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116-720: In 1895, after it acquired control of the New York and New England Railroad , the New Haven controlled almost 90% of the steam railroad mileage in Connecticut. That same year, it gained control of its first street railway, the Stamford Street Railroad , on about April 1. That company, which operated local lines in the city of Stamford , was in bad shape financially, and the owners of a majority of its stocks and bonds, wishing to get rid of their investments, found

232-492: A balance between the conveniences of city life and the charm of a smaller town. Despite the suburbanization, Wallingford continued to attract businesses, maintaining a robust economic base. The town became a hub for various industries, including medical, healthcare, high-tech specialty manufacturing, and research and development. The development of several industrial parks—Barnes Industrial Park, Casimir Pulaski Industrial Park, Centract Park, and MedWay Industrial Park—helped attract

348-562: A connection to the south. The Medway Branch Railroad from the main line at Norfolk west to Medway was incorporated in 1849 and opened in 1852, being immediately leased to the Norfolk County Railroad. It closed in 1864, two years after the New York and Boston Railroad reached Medway. The Rhode Island and Massachusetts Railroad was chartered in 1875 and opened in 1877, connecting the main Boston line at Franklin to

464-538: A connection with the Greenwich Tramway , thus completing the trolley link between New Haven and the New York state line. The Wallingford Tramway was incorporated in 1903, and its unfinished property was conveyed to the Worcester and Connecticut Eastern on May 14, 1904, four days before the renaming. This company's line, from Wallingford south to the end of a Fair Haven and Westville line at Montowese ,

580-468: A federal judge to issue a receivership order before the end of the year. This receivership was over by 1886. Cyrus W. Field had become a major figure behind the NY&;NE by 1886 but after the state of Massachusetts refused to sell him the $ 3 million in stock it held (instead disposing of the shares to a rival group because of concern about Field's close association with Jay Gould) Field sold his holdings in

696-668: A loop between Norwalk and South Norwalk . The Bridgeport Division also entered Norwalk, extending east through Westport (with several local lines there) and Fairfield into Bridgeport . That city had about twelve radial lines, two running east into Stratford , where intercity lines continued north to the Derby Division in Shelton and east to the New Haven Division at Woodmont . Buses in these three divisions are currently operated by Connecticut Transit Stamford ,

812-743: A prominent physician and statesman who represented Georgia in the Continental Congress. Hall was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, underscoring Wallingford’s deep ties to the founding of the United States. His contributions to the Revolutionary cause exemplify the town’s commitment to the ideals of liberty and self-governance. As Wallingford entered the 19th century, it began to transform from an agricultural community into an industrial hub. The arrival of

928-613: A through line between New York and Boston, even being called the New York and Boston Railroad at first, and with its opening such a through line was formed. For some time such a traffic arrangement was made, lasting through the NYW&;P's absorption into the New York Central Railroad in 1894. The Poughkeepsie Bridge opened in 1888, providing a fixed crossing of the Hudson River at Poughkeepsie , north of

1044-502: A variety of sports programs, including football, soccer, basketball, and track and field. Wallingford is also home to three private schools: According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 39.9 square miles (103.3 km ), of which 39.0 square miles (101.1 km ) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.2 km ), or 2.16%, is water. The town of Wallingford sits astride

1160-485: A vibrant community that seamlessly blends its rich historical heritage with modern economic and industrial development. From its origins as a colonial settlement to its role in the fight for American independence, through the Industrial Revolution and into the 21st century, Wallingford is a testament to the enduring spirit of its residents and their ability to adapt and thrive through the ages. Wallingford

1276-474: A wide range of businesses, further diversifying Wallingford's tax base. The establishment of an Interchange Zone at the intersection of Interstate 91 and Route 68 facilitated the growth of office parks, research centers, and hotels, cementing Wallingford's role as a key economic center in the region. One of the most significant industrial presences in Wallingford during the late 20th and early 21st centuries

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1392-635: A willing buyer in the New Haven. The second acquisition was also a local system, the Meriden Electric Railroad in Meriden , which the New Haven bought on October 18, 1895, from its president. However, the next electric railway the New Haven gained control of was a long rural trolley line in eastern Connecticut. Sanderson & Porter, construction contractors, were building the People's Tramway between Danielson and Putnam , parallel to

1508-713: Is a town in New Haven County , Connecticut , United States , centrally located between New Haven and Hartford , and Boston and New York City . The town is part of the South Central Connecticut Planning Region and the New York Metropolitan Area . The population was 44,396 at the 2020 census . The community was named after Wallingford , in England. Wallingford, Connecticut, is deeply woven into

1624-399: Is home to approximately 44,446 residents. The racial makeup leans white (80.2%), with a notable Hispanic presence (11.6%) and smaller proportions of Asian (4.4%) and other groups. The median age sits at 44.3, indicating a blend of families and young professionals. Family households comprise 63% of the total, with 24% having children under their roof. Wallingford’s 2022 median household income

1740-591: Is in use by MBTA Franklin/Foxboro Line service, while the section from Forge Park to Milford remains in freight use. From Milford to Ashland is abandoned and being converted to the Upper Charles [Rail] Trail. A 1.4-mile (2.3 km) segment of the Upper Charles Trail completed in 2011 uses the right-of-way from I-495 to the Hopkinton line. In July 2020, the state awarded $ 50,000 for design of

