Ethos

Tolland, Connecticut: A County Seat's Courthouse and Jail

Tolland, Connecticut

Pictures from Tolland

See all 3 photos →
Old Tolland County Court House Old Tolland County Jail Museum Daniel Benton Homestead

Tolland was originally part of Windsor and named in 1715, then incorporated in May 1722 to settle Connecticut's hill country. When the General Assembly created Tolland County in 1785, Tolland became the county seat; its jail and courthouse sat at the terminus of five turnpikes by the early 19th century, and the town's early economy centered on farming. The name is traced either to a toll station on the old Boston-to-New York road or to Tolland in Somerset, England. The Old Tolland County Court House, built in 1822, has been called one of the five most important surviving examples of early Connecticut civic architecture; courts sat there until about 1890, and the county jail's 1856 cellblock remained in use until 1968. Daniel Benton received his Tolland land in 1719; the homestead's cellar held Hessian and English prisoners for eighteen months during the Revolutionary War.

  1. The 1856 county jail, now a Tolland Historical Society museum.

  2. Built 1822; one of Connecticut's most important surviving civic buildings.

  3. Tolland's oldest house, which held Revolutionary War prisoners.

  4. 55 contributing buildings on a National Register green.

  5. 818 acres along the Willimantic River, with fly-fishing water.

  6. Pizza, grinders and weekend breakfast off I-84 Exit 68.

  7. Local bar and grill between Tolland and UConn.

  8. Handcrafted wood-fired pies near I-84 Exit 68.

Tolland Green's museums

Tolland was originally part of Windsor and named in 1715, incorporated in May 1722 to grow the population in Connecticut's hill country. When the General Assembly created Tolland County in 1785, Tolland became the county seat, and its jail and courthouse sat at the terminus of five turnpikes by the early 19th century. The Old Tolland County Court House, built in 1822, has been called one of the five most important surviving examples of early Connecticut civic architecture; courts sat there until about 1890, when proceedings moved to Rockville, and the public library occupied its first floor from 1899 to 1985. The county jail's 1856 cellblock, with an 1893 jailer's residence, remained in use until 1968; both buildings are now Tolland Historical Society museums on Tolland Green. Nearby, Daniel Benton received his Tolland land in 1719 and was 'made an inhabitant' in 1720 at age 24; the homestead's cellar held Hessian and English prisoners for eighteen months during the Revolutionary War.

Getting there

Interstate 84 bisects Tolland on the Hartford-to-Boston run, with Exit 68 (Route 195 / Merrow Road) serving as the visitor gateway to both the commercial strip and the historic Tolland Green. Route 74 (Tolland Stage Road) runs through the Tolland Green Historic District and is the posted access road for Nye-Holman State Forest. There is no passenger rail station anywhere in Tolland; train travelers ride the CTrail Hartford Line or Amtrak to Hartford Union Station, roughly 20 miles west, and drive the last leg. Metro-North's New Haven Line and Shore Line East serve the coast and southwestern Connecticut and do not reach Tolland.

Where to eat

Tolland's dining clusters near I-84 Exit 68 on Merrow Road: Papa T's Family Restaurant serves pizza, grinders and weekend breakfast; The Spot Bar and Grill offers dine-in and takeout at the highway exit; and Camille's Wood Fired Pizza serves handcrafted pies in a 'funky modern' room. No hotel, motel, inn or B&B could be verified inside Tolland town limits.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Tolland?
By car — Interstate 84 bisects the town, with Exit 68 (Route 195 / Merrow Road) the visitor gateway. There is no passenger rail station anywhere in Tolland; the nearest CTrail Hartford Line stop is Hartford Union Station, roughly 20 miles west.
Is there a train to Tolland?
No. There is no passenger rail station anywhere in Tolland, and Metro-North's New Haven Line and Shore Line East do not reach this part of the state. The nearest station is Hartford Union Station.
What are the Tolland Historical Society museums?
Three sites on Tolland Green: the Old Tolland County Jail (1856 cellblock, 1893 jailer's residence), the Old Tolland County Court House (built 1822), and the Daniel Benton Homestead, the town's oldest house, on Metcalf Road.
What is Nye-Holman State Forest?
An 818-acre state forest spanning Tolland, Ellington and Willington along the Willimantic River, with a fly-fishing-only trout management area, an archery range, and a youth-group campground.
Is there a hotel in Tolland?
No hotel, motel, inn or B&B could be verified inside Tolland town limits.

Some booking links on this page earn Ethos a commission at no extra cost to you.

Connected pages

Nearby

Shared history

Same region