start Hyde Park, Stafford Springs

Stafford was settled and incorporated in 1719, its iron bogs and mineral springs having drawn Indigenous peoples and then colonial settlers to the area; the town most likely takes its name from Staffordshire, England, and joined Tolland County on October 13, 1785. Stafford Springs built a 19th-century reputation as a mineral-springs resort, drawing visitors who came for the therapeutic waters, including President John Adams. As spring tourism faded in the late 1800s, textile mills and other enterprises formed Stafford's industrial hub, powered by water from tributaries of the Willimantic River; during the Civil War, Stafford factories made cannonballs for the northern forces. On March 27, 1877, the recently raised Staffordville Reservoir dam burst while full for the first time, devastating roughly five miles of the valley — bridges, livery stables, a church, cotton and woolen factories, and two to three miles of railroad. Two people died and about 1,000 workers lost their jobs.

  1. A half-mile oval hosting weekly racing and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events.

  2. 7,170 acres of trails centered on Soapstone Mountain.

  3. A 150-acre park with the 1924 Stafford Soldiers Monument.

  4. Downtown Main Street taproom.

  5. Made-from-scratch baked goods and wholesome meals.

  6. American-Italian restaurant and bar on Route 190.

Mineral springs to mill town

Stafford was settled and incorporated in 1719, its iron bogs and mineral springs having drawn Indigenous peoples and then colonial settlers. Stafford Springs built a 19th-century reputation as a mineral-springs resort, drawing visitors including President John Adams. As spring tourism faded in the late 1800s, textile mills and other enterprises formed the town's industrial hub, powered by water from tributaries of the Willimantic River. On March 27, 1877, the recently raised Staffordville Reservoir dam burst while full for the first time, devastating roughly five miles of the valley and costing two lives and about 1,000 jobs. Hyde Park exists because Stafford native Isaac Perkins Hyde bequeathed funds in 1897 for the town to buy parkland; trustees developed the 150-acre park in 1911, and its Stafford Soldiers Monument, a gift of Colonel Charles Warren erected in 1924, was designed by sculptor Frederic Wellington Ruckstull. The building that now houses the Stafford Historical Society museum was built in 1887-1889 as the office of Julius Converse's Mineral Springs Manufacturing Company mill; it served as the town library until 2001.

Getting there

Stafford is a drive-to destination in the northeastern hills: Routes 190 and 32 cross at Stafford Springs, with Interstate 84 passing nearby to the south. There is no passenger rail station in Stafford or anywhere in Tolland County; rail travelers must use the CTrail Hartford Line or Amtrak to Hartford Union Station or Windsor Locks and finish the trip by car.

Racing, brewing and Main Street

Stafford Speedway (formerly Stafford Motor Speedway, renamed in 2022) hosts weekly racing and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events on a half-mile paved oval that developed drivers Ryan Preece and Ted Christopher. Off the Rails Brewing Co. pours in a downtown Main Street taproom, and LuAnn's Bakery & Cafe and Basil's Restaurant & Bar round out the dining. No hotel, motel, inn or campground could be verified inside Stafford; the nearest confirmed option is the Publick House Historic Inn in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, roughly 20 miles northeast.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Stafford?
By car — Routes 190 and 32 cross at Stafford Springs, with I-84 passing nearby to the south. There is no passenger rail station in Stafford or anywhere in Tolland County; the nearest CTrail Hartford Line stops are Hartford Union Station and Windsor Locks.
Is there a train to Stafford?
No. Stafford and all of Tolland County have no passenger rail station. Rail travelers use the CTrail Hartford Line or Amtrak to Hartford Union Station or Windsor Locks and finish the trip by car.
What is Stafford Speedway?
A half-mile paved, semi-banked oval (formerly Stafford Motor Speedway, renamed in 2022) that hosts weekly racing and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events, and that developed drivers including Ryan Preece and Ted Christopher.
What happened at Stafford in 1877?
The recently raised Staffordville Reservoir dam burst while full for the first time on March 27, 1877, devastating roughly five miles of the valley — bridges, livery stables, a church, and cotton and woolen factories. Two people died and about 1,000 workers lost their jobs.
Is there a hotel in Stafford?
No hotel, motel, inn or campground could be verified inside Stafford. The nearest confirmed option is the Publick House Historic Inn in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, roughly 20 miles northeast.

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