1856-482: Is responsible for the generation, distribution, and maintenance of the town's electrical infrastructure, focusing on efficiency and reliability. The Wallingford Electric Division is overseen by the Public Utilities Commission of Wallingford, which manages its operations, finances, and strategic planning. The division's mission is to deliver cost-effective, dependable electric service while meeting

1972-593: Is served by the Wallingford Public School District, which includes several elementary schools, two middle schools (Dag Hammarskjold and James H. Moran), and two high schools (Mark T. Sheehan and Lyman Hall). The district offers a range of academic programs, including Advanced Placement courses, STEM education, and arts programs. Lyman Hall High School features a specialized agricultural science program. The district also provides special education services, English language learning programs, and

2088-765: Is used for freight service on the Connecticut Southern Railroad . Other portions in Connecticut and Rhode Island have been converted to rail trails . The corridor from Providence, Rhode Island , west into New York was originally chartered as three companies. The Providence and Plainfield Railroad, chartered in June 1846, would run from Providence to the Rhode Island–Connecticut state line. The Hartford and Providence Railroad, incorporated in May 1847, would continue west to Hartford, Connecticut , and

2204-648: The Boston and Providence Railroad 's branch at Dedham, Massachusetts , southwest to Walpole opened on April 23, 1849, and an extension to the Providence and Worcester Railroad in Blackstone opened May 16. The company went bankrupt soon after. The short Medway Branch Railroad was leased in 1851, opening December 29, 1852. On May 1, 1849, the Southbridge and Blackstone Railroad was incorporated to extend

2320-581: The Boston and Worcester Railroad at Ashland . The Providence and Worcester leased it until 1885. In 1884 the Milford and Woonsocket bought the Hopkinton, and the two ran as one. The Milford, Franklin and Providence Railroad was organized in 1868 and opened in 1883, extending the line southeast from Milford to Franklin . On April 1, 1897, the New England Railroad leased all three companies. A short section from Franklin to Forge Park/495

2436-797: The Branford Electric Railway Association to acquire, in 1947, a portion of the New Haven- Branford line that had been built on private right-of-way and create the Shore Line Trolley Museum . Effective November 16, 1936, while the New Haven was in reorganization, the Connecticut Company terminated its lease of the Connecticut Railway and Lighting Company . That company's final trolley lines, mainly in

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2552-543: The Charles River Railroad . It reached Woonsocket, Rhode Island , in 1863, and in 1891 the Woonsocket and Pascoag Railroad opened, continuing the line to the Providence and Springfield Railroad at Harrisville. In 1873 the NY&NE obtained the line to Woonsocket via a merger; on April 1, 1896, the New England Railroad leased the continuation past Woonsocket. The Providence and Springfield Railroad

2668-627: The International Silver Company , headquartered in the neighboring city of Meriden, which solidified the region's status as a global center for silver manufacturing. In the 19th century, Wallingford was also the birthplace of Moses Y. Beach , a prominent figure in American journalism. Born in 1800, Beach became the owner of the New York Sun and was known for pioneering the "penny press," making newspapers affordable to

2784-597: The New England Railroad before being leased to the competing New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad in 1898. Today, most of the original New York and New England lines have been abandoned. A segment in Massachusetts is now part of the MBTA 's Franklin/Foxboro Line providing commuter rail service to South Station in Boston , and another segment near East Hartford and Manchester, Connecticut ,

2900-873: The New Haven–Springfield Line , with daily passenger service to points north and south, providing direct access to New York City along with Boston via a connection in New Haven. It is served at Wallingford station by the CT Rail ( Connecticut Department of Transportation ) Hartford Line trains and by Amtrak 's Hartford Line , Northeast Regional , and Valley Flyer . Tweed New Haven Airport ( HVN ) in East Haven , Westchester County Airport in Westchester County , and Bradley International Airport ( BDL ) in Windsor Locks are

3016-526: The New York, Lake Erie and Western Railroad 's Newburg Branch at Newburgh . Part of the line in New York was built along the never-used grade from the failed Putnam and Dutchess Railroad . Also in 1881 the New York, Westchester and Putnam Railway was completed, running north and east from New York City to the NY&NE at Brewster . This company had been previously involved with the BH&;E in building

3132-1018: The Norwalk Transit District , and the Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority . Finally, the New London Division , which was leased to the Shore Line Electric Railway from 1913 to 1920, was not connected to the rest of the system except via that company's New Haven-New London line. Local lines in New London included several loops and radial lines south to Ocean Beach and northwest along Broad Street. A third line went north to Norwich , which had five more radial routes, one northwest to Yantic and another northeast to Taftville , where it split. One branch headed northwest through Willimantic to South Coventry , while

3248-617: The Panic of 1873 that 89 of the country's 364 railroads went bankrupt. The New York and New England Railroad Company was chartered by special act of the Massachusetts legislature on April 17, 1873. Such was the mess of the Boston Hartford & Erie's mortgages and land titles that the NY&NE did not enter into possession of any of the BH&E "system" until sometime in 1875. Alvin F. Harlow in Steelways of New England states that

3364-600: The Providence and Danielson Railway to Providence, Rhode Island ) and Central Village to Moosup . The New Haven used this new acquisition as an initial corporate shell for its electric subsidiaries, renaming it Consolidated Railway on May 18, 1904, and transferring the property of the Meriden Electric to it later that month and the stock of the Stamford Street Railroad to it in October. In

