Ethos

Vernon, Connecticut: Rockville's Woolen-Mill Legacy

Vernon, Connecticut

Pictures from Vernon

See all 3 photos →
Memorial Building, Rockville Talcott Park, Rockville Hop River State Park Trail

Vernon was incorporated in October 1808 out of the town of Bolton and named for George Washington's Mount Vernon estate. Its industrial history centers on the Hockanum River, where the Rock Manufacturing Company built the river's first mill and gave rise to a woolen-goods industry that created the city of Rockville. Rockville's first textile mill went up in 1821 beside a natural stone formation called “the Rock”; by 1836 the settlement's population had reached 440, and its mills eventually grew prestigious enough that three U.S. presidents chose Rockville-made cloth for their inauguration suits. Rockville incorporated as its own city in January 1889 and was consolidated back into Vernon in January 1965. Today Vernon also encompasses the mill village of Talcottville, founded in 1802 by English immigrant John Warburton, whose cotton mill was the first financially successful one in Connecticut.

  1. Letters, diaries, and photographs from Civil War veterans.

  2. 196-acre town park with hiking, fishing, and picnic areas.

  3. Local archive on Vernon and Rockville's history.

  4. Two free galleries of rotating juried exhibitions.

  5. 5.10 miles on the former Hartford, Providence and Fishkill rail bed.

  6. Connecticut's best-known Jewish deli, since 1972.

  7. New York-style diner with a retractable-roof patio.

  8. American comfort food and full-service catering.

  9. Connecticut-grown bagel bakery and sandwich cafe.

  10. Highway hotel just off I-84 with an indoor pool.

  11. Budget, pet-friendly hotel off I-84.

Mount Vernon's name, the Hockanum's mills

Vernon was carved out of Bolton and incorporated in October 1808, taking its name from George Washington's Mount Vernon estate. The Rock Manufacturing Company built the first mill on the Hockanum River, launching a woolen-goods industry that grew into the city of Rockville — Rockville's first mill went up in 1821 beside a natural stone formation called 'the Rock,' and by 1836 the settlement's population had reached 440. Rockville incorporated as a separate city in January 1889 and consolidated back into Vernon in January 1965; at its height, three U.S. presidents chose Rockville-made woolen cloth for their inauguration suits. Painter Charles Ethan Porter, one of the first African Americans to exhibit at New York's National Academy of Design, moved to Rockville with his family in the early 1850s and died there in poverty at 75. The mill village of Talcottville, founded in 1802 by English immigrant John Warburton, was home to Connecticut's first financially successful cotton mill; the Talcott brothers took over in 1856 and ran it until 1940.

Getting there

Vernon is a drive-to town: Interstate 84 cuts straight through it, with exits 63, 64, and 65 feeding Routes 30 and 83 toward Rockville and Vernon Center. There is no passenger rail station in Vernon or Rockville; rail travelers use the CTrail Hartford Line to Hartford Union Station, the nearest stop, and finish the trip by car. Vernon's own railroad heritage survives only as recreation: the former Hartford, Providence and Fishkill line, whose last train ran in 1970, is now the Hop River State Park Trail and Vernon's Rails to Trails.

Trails, food, and where to stay

Vernon's Rails to Trails follows the old rail bed for 5.10 miles, with a 4.1-mile Rockville Spur crossing the Tankerhoosen River on a footbridge completed in 1998; beyond Vernon's line with Bolton, the corridor continues as the Hop River State Park Trail. For food, Rein's New York Style Deli-Restaurant near I-84 Exit 65 has served hot pastrami and cheesecake since 1972, while the Vernon Diner and Beni's Restaurant round out the town's sit-down options. No historic inn or B&B could be verified inside Vernon; lodging here means highway hotels near I-84, including a Holiday Inn Express and a Travelodge by Wyndham.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Vernon?
By car — Interstate 84 runs through Vernon, with exits 63, 64, and 65 feeding Routes 30 and 83 toward Rockville and Vernon Center. There is no passenger rail station in Vernon; the nearest CTrail Hartford Line stop is Hartford Union Station.
Is Rockville part of Vernon?
Yes — Rockville was a separate city from 1889 to 1965, when it consolidated into the Town of Vernon. It remains Vernon's historic mill-town center, along with the smaller village of Talcottville.
What is Rein's Deli known for?
Connecticut's best-known Jewish delicatessen, founded in 1972, serving hot pastrami and corned beef on rye, hand-cut lox, and New York cheesecake near I-84 Exit 65.
Where can I hike or bike in Vernon?
Vernon's Rails to Trails follows the former Hartford, Providence and Fishkill rail bed for 5.10 miles, with a 4.1-mile Rockville Spur; Valley Falls Park, a 196-acre town park, also has hiking and fishing.
Is there lodging in Vernon?
No historic inn or B&B could be verified inside Vernon. Lodging is limited to highway hotels near I-84, including a Holiday Inn Express and a Travelodge by Wyndham.

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

Connected pages

Same region