1893 Map of Meriden

About this map

The industrial and agricultural valleys of central Connecticut are documented here just before the turn of the century. Large manufacturing centers like Bristol, New Britain, and Meriden show dense street grids and established rail connections, while the surrounding hills remain dotted with small settlements like Whigville, Marion, and Mixville. The Quinnipac River and the Farmington River anchor the drainage of the region, feeding various reservoirs and ponds such as Shuttle Meadow Reservoir and Hanover Pond. Transportation is dominated by the complex web of the New York New Haven and Hartford Railroad and the Northampton Div., which facilitated the movement of goods from the brass and hardware factories that defined these towns. Topographical features like Rattlesnake Mt. and Lamontation Mountain rise sharply above the river plains, illustrating the geographic constraints that shaped local settlement patterns.