3480-421: The Providence and Worcester Railroad at Valley Falls . The New York and New England Railroad leased it in 1887. The Milford and Woonsocket Railroad was incorporated in 1855 and opened a line from Milford to Bellingham in 1868. It was leased by the Providence and Worcester Railroad until 1883. The Hopkinton Railway was organized in 1870 and opened in 1872, running from Milford north via Hopkinton to

3596-675: The Quinnipiac River in northern New Haven County , roughly 90 miles northeast of New York City. It is 5 miles (8 km) south of Meriden and about 13 miles (21 km) north of New Haven . Towns bordering Wallingford are Cheshire, Durham, Hamden, Meriden, Middlefield, North Branford and North Haven. Situated in the Hartford -New Haven- Springfield corridor, Wallingford is traversed by U.S. Route 5 , Interstate 91 , and State Highways Route 15 ( Wilbur Cross Parkway ), Route 68 , Route 71 and Route 150 . As of 2022, Wallingford

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3712-520: The Quinnipiac River , which is now the area known as Main Street. By May 12, 1670, the settlement had grown to include 126 residents living in temporary housing, and by 1675, 40 permanent homes had been constructed, signaling the town's early growth and stability. One of Wallingford’s early settlers was Thomas Yale , an influential figure in the New Haven Colony and an ancestor of Elihu Yale,

3828-567: The Thompson Tramway , which planned to connect the two segments, thus forming a continuous line between Danielson and Worcester, Massachusetts . Under the terms of this new agreement, the Thompson Tramway was renamed Worcester and Connecticut Eastern Railway on January 24, 1902, and later that year received the stocks of the three other companies, as well as the newly incorporated Danielson and Norwich Street Railway , which

3944-523: The Worcester and Norwich Railroad Company of Massachusetts when both state legislatures passed acts allowing the merger. Neither of these companies had built any railroad but the new one proceeded to build one from Norwich, Connecticut (later New London ) north to Worcester, Massachusetts , including the Taft Tunnel at Lisbon, CT. The Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad leased it in 1869, and

4060-583: The BH&E from Norwich (at the south end of the N&;W) to Boston. This was later replaced around 1891 with the Long Island and Eastern States Express , using the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad from Wilson Point to the BH&E (then the NY&NE) at Hawleyville (east of Danbury ). The New Haven, Middletown and Willimantic Railroad was leased in 1873, giving a line to New Haven . Later that year,

4176-454: The BH&E went bankrupt and was reorganized April 17 as the New York and New England Railroad; the N&W lease was kept but the NHM&;W lease was forfeited (prior to its opening August 12), becoming part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad system in 1879. Various sources note the Boston Hartford & Erie as failing and falling into receivership in 1870, yet it was during

4292-399: The Boston & Albany tried to buy controlling influence in the NY&NE and the New Haven had to buy a large position in NY&NE common. Both parties apparently wound up together buying more NY&NE common than actually existed; worse, the New Haven had had to pay high prices for near worthless shares. The most well-known and prestigious train of the New York & New England Railroad

4408-461: The Bridgeport, Derby, and Waterbury areas, but also including joint intercity operations with the Connecticut Company, were replaced with buses in 1937. The Connecticut Company itself left New Haven control in June 1964, after defaulting on federal flood loans , and was reorganized under the same name and sold by the United States for $ 3,225,000. The old corporation, which still owned a portion of

4524-540: The Connecticut Company was not an interurban , and many intercity trips required changes of cars along the way. Most trackage was in or alongside public roads. By 1920, the system comprised 601.742 miles (968.410 km) of first main track in eleven divisions. The New Haven Division included about fifteen local lines radiating from downtown New Haven . Intercity lines led east to East Haven and Stony Creek , north to Wallingford and Mount Carmel (towards Hartford and Waterbury ), west to Derby , and southwest along

4640-678: The Connecticut River to Portland , and north, partially over New Haven trackage, to Rocky Hill and the Hartford Division. Connecticut Transit Meriden has replaced the former division, but local bus service in Middletown is operated by Middletown Area Transit . In the Waterbury Division were about ten routes radiating from downtown Waterbury . These included intercity lines south to Beacon Falls and

4756-570: The Consolidated. The Columbia Traction Company , which owned no railway but valuable charter privileges relating to power generation, was acquired by the New Haven on June 24 and merged with the Connecticut Company on June 30, 1909. The property of subsidiaries formerly controlled by the Consolidated was also conveyed to the New Haven for operation by the Connecticut Company, including the Meriden, Southington and Compounce Tramway (June 29, 1907),

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4872-565: The Fair Haven and Westville Railroad prior to its acquisition in 1904, and the short South Manchester Light, Power and Tramway Company , similarly leased to the Hartford, Manchester and Rockville Tramway. The largest expansions of the system were made by electrifying various existing steam lines of the New Haven and running trolleys over them, providing connections in 1906 from Middletown west to Meriden and north to Cromwell , connecting at

4988-398: The Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad in 1863. It was a short branch from the main line at Vernon north and east to Rockville . The South Manchester Railroad was chartered in 1866 and opened and leased to the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad in 1869. It was a short branch from the main line at Manchester south to South Manchester . The Connecticut Central Railroad

5104-682: The Middletown Division. A single line crossed the Bulkeley Bridge into East Hartford , where lines radiated north to East Windsor Hill and another Hartford and Springfield Railway connection, east to Manchester and then northeast through Rockville to Stafford Springs , and south to South Glastonbury . Between East Hartford and Rockville, trolleys could follow public roads or use the New Haven's steam trackage. Connecticut Transit Hartford now operates buses on most of these routes. About halfway between New Haven and Hartford

