There can be no doubt that Willimantic’s growth, was due to its rapid development as a mill town. And throughout the 19^th century, a large percentage of the city’s activities were focused around the mills. But we mustn’t forget that Willimantic and the Windhams were also home to a large agricultural industry. The correlation between industry and agriculture was demonstrated clearly in 1879 as part of an editorial and a lecture. In February, 1879, the Honorable T.S. Gold, a trustee of the Connecticut Agricultural School and Secretary of the Connecticut State Board of Agriculture spoke to members of the Willimantic Farmer’s Club and other interested farmers. (Secretary Gold was well-known and well-liked by Connecticut’s farmers. He had spoken to farmers clubs throughout the state and the audiences, “heartily enjoyed the many sharp bits and humorous passages presented”.) The lecture presented to the local Farmers Club was open to all local manufacturers as well since it was felt that, in the Willimantic area, “the interests of both are so blended together, yet each business is separate.” In publicizing Secretary Gold’s upcoming lecture, The Chronicle published a lengthy editorial that spoke of how local agriculture and manufacturing have an effect on one another. The Linen Company was used as an example because at that time it employed a thousand people. The Company, “works eleven horses and one yoke of oxen, and their monthly pay roll amounts to about $25,000.” It was said that the mill owned 169 tenements, four factory buildings and a store. Yearly, the company bought from 20 to 25 hundred cords of birch from local farmers who received payment upon delivery. Another interesting statistic was that the company used 120 thousand pounds of cotton per month, and the cotton farmer also received his cash. And so the fact was demonstrated that the Linen Company could not operate without the farmer to raise cotton for thread and birch for spools? Nor could the farmer do without the manufacturer to purchase his cotton, wool, birch and other products? Since the Linen Company employed over a thousand workers it was said that they created a wonderful market for the farmers’ produce. “The Willimantic Linen company not only helps the farmer but the blacksmith and carpenter as well. There are eleven horses and two oxen to be kept shod, wagons to be kept in repair, which gives employment to our mechanics and they are enabled to buy provisions, wood and other items from the farmers.” The company’s store was also a source of income for local farmers since they could sell produce to the store and receive cash for the produce. The editorial concluded with a question. “When a corporation is doing so much for a community, cannot the farmer give his influence to sustain it? Remove this corporation from us and how our farms would depreciate in value. Add another mill and what farmer would not rejoice? We might ask the voters of Windham, ‘Have you unjustly taxed this Company? Have you encouraged them to enlarge their works’”? Another industry that had strong ties with local farmers was the silk industry. Mansfield and Willimantic were home to several large silk mills and all were dependent on local silk farmers. As early as 1768, William Hanks, of Mansfield, was cultivating a large vineyard and was preparing to offer product to the public. He had raised enough silk to make three women's gowns. Several farmers in Windham also have large nurseries, and others orchards of Mulberry trees, which have been cultivated to bring on a silk manufactory. The forward-looking Mr. Hanks also sold mulberry trees. His ad in a local paper read, “Mulberry trees to the number of three thousand to be sold at a reasonable rate by William Hanks, of Mansfield, Windham County; the greater part of said trees are three years old, and a great number of them an inch in diameter at the ground, and there are all sizes under an inch. The best time to set them is at the new moon in April. They will be sold cheap for the speedy promoting the culture of silk.” 
By 1825 the value of manufactured silk in Windham County was about $57,000 and it was estimated that three fourths of the families of Mansfield were engaged in raising silk, making annually from five to fifty pounds per family, and one or two made one hundred pounds, and in that town and vicinity was made three or four tons.” In Windham, especially in the silk industry, agriculture and industry went hand-in-hand.