
Bryan Memorial Town Hall, Washington – Jerry Dougherty
The town of Washington, located in lower Litchfield County, is nestled in the southern foothills of the Berkshire Mountains. Colonists settled the land beginning in 1734 and by 1746 had established an ironworks and began mining iron ore. Named after George Washington, the town incorporated in 1779 from parts of Woodbury, Litchfield, Kent, and New Milford. By the early 19th century, mills and factories appeared along the Shepaug and East Aspetuck Rivers and industry flourished. Today, Washington is home to the Gunnery, a college preparatory school established in 1850, and is a rural enclave composed of permanent as well as seasonal residents.