5220-583: The N&W's capital stock. In 1881 the extension from Waterbury west to Hopewell Junction on the Newburgh, Dutchess and Connecticut Railroad opened. Along with trackage rights over the ND&;C southwest to Beacon , and a short line built by the NY&NE to the Hudson River at Beacon, this completed the main lines from Boston and Providence to the Hudson River, where a train ferry took cars to

5336-436: The NY&NE car float at Beacon. The Central New England and Western Railroad , which owned the bridge, chartered the Dutchess County Railroad in 1890 and completed it in 1892, providing a branch from the bridge to the NY&NE at Hopewell Junction . There was a December 31, 1883/January 1, 1884, receivership that got referred to at the time as the "Midnight Receivership" which featured the NY&NE officers trying to find

5452-412: The NY&NE did not get possession of the Hartford Providence & Fishkill line until 1877. Through its entire existence (1873–1895) the NY&NE was always bedeviled by uncertainty in its land titles. Symptomatic of this: the $ 20 million common stock of the NY&NE originated as the $ 20,000,000 principal amount of the "Berdell Bonds"; the chartering legislation said the NY&NE was to "succeed to

5568-445: The NY&NE happened on December 27, 1893, and the company was reorganized on August 26, 1895, as the New England Railroad; Stuart Daggett in Railroad Reorganization states the 1895 NY&NE reorganization featured a hefty 20% assessment on NY&NE common. The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad leased the company for 99 years from July 1, 1898, at 3% on the preferred (normal dividend) and common stock. The New England Railroad

5684-445: The NY&NE. The Massachusetts sale of NY&NE stock was part of a deliberate policy on the part of Massachusetts to get out of owning railroads; the sale of the Hoosac Tunnel line to the Fitchburg in 1887 was also done under this policy, a declared policy of Massachusetts Governor Andrew . The new NY&NE President in 1887 was Jabez A. Bostwick , a Standard Oil partner of John D. Rockefeller. Rockefeller's brother William sat on

5800-573: The New Haven Division, west to Woodbury , northwest to Watertown , north to Thomaston , and east to Cheshire and then south to the New Haven Division at Mount Carmel . Connecticut Transit Waterbury has taken over these local routes. The New Britain Division was between Meriden and Hartford, connecting with those divisions at Lazy Lane in Southington and at Newington . Six other radial lines were operated, one extending southeast to Berlin . Connecticut Transit New Britain now runs buses over most of these routes. The isolated Torrington Division

5916-400: The New Haven conveyed to the Connecticut Company almost all of the latter's operated trackage, with the exception of three short segments near the state lines: the former Suffield Street Railway from Suffield to Massachusetts (not connected to any other Connecticut lines), the portion of the former Worcester and Connecticut Eastern Railway from West Thompson to Massachusetts, and the portion of

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6032-461: The New Haven-controlled Boston and Maine Railroad , were, by decree of the District Court for the Southern District of New York , placed in the hands of voting trustees to separate them from the New Haven. The New Haven almost immediately sold its stock of the Boston and Maine, and its reorganization was completed in 1919. The Rhode Island Company was similarly reorganized into the United Electric Railways in 1921, losing its line into Connecticut in

6148-406: The New Haven-controlled Norwich and Worcester Railroad , and on September 18, 1899 the New Haven signed a contract with Sanderson & Porter to control the line. This agreement was modified on July 18, 1901, by which time Sanderson & Porter had gained control of the Worcester and Webster Street Railway and Webster and Dudley Street Railway in Massachusetts , and subscribed to the stock of

6264-426: The New York and Hartford Railroad, chartered and incorporated in May 1845, would continue to the New York and Harlem Railroad at Brewster, New York . In 1849, the two Connecticut companies merged to form the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad, with a modified charter to continue past Brewster to Fishkill, New York , on the Hudson River , and in 1851 the Rhode Island company was merged into it. Later that year

6380-399: The Norwich and Worcester line. The New Haven, Middletown and Willimantic Railroad opened and was leased to the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad in 1873. The BH&E went bankrupt later that year, as did the NHM&W in 1875. The NHM&W became part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad in 1879. The Rockville Railroad was incorporated in 1857 and opened and leased to

6496-466: The Southern Midland Railroad in 1863 without success. In May 1863, the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad was chartered to take over operations of the failed lines and continue the line west to Fishkill, New York , with a car float from there to the Erie Railroad at Newburgh . It quickly leased the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad from its trustees , giving it a line from Providence west to Waterbury . In September of that year it acquired

6612-435: The Stamford Street Railroad, control of which had been acquired in 1895, was conveyed to the Consolidated on September 26, 1905. The effect of these transactions was to give the New Haven control of a large system of electric railways in Connecticut and Massachusetts, many of them connecting with each other. In the meantime, the United Gas Improvement Company of Philadelphia had put together its own system, including most of

6728-446: The Torrington and Winchester Street Railway (June 29, 1907), the Farmington Street Railway (December 31, 1907), and the Stafford Springs Street Railway (June 30, 1908). This left the New Haven as owner of all the property operated by the Connecticut Company except for that owned by the Connecticut Railway and Lighting Company, as well as the portion of the coastal line in West Haven owned by the West Shore Railway , which had been leased to

