The Colonial Town of Stafford began almost 300 years ago as a rural agricultural community. The easy availability of water power from the tributaries of the Willimantic River led to industrialization, and this abundance of power helped generate local population growth.
By the mid-1800s, Stafford was connected by railroad to markets across New England, and before the State Highway projects of the 1920s and 1930s, the town had a trolley connection to Rockville, CT.
In the times of the civil war, Stafford was known to make cannonballs and other war supplies for the northern forces. This building can be located in Staffordville, west of the center of town.
