Simsbury - Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project

Tariffville Mill, Simsbury – Jerry Dougherty

The Farmington River and Talcott Mountain run along the eastern edge of Simsbury, a town situated in northern Hartford County near the state’s border with Massachusetts. This area, known to early settlers as the Windsor plantation at Massacoe, was incorporated as Simsbury in 1670. In 1737, Dr. Samuel Higley minted the Colonies’ first copper coins with ore from his Copper Hill Mine. The mine (now part of East Granby) later became Connecticut’s first prison. Simsbury also became home to the nation’s first steel-making venture in 1728, its first carpet factory in 1825 and, in 1836, its first safety fuses for use in blasting operations. The fuse company evolved into an aerospace and defense firm and still maintains its headquarters in suburban Simsbury.

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