There can be no doubt that Willimantic’s growth,
beginning in the first quarter of the 19th century, was due
to its rapid development as a mill town. And throughout the 19th
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.
An 1883 directory shows 36 farmers living in Willimantic and 90 more
living in the Windhams. There were also several large farms just over
the city line in Mansfield, especially the area known as “Pleasant
Valley”. A good number of the farmers from Pleasant Valley area and from
Willimantic formed a group called “The Willimantic Farmers’ Club”. It
began after Warren Atwood, a Willimantic farmer, posted an
article that appeared in the Willimantic Journal calling upon the
farmers to meet in the Franklin building on February 7,1877. Only a few
people attended but among them was. W.H. Yeomans. He and Atwood decided
to appoint a committee, “to stir up the farmers to the importance of
organizing a farmers’ club. This committee was energetic and quite
thorough, and the next meeting was assisted by the officers of
Willimantic’s “The Good Samaritan Society”, Attorney Wolcott Hamlin
taking quite an active part.” (We should note that, in those years, the
purpose of the Good Samaritan Society was “to help the habitual drinker
and encourage him in every way to reform”.) The meeting was held at the
residence of Mr. N.P. Perkins and the subject "Milk and its production"
was discussed and a committee of three was appointed to draft a
constitution for the club and report at the next meeting. The
consitution drafted by the committee was adopted on February 28th and
Willimantic farmer and cannery owner Joseph Lewis was chosen president,
Warren Atwood secretary and treasurer. The club held fifteen meetings in
its first year during which matters pertaining to crops and farming were
discussed. For example, one of the monthly notices in The Chronicle
read, “All members of the
Willimantic Farmers' club are requested by the president, V.D. Stearns,
to meet at his residence on Friday evening Aug. 22, for the purpose of
an evening's chat on the prospects of this season's crops”. In 1877, the
club held a two-day agricultural and art fair (we’ll talk about this in
more detail later on) which was a success as almost every member gave a
helping hand. The Methodist societies of Willimantic and Coventry were
very kind in loaning their tents to the club to hold their fair in as
the club had no buildings at that time for such a purpose. Dr. George
Hamlin let the Farmers’ Club use Driving Park which was located in
Pleasant Valley. In 1878, the Club met nineteen times and included
lectures and what were known as “field meetings” at the farms of
Augustus Storrs' and Capt. Shepard Stearns' of Chestnut Hill. It
was said that, “(N)early every subject that comes before the farmer has
been discussed in all its phases and much information elicited thereby”.
The Farmers’ Club then developed
an area that became known as “Pleasant Valley Park”. This area became
popular for many different social gatherings and it was here that what
was later to become known as “The Willimantic Fair” came into being. At
their monthly meetings in 1877, the Farmers’ Club members had decided to
host an “exhibition” at the Park. And so, in October, a several day
event was held and between 600 and 1,000 people attended every day. The
farmers were said to be “gratified” by their first attempt at a fair.
The Chronicle reported that “(T)here was a good display of the usual
articles seen at a county fair…The display of cattle was large and
excellent. Exhibitors and attendees came in good numbers from Coventry
and Columbia as well. An article in The Hartford Courant several days
later listed over a hundred categories of exhibits and prizes. In just a
few years, the Fair grew in size and popularity. So did the membership
of the Farmers’ Club. In 1878 the club erected a 30 by 72 foot,
two-story, well lighted and convenient. The building cost over $700, and
was paid for and insured by the club. It was set, ““on land owned by Mr.
L.L. Jacobs, near the grove of pines and recently leased by Dr. Hamlin.”
It was meant to be “a nice place for picnics or grove meetings of
any kind.” The club was meeting with success in all its ventures.
(go to part 2)
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