6844-409: The Trolley Brook Trail, a 1 ⁄ 2 -mile (0.80 km) segment of rail trail on the right-of-way in Ashland. It will be the first segment of the 7 miles (11 km) of the trail in Ashland. The line eventually running from Brookline, Massachusetts , to Harrisville, Rhode Island , was originally built as a competitor to the NY&NE's Boston line. The first section opened in 1852 as part of

6960-452: The acquisition by the Consolidated Railway of control of the Waterbury and Pomperaug Valley Street Railway (Waterbury- Woodbury ) on April 20, 1907 and the Thomaston Tramway (Waterbury- Thomaston ) on May 29, 1907. Two days later, on May 31, the Consolidated was merged into the New Haven, and the Thomaston Tramway was renamed Connecticut Company , becoming the operator of all of the New Haven's electric railway properties formerly operated by

7076-403: The benefactor after whom Yale University is named. Thomas Yale was a signatory of the Wallingford plantation covenant in 1667, marking the formal establishment of the town. Wallingford’s historical significance extends to its involvement in key moments of colonial America. In 1697, the town became the site of New England's last witchcraft trial when Winifred Benham was accused of witchcraft. She

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7192-486: The board of the New Haven. With Rockefeller lieutenants in both camps one wonders whether the NY&NE-NYNH&H "rivalry" may have been a Standard Oil "Divide & Conquer" policy to get low rates and other benefits out of both roads who together controlled nearly all rail business in New England south of the Boston and Albany Railroad (running through Massachusetts from Boston to Worcester, to Springfield, Pittsfield and on to Albany, New York ). The final bankruptcy of

7308-414: The city. In addition to the two main lines to Boston and Providence , splitting at Willimantic , numerous branches and auxiliary lines existed. The original Boston line ended at Dedham with a connection to the Boston and Providence Railroad . In 1883 what had become a branch to Dedham was abandoned. Prior to that, a new branch just to the east had been built in 1881, and was supplemented in 1890 by

7424-405: The closest commercial airports to Wallingford. The Wallingford Electric Division (WED) is a municipally owned utility that provides electricity to the town. Established in 1899, WED is one of Connecticut's few municipal electric utilities, operating under the town's governance. It supplies electricity to residents and businesses, and is known for offering reliable service at competitive rates. WED

7540-405: The community. The 20th century marked a period of suburbanization for Wallingford, as the town transitioned from an industrial hub to a residential community while retaining its economic diversity. The post-World War II era saw significant growth in Wallingford’s population, driven by the suburban boom that reshaped much of America. New housing developments sprang up, attracting families looking for

7656-437: The danger of the numerous grade crossings . The new line ran to a terminal at the foot of Summer Street in downtown Boston via South Boston . The full line was first operated as one on June 1, 1855, but again failed quickly. On August 6 operations were restarted on only the original Dedham-Blackstone line, operated by the Boston and Providence Railroad as a branch. On March 2, 1857, the trustees took repossession , ending

7772-474: The eastern Connecticut lines of the Connecticut Company, mainly comprising the New London-West Thompson line, including the right to operate over the New Haven's steam line between Norwich and Central Village. In July 1914, the Attorney General of the United States filed suit against the New Haven, citing violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act in relation to its effective monopoly of steam and electric railways and water transportation in New England. Control of

7888-429: The electric railways in Massachusetts had already been transferred to the New England Investment and Security Company , a voluntary association created by the New Haven on June 25, 1906; the New Haven divested itself of this company in accordance with a May 1909 ruling of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts . The Connecticut Company and Rhode Island Company , each operating trolleys in their respective states, as well as

8004-404: The fabric of early American history, from its founding to its connection with some of the most influential figures of the colonial era. Established on October 10, 1667, by the Connecticut General Assembly , Wallingford was founded by a group of 38 planters and freemen, including notable figures such as John Moss, Samuel Street, and Robert Wallace. These early settlers chose a strategic location near

8120-427: The first section opened, from Hartford east to Willimantic . Extensions opened east to Providence in 1854 and west to Waterbury in 1855. The HP&F went bankrupt on January 1, 1858, and was run by the trustees until 1863, when it was leased by the newly formed Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad. At the Boston end, the earliest predecessor was the Norfolk County Railroad, chartered April 24, 1847. The line from

8236-471: The former Boston and New York Central Railroad, but did not operate it yet; the old Norfolk County Railroad continued operations by its trustees . In the meantime, the New York and Boston Railroad had built a line from Brookline, Massachusetts (outside Boston ) southwest to Woonsocket, Rhode Island , crossing the Norfolk County Railroad in Blackstone . On January 4, 1865, the BH&E absorbed that company, making its Woonsocket Division. On December 13 of

8352-546: The former Greenwich Tramway from the Mianus River to New York. Except for the latter line, which was leased to New Haven subsidiary New York and Stamford Railway , the New Haven took over operation of these pieces, renting equipment, power, and labor from their Massachusetts connections, the Springfield Street Railway and Worcester Consolidated Street Railway . The purpose of retaining these lines

8468-481: The general public. He is also credited for being a leading founder of the Associated Press . However, Wallingford was not immune to tragedy. On August 9, 1878, a devastating tornado struck the town, leaving a path of destruction and claiming the lives of at least 29, and possibly as many as 34, residents. This tornado remains the deadliest in Connecticut's history, and the disaster left a lasting impact on

