Kensington in Berlin in Capitol Region, Connecticut — The American Northeast (New England)
Berlin
Photographed by Michael Herrick, August 6, 2011
1. Berlin Marker
Inscription.
Berlin
This land, granted to settlers in 1661 and 1668 by the General Court of Connecticut, was also purchased from the local Mattabesett Indian tribe. Founders of the community include Sergeant Richard Beckley, who came north on the trail from New Haven before 1660 and built a home in the northeast section; Jonathan Gilbert, owner of a tract of land along the Hartford-New Haven path; and Captain Richard Seymour, who led a group of families from Farmington in 1686 to begin the settlement at Christian Lane. The area was named the Great Swamp Society in 1705, when it was granted a distinct ecclesiastical unit. Portions of Farmington, Wethersfield, and Middletown were included in the reorganization of 1722, when the name became Kensington. The Worthington Society was later separated from Kensington, but in 1785 all parts were incorporated as the Town of Berlin, including Worthington, Kensington, East Berlin and New Britain. Known as the "Town at the Crossroads" Berlin is the geographic center of Connecticut.
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Here in the birthplace of the Yankee Pedlar, the Pattison brothers started the tin industry in 1740, when
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they began manufacturing and selling tin pots and pans. Simeon North, official pistol maker for the United States Government, developed a system of standard interchangeable parts here in his shop c. 1800. Other citizens who brought fame to Berlin include: Emma Hart Willard, educator; Robert Brandegee, artist-poet; Elisha Cheney, clock maker; James Gates Percival, poet-geologist; and General Selah Hart, regimental and brigade commander in the American Revolutionary War. The period from 1850 to 1900 saw the New Britain section grow from a farming village to a thriving industrial center after its separation from Berlin in 1850. Some factories still operated in Berlin, however, and the brick industry flourished well into the 20th century because of the excellent quality of the local clay. The Berlin area has long been a major stop on the main routes of travel, from Indian paths, to superhighways.
Erected by the Town of Berlin
The Berlin Historical Society
And the Connecticut Historical Commission
1982
Erected 1982 by the Town of Berlin, The Berlin Historical Society, the Connecticut Historical Commission.
Topics. This
Photographed by Michael Herrick, August 6, 2011
2. Berlin Marker
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historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1661.
Location. 41° 38.015′ N, 72° 46.125′ W. Marker is in Berlin in Capitol Region, Connecticut. It is in Kensington. It is at the intersection of Kensington Road and Main Street, on the left when traveling north on Kensington Road. Located in Deming Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Berlin CT 06037, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Connecticut River Valley, in Greater Hartford, and in the Knowledge Corridor. It is also in the American Northeast and in New England. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Hartford County and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 19, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 12, 2011, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 1,746 times since then and 58 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 12, 2011, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.
