The town of Barkhamsted was part of Windsor's share in the settlement of Litchfield County, and the first settler came from Windsor about 1746. Before that date, some of the best pine timber had been logged and floated down the Farmington River. A town was not incorporated until 1779. The name is taken from Barkhamsted in the English county of Hertford.
Barkhamsted is mountainous, and cut into deep valleys by the East and West Branches of the Farmington. There is a large reservoir of the Metropolitan Water Board on the East Branch, and another 9 mile lake is under construction, which will flood the former village of Barkhamsted. The town contains three State Forests: Peoples, American Legion, and a part of the Tunxis. There is some manufacturing at Riverton, at one time famous for its chairs. John Brown's mother, Ruth Mills, was born in Barkhamsted.
In the State report for 1845, Barkhamsted is credited with $60,751 of manufactured goods. The list is worth reproducing, because so characteristic of the Connecticut town at that period: axes, shovels, spades, saddles, harness, trunks, coaches, wagons, chairs, furniture, flour, tanned leather, boots, palm leaf hats, bricks, quarried stone, wooden ware, timber (a million feet per year, much of it shipped to the West Indies) shingles, staves for barrels, kegs, clothespins, charcoal, calico, oak-acid used for calico dye, foot rules, hoe handles, woolen goods, and 41 barrels of liquor.
R. 179, north from New Hartford, follows the East Branch, above the reservoirs. Another scenic approach to this section is by the unimproved R. 181, which comes across from West Granby and descends through a fine ravine. About 3/4 mile north of the former Barkhamsted postoffice (sic) is an attractive brook with many potholes. The Tunxis Trail follows the height of land, with fine views over the lower reservoir from the Pinnacle. Northeast of Barkhamsted postoffice the Trail passes Indian Council Cave, and in another mile reaches Pine Mountain, with fine views in all directions.
R. 101 makes a scenic drive to Winsted. There is a good view to the east from the Rural Art Museum on West Hill, 1 1/2 miles to the south, turning off opposite the Old North Road Inn.
R. 181 runs north to Pleasant Valley. From this point a road goes up the West Branch of the Farmington through the American Legion Forest, with a camp ground and trails.
Crossing at Pleasant Valley, another road to Riverton follows the east bank, with attractive scenery, passing under a hill to the right with a fine southern view. In 1 mile we reach the Peoples Forest. Back of the forest ranger's headquarters is a new stone Administration Building, which will serve as a Forest Museum. Greenwoods Road, recently opened from this point, leads north through fine hemlock, hardwood and laurel, eventually reaching R. 20 in Hartland; along the road is a leanto for overnight camping. Continuing up the West Branch, we reach Matthies Grove the principal picnic ground on the Peoples Forest, with facilities for camping and bathing. In another mile, a bronze tablet marks the old Indian settlement known as Barkhamsted Lighthouse. Its nucleus was the high spirited Molly Barber of Wethersfield, who, when crossed by her father in a love affair, eloped with the Indian Chaugham. Stage drivers, pointing to the light from the Chaugham homestead, would shout to their passengers: There's Barkhamsted lighthouse; only five miles more to New Hartford." Southwest of the Lighthouse, on an island in the river, is the Whittemore Camp Ground, another attractive spot with bathing equipment. *Chaugham Lookout, with a fire tower and a remarkable view, is reached by the beautiful Jessie Gerard Trail, named for the woman chiefly responsible for securing donations to the Peoples Forest. Other roads and trails make this public forest area a delightful playground. The laurel displays in June are particularly fine.
As we enter the village of Riverton, the old Ives Tavern (Riverton Inn) of 1800 lies to our right, half hidden by modern porches. To our left, as we cross the bridge, a baby nipple factory occupies the building where the famous Hitchcock Chairs were made. Lambert Hitchcock located here in 1818, and at first made chair parts for the Southern market. He was soon manufacturing entire chairs and rockers, of a sturdy but graceful type, often with painted decorations on the back. The village which grew up around the factory was called Hitchcockville (until 1866.) After Hitchcock moved his business to Unionville in 1840, the old factory was operated by his partner and brother-in-law Arba Alford until 1864, when it changed to pocket rulers. The large brick house built by the two partners, and divided by a solid brick wall, stands across the street. In the next block to the west, on our left, is the stone Episcopal Church, built in 1829, and beyond this another of the five early hostelries, Pinney's Hotel, of about the same date. The Congregational Church, with its Doric portico, was erected in l842.