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Burlington Historical Society
The Burlington Historical Society preserves local history by keeping alive its culture, traditions, and heritage through education, programs, exhibits, and living history experiences, creating a legacy for current and future generations.
The first inhabitants of present-day Burlington were members of the Tunxis Tribe, who belonged to a confederation of Algonquin Indians. Legend holds that they used the area as a hunting ground. The first English settlers of Connecticut arrived in 1636, settling the plantations of Windsor, Hartford, and Wethersfield. In 1640, John Haynes, governor of Connecticut, negotiated on behalf of the Hartford settlers a purchase from the Tunxis of a large tract of land west of Hartford. In 1645 the land was incorporated as the town of Farmington, which included the present-day towns of Avon, Berlin, Bristol, Burlington, Farmington, New Britain, Plainville, Southington, and parts of other towns. To read more about the history of Burlington and its growth to a current population of over 8,000 residents, see “A Brief History of Burlington, Connecticut” by Clifford Thomas Alderman (from which excerpts appear above).
The Elton Tavern, shown here, was built in 1810 by Burlington merchant Giles Griswold (1780-1838), and served as a private home, public house, and inn during the next 164 years until the town of Burlington purchased it in 1974. The beautiful, Federal-style house is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. To read more, visit History of the Elton Tavern.
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Burlington Historical Society, 781 George Washington Tpke, Burlington, CT 06013