8584-509: The key figures in this industry was Samuel Simpson , a local industrialist and philanthropist who played a pivotal role in Wallingford’s rise as a center of silver manufacturing. Simpson, Hall, Miller & Co., which he co-founded, became one of the leading producers of silverware in the country. Samuel Simpson’s contributions were instrumental in establishing Wallingford as a major hub for silver production. His company eventually became part of

8700-420: The latter point with a new rural trolley line to Hartford, and a link between Norwich and Central Village. In 1907 an alternate line between East Hartford and Rockville was added to these operations. The segment from Middletown via Westfield to Berlin was also electrified for use by the Connecticut Company, but was later operated exclusively by the New Haven using larger passenger cars . On February 28, 1910,

8816-541: The lease continued through the reorganizations. Connections were provided with the Providence line at Plainfield and the Boston line between Putnam and Mechanicsville . In 1886 the New England Railroad company renewed the lease that it acquired from the Boston, Hartford, and Erie. Until 1955 the line served as the basis for Boston-bypassing run-through train, the East Wind from New York to Bangor, Maine , via

8932-591: The line in Connecticut, including Danbury to Hawleyville and Waterbury to Bristol, were double-tracked in the late 1910s. This work included the construction of the Pequabuck Tunnel , which opened in 1910. Until 1955 the NY, NH & H ran passenger trains from Boston to Blackstone , to Putnam, joining the above line at Willimantic and continually finally to Waterbury. This included the weekday limited stops Nutmeg train. The last remnant of service on this line

9048-470: The line those between Dedham and Blackstone , see Norfolk County Railroad . Within the last 10 years, funds have been set aside for a rails to trails conversion. As January 2014, the easternmost segments spanning from Garfield Avenue/Cranston Street (near Amtrak's Northeast Corridor ), West Warwick (former Riverpoint/Hope Railway spur point) and Coventry have continuous pavement totaling to approximately 14.2 miles Wallingford, CT Wallingford

9164-452: The line west from Blackstone to Southbridge . The Midland Railroad was incorporated May 2, 1850, to build a new entrance to Boston, merging with the existing one south of Dedham. The two companies were consolidated with the Norfolk County Railroad on December 12, 1853, to form the Boston and New York Central Railroad, which had the intent of continuing southwest through Connecticut all the way to New York City. The first section of this extension

9280-582: The meantime, the New Haven bought control of the Fair Haven and Westville Railroad and conveyed its property to the Consolidated in late May. This company served the city of New Haven and surrounding areas, including intercity lines, in conjunction with the Connecticut Railway and Lighting Company , to Bridgeport (connecting at Woodmont ) and Derby , the latter completed in late 1903. The Stamford Street Railroad also, in late 1903, opened

9396-630: The mileage in Rhode Island and over one-quarter of the mileage in Connecticut, through subsidiaries Rhode Island Company and Connecticut Railway and Lighting Company . The latter owned the lines in the coastal towns between Stamford and West Haven , connecting with New Haven properties at both ends, as well as a rural line extending through the Naugatuck Valley from Stratford north to Seymour with local lines in Derby and vicinity. To

9512-690: The north, and for New London to the south. By 1869 the BH&E leased the Dutchess and Columbia Railroad , which was building a line roughly southwest-northeast in Dutchess County, New York . The BH&E planned to build west to the D&;C at the future Hopewell Junction , but was not able to complete the line and lost the lease in 1870. On September 9, 1872, the Long Island Rail Road 's Boston Express began operations, using

9628-644: The north, it controlled local and suburban lines in New Britain and Waterbury , connecting with the New Haven's lines at Newington and Mount Carmel . The Meriden, Southington and Compounce Tramway , also controlled by the United Gas Improvement Company, extended from the New Haven's local lines in Meriden to Lake Compounce , intersecting the ends of Waterbury and New Britain lines at Milldale and Southington . A continuous route between Stratford and Waterbury via Derby and Seymour

9744-676: The old Glastonbury line, was renamed East Hartford Freight Company , and continued to operate non-electric freight service on Main Street in East Hartford to Pratt & Whitney until 1967. In October 1972, the Connecticut Railway and Lighting Company, then operating buses in and near Bridgeport, Waterbury, and New Britain, ceased all service because of lack of money. The next month, Connecticut Company drivers and mechanics went on strike , and service, then concentrated on Stamford, New Haven, and Hartford, did not resume until

9860-603: The operation by the B&;P. The East Thompson Railroad leased the line, reopening it again in full for about a year before another failure. At that time, all but the original Dedham-Blackstone line and Medway Branch were closed until 1867. The closed lines were sold in November 1858 to the Midland Railroad, but were not operated due to bad condition. The Midland Land Damage Company tried again in 1862, changing its name to

9976-608: The other entered New Haven trackage from Taftville to Central Village . A short branch headed east from Central Village to Moosup , while the main line continued north on its own tracks to West Thompson , with a branch from Elmville to East Killingly and a connection there with the Rhode Island Company 's leased Providence and Danielson Railway . Where it exists, bus service here is now provided by Southeast Area Transit . New York and New England Railroad The New York and New England Railroad ( NY&NE )

10092-539: The process. But the New Haven was unable to find a purchaser for the Connecticut Company. Lucius Seymour Storrs , who had become vice president of the New Haven in 1912, took the presidency of the Connecticut Company in 1914 and remained there until his resignation in February 1925. The trusteeship was dissolved in December of that year, as judge Francis A. Winslow was convinced that there was little competition between

