The Lost Village of Colebrook River
A Preview of our 2024 Summer Exhibit
In the 1930’s the Metropolitan District Commission, a company providing water and other services to the Greater Hartford area, began buying up land in the watershed area of the west branch of the Farmington River. The goal was to provide water resources for the future; the plan was to construct a dam at a narrow gorge known as “The Hogback”. This location meant that the village of Colebrook River would be drowned by the waters behind the dam. The dam was completed in 1955 and what was once the thriving community of Colebrook River vanished.
School at Colebrook River, Colebrook, Connecticut (Circa 1905)
Probably photographed by Una Clingan Rands (American, 1886 – 1969)
The Cotton Mills, Colebrook River, Colebrook, Connecticut
Published by G. S. Ives
Mission
The mission of the Colebrook Historical Society shall be to promote and encourage historical, antiquarian and genealogical research; to preserve and publish same; to educate the community; to collect and display antiquarian and historical objects and records, and to preserve the Rock School building.
The Society shall reach out to the community at large to provide creative, educational, historical and entertaining experiences. The Society shall employ both traditional and contemporary communications platforms to promote and maintain the relevance of the organization.
