Farmington and Unionville Cultural Districts

On Friday, February 21, the Town of Farmington received an exciting recognition with the designation of two Cultural Districts by Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz and the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD)'s Office of the Arts. This honor highlights Farmington's commitment to preserving its rich history while fostering a vibrant arts scene.

The two designated districts are:

- Farmington Cultural District: Farmington Cultural District: This district includes the town's historic center and notable landmarks such as the Hill-Stead Museum, Stanley-Whitman House, and the Farmington Village Green. It's a place steeped in history and culture, offering a unique glimpse into the town's past.

The Farmington Cultural District Assets, Facilities, Activities

Cultural facilities

1.   The Farmington Historical Society future Welcome Center

2.   The Stanley Whitman House

3.   The Hill-Stead Museum

4.   The Barney Library

5.   The Lewis Walpole Yale Library

6.   First Church of Christ, Congregational, 1652

7.   St. James Episcopal Church, 

8.   St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church

Historical Sites

1.   Memento Mori Cemetery

2.   Farmington Historical Society Cottages

3.   The Village Green

4.   Miss Porter’s Campus  

5.   Millstreams188

6.   Pequabuck Stone Bridge

7.   The Grist Mill

8.   Brownson Sawmill Diamond Glen

9.   The North homestead

Historical Homes

1.   Eleazor & Daniel Curtiss House (The Corner House), 4 Main – 1783

2.   Ezekiel Thompson House, 10 Main – 1736, 1783

3.   John Hopkinson House, 11 Main – 1915

4.   John Thomson House, 17 Main – ca. 1770

5.   William S. Nevins House, 21 Main – ca. 1840

6.   Samuel Steele House, 23 Main – ca. 1655

7.   Roger Hooker House, 24 Main – ca. 1688, 1769

8.   Dr. Chauncey Brown House, 25 Main – 1843

9.    Samuel Smith House, 27 Main – ca. 1770

10.  Hugh Chesney House, 28 Main – 1902

11.    Wallace-Lee House, 31 Main – 1902

12.    Farmington Savings Bank, 32 Main – 1928

13.    Julius Gay House, 36 Main – 1873

14.    Lewis-Mills House, 37 Main – ca. 1710/1900

15.    Jesse Porter House, 41 Main – ca. 1785

16.    Edward Whitman House, 44 Main – 1815-60 MPS

17.    John E. Cowles House, 47 Main – 1844/1929 MPS

18.    Francis W. Cowles House, “Brick,” 48 Main – ca. 1844 MPS

19.    Charles & Harriet Thompson House, “Lathrop House,” 49       Main – 1841 MPS

20.    New Place, 53 Main – 1907 MPS

21.    Elijah & Gad Cowles Store, 54 Main – 1813-18 MPS

22.    Susan & Augustus Ward House, 56 Main – ca. 1842 MPS

23.    Jonathon Cowles House, “Colony,” 59 Main – 1799

24.    Howard W. Humphrey House, 60 Main – 1887-88

25.    Gad Cowles House, 65 Main – ca. 1800 MPS

26.    New Music Cottage, 64 Main – 1912

27.    Thomas Hart Hooker House, 66 Main – 1770

28.    Sarah Porter Memorial, 67 Main – 1901-02

29.    Sarah Brandigee Barney Memorial Library, 71 Main – 1917

30.    Deacon John Hart House, 80 Main – ca. 1730

31.    Major Timothy Cowles House, “Timco,” 87 Main – 1815 MPS

32.    Cowles-Thompson House, 90 Main – 1867-69 MPS

33.    Thomas Treadwell House, 92 Main – ca. 1867 MPS

34.    Asa Andrews House, 93 Main – ca. 1805

35.    First Ecclesiastical Society Parsonage, 96 Main – 1875

36.    Asa Andrews Tin Shop, 99 Main – 1803

37.    Edward H. Deming House, 100 Main – 1887-92

38.    Thomas Bulkley House, 101 Main – 1788

39.    Truman Sanford House, 103 Main – 1915

40.    Wadsworth Homestead, 107 Main – 1685/1776-81

41.    St. Patrick’s Rectory, 110 Main – 1924

42.    St. Patrick’s Church, 112 Main – 1921-22

43.    Frederick L. Scott House, “Ingleside<” 113 Main – 1894

44.    Rev. Noah Porter House, 116 Main – ca. 1808/ca. 1890

45.    Doreester-Porter House, 117 Main – 1784

46.    Rev. Joseph Washburn House, 118 Main – after 1796

47.    Jude Hamilton House, 122 Main – 1802-05

48.    Donald R. Hawley House, 126 Main – ca. 1895

49.    Austin F. Williams House, 127 Main – 1842

50.    2 Gridley-Case Cottages, 138 Main – ca. 1787/ca/ 1797

51.    Coral Case House, 144 Main – 1771-1797

52.    Solomon & Zenas Cowles House, 148 Main – ca. 1790

53.    Hooker-Cowles Homestead, 149 Main – 1713/176

54.    Capt. Solomon Cowles House, 154 Main – ca. 1786.

55.    Wyllis-Orton-Wadsworth House, 174 Main – ca. 1656

56.    Thomas Hart Gristmill, 44 Mill Lane – ca. 1690 MPS

57.    Michael Sullivan House, 2 Mountain Road - 1918

58.    St. James Episcopal Church, 3 Mountain Road – 1898

59.    Delinda Woodford House, 4 Mountain Road – 1907

60.    MPS School Studio, 5 Mountain Road – 1885 MPS

61.    The Farmington Female Seminary, 7 Mountain Road – 1849

62.    William Hart Deming House, 8 Mountain Road – 1898

63.    Edward O. Hutchinson House, 10 Mountain Road – 1895

64.    Henry Gallagher House, 14 Mountain Road – 1892

65.    The Samuel Deming Cottage, 16 Mountain Road – 1850

66.    John R. Smith House, 18 Mountain Road – 1857-58

67.    Keron Manion Jr. House, 22 High – 1878