10208-708: The railroad in the 1840s, specifically the New Haven and Hartford Railroad (later part of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad ), further accelerated the town's growth. The railroad connected Wallingford to larger markets in the Northeast, facilitating the transport of goods, including the town's famous silver products, and spurring the development of new industries. Wallingford became particularly renowned for its silver production, with companies like Hall, Elton & Co., Simpson, Hall, Miller & Co ., and R. Wallace & Sons gaining national prominence. One of

10324-406: The receivers of the BH&E and the later management of the NY&NE continued to hold on to the BH&E's Norwich & Worcester lease which was a major part, if not the principal prop to the entire system's existence. The N&W and its related Norwich Line steamers (passenger and freight) made money, enough that the NY&NE could afford to pay 8% (reduced from 10% by negotiation ca. 1885) on

10440-482: The rights of the Berdell Bondholders". There was a 10% assessment levied on the Berdell Bondholders as part of the chartering legislation, which also appropriated the necessary monies for the state to pay its assessment on its $ 3 million of Berdell Bonds. For some reason $ 1,000 of Berdell bonds were never issued so for years the NY&NE had $ 19.999 million of common stock outstanding. Through all this

10556-460: The same year, various Erie Railway men were elected to the BH&E board, placing it under partial control of the Erie. On February 11, 1867, the BH&E leased the Norfolk County Railroad, finally reopening the full line from Mechanicsville to Boston . That same year, the branch to Southbridge (part of the original Southbridge and Blackstone charter) opened. The Norwich and Worcester Railroad

10672-417: The shore to Woodmont . Local lines connected Derby to Ansonia and Shelton , with intercity lines north to Beacon Falls (in the direction of Waterbury) and south towards Bridgeport . Bus service in the New Haven area is now operated by Connecticut Transit New Haven . The Hartford Division was the largest, with about twenty local radial lines from downtown Hartford and half as many intercity lines. On

10788-455: The state began subsidizing it in March 1973 with federal assistance. Finally, in May 1976, the state purchased the Connecticut Company's property and began operating buses as Connecticut Transit . The Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority now serves Bridgeport, but Waterbury and New Britain operations have been taken over by Connecticut Transit. Despite having a connected network between cities,

10904-459: The system's first major abandonment and replacement with intercity buses , on the portion of this division north of Norwich. Abandonments progressed steadily through the 1920s and 1930s, with only city and suburban lines remaining after 1937. The Hartford Division was completely converted to buses on July 26, 1941, but trolleys continued to run on the streets of New Haven until September 25, 1948. The delay in conversion caused by World War II allowed

11020-480: The two companies, in part because of the lack of interest by others in purchasing the trolley lines, and the Connecticut Company was placed back under New Haven control. During the trusteeship, the lease of the eastern Connecticut lines to the Shore Line Electric Railway was terminated on April 1, 1920. Just prior to the return to New Haven control, in early November 1925, the state authorized

11136-557: The west side of the Connecticut River , trolleys went north and northwest to Rainbow Park , connecting at Windsor with the Hartford and Springfield Railway to Springfield, Massachusetts . Other lines went northwest to Bloomfield , west to Unionville , southwest to Newington (connecting there with the New Britain Division), and south to Wethersfield and Rocky Hill , connecting at the latter point with

11252-404: Was $ 98,456, and the median family income was $ 120,823. The average household and family income was $ 115,652 and $ 139,258, respectively. Compared to the national average, Wallingford's median income is significantly higher, putting it in the top 25% of U.S. households. Top employers in Wallingford according to the town's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report: Wallingford is also located on

11368-405: Was a Hartford-Waterbury segment that ended in the 1960s. As time passed and sections were abandoned, the former NY&NE main lines became minor branches. In 1965, the city of Bristol, Connecticut , paid $ 15 million to build a new spur (partially using a segment of the pre- Pequabuck Tunnel mainline) to a new General Motors plant on Chippens Hill to convince the company to keep its operations in

11484-417: Was a railroad connecting southern New York State with Hartford, Connecticut ; Providence, Rhode Island ; and Boston, Massachusetts . It operated under that name from 1873 to 1893. Prior to 1873 it was known as the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad , which had been formed from several smaller railroads that dated back to 1846. After a bankruptcy in 1893, the NY&NE was reorganized and briefly operated as

11600-632: Was a single line between Torrington and Winsted , with a branch to Highland Lake . It was abandoned in 1929. Along the coast, near the New York state line, was the Stamford Division , with eight lines from downtown Stamford , two extending west and southwest into Greenwich and one east to the Noroton River . There the Norwalk Division began, extending through Darien to Norwalk , which had five radial lines coming off

11716-637: Was chartered in 1853 and opened in 1873 from Providence, Rhode Island , northwest to Pascoag . An extension to Douglas Junction on the NY&NE main line in Massachusetts opened in 1893, and the New England Railroad leased the line on July 1, 1896. The Southbridge Branch from East Thompson, Connecticut , to Southbridge, Massachusetts , was part of the original charter for the Southbridge and Blackstone Railroad , and opened in 1867, after it had been consolidated. The Pawtuxet Valley Railroad

11832-647: Was chartered in 1871, and its continuation in Massachusetts , the Springfield and New London Railroad , in 1874, to build a line from East Hartford to Springfield , with a branch to the Rockville Railroad at Westway . It opened in 1876 and was immediately leased by the Connecticut Valley Railroad , which gave up the lease to the New York and New England Railroad in 1880. The Meriden, Waterbury and Connecticut River Railroad

