[ryanthegoldengod]

I grew up in Ellington and currently live in West Hartford. One thing I remember being shocked by when I moved here was realizing WH has a town carnival but it's in June! This still seems almost wrong to me. East of the river they have fairs like the Fireman's Fair in Ellington, the Four Town Fair in Somers, the Hebron Fair, etc. Then of course there's The Big E in MA. These are all late summer/early fall and I think that's because fairs were traditionally agricultural events that roughly coincided with harvest time, showing off your livestock, etc. But in a place like West Hartford where there seems to be far less of an agricultural legacy, none of this matters much so why not have a fair in June?

But how did East of the river towns become so linked with farming anyway? It is simply because the land is more fertile?

[HumpDay]

The west side of the river was settled first because of Hartford and the west side of the river developed expanded faster when farming was big leaving the east side of the river to have more open land. Ellington and East Windsor are probably one of the last major farming communities in the Hartford area. South Windsor doesn't have many left because more residential properties have popped up within the past 25 years. You need to also remember that land on the east side of the river is typically more flat compared to the west side which is hillier. The only town that I can think of that has farms on the west side of the river is Suffield and Granby/East Granby.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by ryanthegoldengod

I grew up in Ellington and currently live in West Hartford. One thing I remember being shocked by when I moved here was realizing WH has a town carnival but it's in June! This still seems almost wrong to me. East of the river they have fairs like the Fireman's Fair in Ellington, the Four Town Fair in Somers, the Hebron Fair, etc. Then of course there's The Big E in MA. These are all late summer/early fall and I think that's because fairs were traditionally agricultural events that roughly coincided with harvest time, showing off your livestock, etc. But in a place like West Hartford where there seems to be far less of an agricultural legacy, none of this matters much so why not have a fair in June?

But how did East of the river towns become so linked with farming anyway? It is simply because the land is more fertile?

The towns west of the river developed earlier than those east of the river. That is because there were fewer river crossings back 70 years ago so as Hartfords suburbs grew, they grew west rather than east. This kept the eastern suburbs more rural so they kept their ties to farming. Up until the 90's there was hardly any shopping options available. Once Buckland got built up, living east of the river became more respected. It was actually as nice and easy as living west of the river.

I believe the reason West Hartford has a fair in June rather than the fall likely is because there are so many fairs in the fall it is hard to find a free weekend to have one. In June there is little competition. Jay

[FunkOdyssey]

To whatever extent this pattern exists, I think its because the west side of the river is more populated. There are farms in Windsor, Simsbury, and points west, and then Connecticut's largest agricultural fair is in Durham, on the west side of the river. The west side has a ton of farms as you move south. It really only holds in the immediate area around Hartford that there is more farming east than west.

[ryanthegoldengod]

Originally Posted by JayCT

The towns west of the river developed earlier than those east of the river. That is because there were fewer river crossings back 70 years ago so as Hartfords suburbs grew, they grew west rather than east. This kept the eastern suburbs more rural so they kept their ties to farming. Up until the 90's there was hardly any shopping options available. Once Buckland got built up, living east of the river became more respected. It was actually as nice and easy as living west of the river.

I believe the reason West Hartford has a fair in June rather than the fall likely is because there are so many fairs in the fall it is hard to find a free weekend to have one. In June there is little competition. Jay

I can remember pre and post Buckland and to be honest, I would say the difference had almost as much to do with perception as reality. Before Buckland you still had a (small) mall and a movie theater in Enfield. And not that much farther away, malls and restaurants in the Springfield area. I think it's just that Buckland was this shiny and new thing that seemed to match Westfarms. If anything, the east of the river may have started to surpass west of the river. Evergreen Walk went up and Blueback Square almost seems like it was built partially out of a need to play catch-up.

[RunD1987]

I associate Litchfield County with farming/cheese/wood working and Hartford County with Tobacco and New London County with fishing

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by ryanthegoldengod

I can remember pre and post Buckland and to be honest, I would say the difference had almost as much to do with perception as reality. Before Buckland you still had a (small) mall and a movie theater in Enfield. And not that much farther away, malls and restaurants in the Springfield area. I think it's just that Buckland was this shiny and new thing that seemed to match Westfarms. If anything, the east of the river may have started to surpass west of the river. Evergreen Walk went up and Blueback Square almost seems like it was built partially out of a need to play catch-up.

You are absolutely right it was perception. When I moved here 30 years ago people turned their noses up at towns east of the river. We had a secretary who warned me not to live there. Buckland really helped change people's attitudes. It was as nice or nicer than Westfarms. Certainly had a lot more shopping options. And Evergreen Walk made it equally upscale. Now I would say some towns rival Hartfords western suburbs. Jay

[Tomhpo]

Interesting. When we moved here the corporate relo team quizzed us on whether we would buy a summer home along the shore. If yes, then it was off to Glastonbury with us, if no, Farmington valley. And it turned out to be the case that people landed that way, once I poked around. The east side folks talk a lot about commute times to Boston and the coast as the 'driving reason' they live east.

For what it's worth, I don't see a huge difference now in quality of life east / west around Hartford. Great places everywhere.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by Tomhpo

Interesting. When we moved here the corporate relo team quizzed us on whether we would buy a summer home along the shore. If yes, then it was off to Glastonbury with us, if no, Farmington valley. And it turned out to be the case that people landed that way, once I poked around. The east side folks talk a lot about commute times to Boston and the coast as the 'driving reason' they live east.

For what it's worth, I don't see a huge difference now in quality of life east / west around Hartford. Great places everywhere.

Today there is not much of a difference. In fact in many towns east of the river are as desirable as those to the west. Glastonbury is one of the most desirable town in greater Hartford and it is east of the river. Tolland has been voted one of the best small towns in the country. South Windsor is great as are towns like Bolton, Hebron, Marlborough, Colchester, Ellington and many others. Years ago though this was different. A lot of these towns were small rural communities, offering little for families to consider. Like I said that changed over the past 30 years or so. Jay