68.    Mrs. Jane L. Gallagher House, 18 High – ca. 1860

69.    Major Peter Curtiss House, 4 High - 1786

70.    John Riley House, 1 High – ca. 1880

71.    North District Schoolhouse,  ca. 1830

72.    Daniel Curtiss House/Tunxis Library, 1752

73.    Mark Root House (offices) – ca. 1750

74.    Andrus Building, 768 Farmington – ca. 1880

75.    Charles Frost House, 774 Farmington – 1826

76.    John Norton House, 776 Farmington – ca. 1670

77.    Daniel Buck House & Store, 778 Farmington – ca. 1845

78.    The Lewis Homestead/Elm Tree Inn, 792 Farmington, 1655.    

79.    The Farmington Country Club, 806 Farmington, 1901

Artistic Spaces

1.   The Hill-Stead Museum Pope -Riddle House and Period Rooms

2.   Clatter Valley Studio

Cultural Activities and Events

1.   Farmington Historical Society Freedom Trail and Amistad Walking Tour “Odessey of the Amistad: A Trail to Freedom “

2.   The Hill-Stead Museum Sunken Garden Poetry Festival

3.   The Hill-Stead Museum From the Porch Performing Arts Series

4.   The Hill-Stead Museum Juneteenth Celebration

5.   The Hill-Stead Museum year-round exhibits and outdoor events

6.   The Hill-Stead Museum May Market

7.   The Barney Library Afternoons at Bijou – classic movies

8.   The Barney Library Garmany Concerts

9.   The Stanley Whitman House garden doors, concerts in the Tavern, and lectures

10.  The Stanley Whitman year round programs, exhibits and special events

11. The Stanley Whitman Foodways program

12.  Memento Mori Cemetery Tours

13. Christmas Eve Christmas Carols on the Green

14. Historical Walking Tour

15. Cultural Walking Tour

Creative Businesses, Shops and Restaurants

1.   Farmington Frame Co.

2.   Vivid Hue Home

3.   Monarch Jewelers

4.   Fork & Fire

5.   Piccolo Arancia

6.   The Hartford Baking Company

7.   Naples Pizza

8.   Starbucks Coffee Shop

9.   BaseCamp Coworking Office and Podcast Studio 

The Unionville Cultural District: Located in the Unionville neighborhood, this district celebrates the area’s industrial heritage with sites such as the Unionville Museum and historic waterwheels and train stations, highlighting the town's early 20th-century development and includes the following:

Cultural facilities

1.   Unionville Museum

2.   Alice Clover Pinny Gazebo

3.   First Church of Christ

4.   Suburban Park

5.   Tunxis Hose Company #1

Historical Sites

1.   Rev. James Smith Rental House -1863-69

2.   Abner Bidwell Rental House -1869-78

3.   Dr. William Sage Rental House - 1869-72

4.   Mark Howard House -1872

5.   St Mary's Church Rectory -1875

6.   Cowles, Norton & Bidwell House - 1835

7.   Albert L. Curtiss House -1910

8.   Hubert C. Hart House - 1885

9.   Frederick Crum House - 1836

10. Samuel Frisbie House -1869

11. Edward M. MIlls - 1861-65

12. Frank D. Lawton House -1912

13. Frisbee rental house - 1885

14. Griswold-Mulrooney House - 1870

15. Virgil Goodwin House - 1842-46

16. Samuel Porter -1853-63

17. Howard W. Humphrey House -1887

18. William Griswold House - 1837

19. Nathaniel Hayden Apartments- 1875

20. Dr. William Sage House - 1852

21.    George Bean House - 1920

22.    Platner & Porter Rooming and Boarding House 1854

23.    Feeder Canal Bed - 1830

24.    Chas. House Pump House- 1901

25.    First Church of Christ -1886

26.    Union School

27.    Unionville Bank & Trust

28.    Masonic Building

29.    Second Methodist Church

30.    Civil War Monument

Artistic Spaces

1.   Art Gallery on Main

2.   Matthew Weber Sculpture Studio

Cultural Activities

1.   (4) self guided Historical Walking Tours

2.   Multiple exhibits at the Unionville Museum

3.   Jingle Bell Jubilee – The Annual Holiday celebration in Unionville

4.   Art Exhibits throughout the year at the Farmington Main Library

5.   Thursday night summer concerts

Creative Businesses and Shops

1.      Taisa Tailoring & Bridal

2.      Unionville Museum Store

3.      Gallery on Main

4.      Kelli Dease Photograpy 

Restaurants

5.   Iron Horse Pub

6.   Yume Hibachi Steak & Sushi

7.   Aura Essence of India 

8.    George’s Pizza & Restaurant

9.    The Olive Bar

10.   People’s Choice

11.    Dunkin Donuts

12.    Unionville Family Restaurant

13.    Yue Se Chinese and Hong Kong Restaurant

14.    The Daily Grind

15.    Puente American Latino Pub

16.     Lucky Dragon

17.     Wood-n-Tap

18.     McDonald’s 

Cultural Districts are designated as walkable areas that host a variety of cultural institutions and activities. They serve as hubs for residents and visitors to explore the arts, history, and local businesses, while also promoting tourism and enhancing the overall quality of life.

Farmington is now the second community in Connecticut to receive two Cultural District designations, joining Stonington in this distinction. This recognition underscores the town's ongoing efforts to create enriching experiences for its residents and visitors alike.

Like the flowers that bloom along the village centers, our cultural assets help us bloom!