11948-489: Was completed by the Consolidated in late 1904, forming the final piece of a continuous electric railway route between New York City and Boston via Hartford , Springfield , and Worcester . During the next few years, the New Haven, through the Consolidated Railway, acquired control of and later the property of many electric railways throughout the state. In order, these acquisitions were: The property of

12064-446: Was completed in 1907 by lessor Naugatuck Valley Electric Railway . The New Haven came to an agreement with the United Gas Improvement Company on December 19, 1906, whereby the Consolidated Railway leased the property of the Connecticut Railway and Lighting Company, and acquired the stock of the Meriden, Southington and Compounce Tramway, Rhode Island Company, and various power companies operating in Connecticut. Expansion continued with

12180-612: Was formed in 1888 as a consolidation of two smaller companies, opening in 1885 and 1888. The New York and New England Railroad leased it in 1892, as a branch from the main line in Waterbury east to Cromwell on the Connecticut River . The company went bankrupt and was reorganized in 1898 as the Middletown, Meriden and Waterbury Railroad , and was immediately leased by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad . For stations between Boston and Readville , see Fairmount Line . For

12296-536: Was incorporated in May 1853 as the East Thompson Railroad, forming the Connecticut portion of the Southbridge and Blackstone. The extension from Blackstone southwest to Mechanicsville, Connecticut , on the Norwich and Worcester Railroad was completed in 1853. In January 1855 the new main line to Boston was opened, but was closed six months later until December 1856 because of an injunction due to

12412-555: Was leased in 1869, finally giving it a route to Boston, using the N&W from the Providence line at Plainfield north to the old Norfolk County Railroad at Mechanicsville. In August 1872 a direct connection from Willimantic on the line to Providence northeast to Mechanicsville opened, completing the direct line to Boston. The Willimantic stop also afforded a transfer to the New London Northern Railroad for Palmer, Massachusetts , and Brattleboro, Vermont , to

12528-524: Was long gone, Lucius Beebe , a Bostonian and noted railroad writer, felt compelled to memorialize it. Famed author Rudyard Kipling memorialized the train in a popular verse: Much of the major foundation of the line of the NY & NE was the legacy of the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad, whose mainline ran from Providence, Rhode Island, west to Plainfield, Connecticut, to Willimantic, to Vernon, to Hartford, to New Britain, to Waterbury, to Danbury, and finally to Brewster, NY. Several portions of

12644-619: Was merged into the New Haven in 1908. Many sources state that most of the NE stock had early on been acquired by the New Haven, probably bought in 1895 when NY&NE stockholders who did not want to forfeit their shares for non-assessment dumped their shares on the market. Baker in Formation of the New England Rail Systems claims there was a mini-Northern Pacific type corner in 1894 in NY&NE common when parties "Friendly" to

12760-419: Was organized in 1872 and opened and leased to the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad in 1874, running from the main line at River Point to Hope . The New York, Providence and Boston Railroad leased it in 1884 as a continuation of their Pontiac Branch Railroad . The Norwich and Worcester Railroad was an 1837 consolidation of the Boston, Norwich and New London Railroad Company of Connecticut and

12876-803: Was the Meriden Division , with seven radial lines in the city of Meriden . Extensions of these stretched south to Wallingford and a transfer to the New Haven Division, and west to Milldale and then north to Lake Compounce and the New Britain Division or south to Cheshire and the Waterbury Division. A third line east to Middletown over New Haven trackage was part of the Middletown Division , which comprised eight radial lines in and around that city, including service southwest to Middlefield , northeast over

12992-693: Was the New England Limited of 1891 , a crack Boston - New York passenger train. In 1891, the Pullman Palace Car Company refitted the train with luxurious new cars decorated in white and gold, inspiring the advertising department to call it the White Train and folks along the line to call it the Ghost Train as it sped through their towns after dark. It caught the romantic imagination of New Englanders and even after it

13108-500: Was the Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. The pharmaceutical giant established a research and development facility in Wallingford's MedWay Industrial Park, becoming the town's largest taxpayer and a key contributor to its economy. However, in 2017, Bristol-Myers Squibb relocated its operations, and the facility was subsequently demolished in 2018, marking the end of an era for the town. Today, Wallingford stands as

13224-502: Was to continue the line south to Norwich . The arrangement was completed on September 29, 1902, when the Worcester and Connecticut Eastern leased the two Massachusetts companies and acquired the property of the two Connecticut companies. Almost simultaneously the New Haven gained control of the line, which, after the completion of several segments in 1903, extended from Worcester south to Central Village , with branches in Connecticut from Elmville to East Killingly (where it connected with

13340-472: Was to keep the Connecticut Company an intrastate carrier, hopefully not subject to Interstate Commerce Commission jurisdiction. On June 13, 1913, the stock of the Connecticut Company was transferred from direct control by the New Haven to indirect control through subsidiary New England Navigation Company . Less than one month later, on July 7, the Shore Line Electric Railway , a rural trolley system operating between New Haven and Westerly, Rhode Island , leased

13456-555: Was tried three times in Wallingford but was acquitted on each occasion, marking the end of the witch trials in the region. This event reflects the lingering fears and superstitions of the era, even as the fervor of the Salem witch trials had begun to fade. The town also played a critical role in America’s fight for independence, with Lyman Hall being one of its most distinguished sons. Born in Wallingford in 1724, Lyman Hall went on to become

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