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\Windsorville Connecticut formerly known as Ketch Mills, is a village located in the southeast corner of the town of East Windsor, in Hartford County, Connecticut. To the north is the village of Melrose, to the northwest is the village of Broad Brook, and to the west is the village of Scantic. Windsorville also borders the town of Ellington to the east, and the town of South Windsor to the south. According to U.S. postal records, the first post office in Ketch mills was established in 1825 with Thomas Potwine becoming the first postmaster 12/21/1827. U.S. postal records also show that the name was changed to Windsorville 08/08/1849. Prior to 1768, East Windsor was part of Windsor and was referred to as “Windsor east of the great river”, “Scantic Parish” or “Windsor Farmes”. Ketch Brook starts in Ellington and runs through the center of Windsorville where a dam across the brook forms the Windsorville Pond. Ketch Brook then continues to the southwest where it empties into the Scantic River. Ketch Brook was originally called Catch Brook. It is shown by that name as late as 1855 on a map by H. & C.T. Smith. The Catch Brook had large grassy areas along its banks. Some historians felt that it was a common practice for the locals to gather the grass on a “catch as catch can” basis which means “using any available means or method” and that this gave the brook its name. Catch Brook eventually became Ketch Brook. One possible reason for this may be that Catch sounded more like Ketch given the Connecticut Yankee dialect of the day. The earliest maps found after 1855 were a collection by Baker & Tilden in 1869. These show the name to be Ketch Brook.

Mills: Several mills harnessed the power of Ketch Brook. The first mill on record was built in February 1687 when Samuel Grant Senior and Nathaniel Bissell “set up” a saw mill. By 1800 there was both a saw mill, and a grist mill. At some point the area became known as Ketch Mills. An 1869 map shows a woolen mill close to the dam and a grist mill further down stream but does not show the saw mill. Between these two mills. It appears to show a second dam that is next a third mill, but there is no name attached to this third mill. There is little left of these mills today, just a few stones from the foundations.

Public Safety: Fire protection is provided by the Broad Brook Volunteer Fire department since 1896. Ambulance service has been provided by the East Windsor Ambulance Association since 1978. Prior to that Mr. Walker ran the Skylark Ambulance that was based on East Road in Windsorville. Also, during World War II, the air raid warden, Floyd Cotton drove a station wagon that was designated as an emergency ambulance. Police services have been provided by the East Windsor Police department since 1973. Previously police services were provided by a resident state police trooper and local citizens who were elected to serve as a constabulary.

Churches: The Windsorville United Methodist Church was built in 1829 at Thrall and Clark roads, and then moved to Windsorville Road in 1858. In 1876 the church was destroyed by fire and rebuild in 1878.

Parks: Pierce Park is located next to and east of the United Methodist Church and is dedicated in the memory Lt. Bernard L. Pierce, who was killed in Vietnam in 1969. Prior to 1969 it was simply called the Windsorville Park.

Cemeteries: The Windsorville Cemetery is located next to and west of the United Methodist Church and dates back to the 1800’s. In 2001, a section of the cemetery was set aside for East Windsor’s veterans and is dedicated “In recognition of those dedicated to the service of our country.”

Post Office: The Windsorville post office officially began in 1827. During the early years, the post office was in the general store. In the 1950’s it moved to its final location at 188 Windsorville Rd. After the Windsorville post office closed in 1983, residents were serviced by the Broad Brook post office.

Post Masters: Businesses: Those who grew up in Windsorville in the second half of the 20th century may recall the Windsorville general store and gas station run by the Szymanski family, Reeves general store run by the Crockett family, Molly’s luncheonette run by Molly Pearl, Floyd Cotton ran Cotton’s Electric shop from 1947 through the mid 1950’s, Boutin & Sons Construction Co. (a paving company which is still going strong), and The Corn Crib restaurant and the Kidd-E-Vill Pony Ring both run by William J. Sansom. Kidd-E-Vill was a major source of enjoyment for kids for 25 years from 1957 to 1982.

Hartford Toner & Cartridge is now where the Windsorville general store was, Fast Pak Packaging Service is now near to where the Reeves general store was.

Andre Charbonneau & Sons runs a gravel pit south of Apothecaries Hall Road near the junction with Windsorville Rd. Boutin & Sons Construction Co., which is known for paving, is also on Windsorville Rd.

Farms: The largest farm in Windsorville is Mulnite Farms. Famous for tobacco, Mulnite Farms also grows nursery products such as trees and shrubs. Several small farms provide fruit and vegetables such as the Gilson Farm. There were also dairy farms including one owned by William O’Donnell who delivered milk throughout the area. O’Donnell also grew tobacco and raised chickens and other poultry.

In addition to poultry, the Norton farm was famous for sod production. It is somewhat ironic that an area known for gathering of grasses in ancient times became known for sod production in the 20th century.

The Joyner farm, run by Everett and Maud Joyner and later by Carlton A. “Darby” and Therese Joyner grew potatoes.

Dinosaurs: The earliest discovery and collection of dinosaur remains in North America occurred in 1818 during the blasting of a well. Fossilized bone fragments were discovered by Solomon Ellsworth, Jr, near the intersection of Rye Street and Plantation Road. Sources: Name:	East Windsor Heritage: Two Hundred Years of Church & Community History 1752-1952 Author:	George Stephen Potwin Date Published:	1952 Publisher:	First Congregational Church of East Windsor Name:	East Windsor Through the Years Author:	Michael C. DeVito Date Published:	1968 Publisher:	East Windsor Historical Society Name:	The History and Genealogies of Ancient Windsor Author:	Henry Reed Stiles, MD Date Published:	1891 Publisher:	Case, Lockwood and Co. Name:	The History Of Ancient Windsor, Connecticut: Including East Windsor, South Windsor, And Ellington, Prior To 1768 ... Author:	Henry Reed Stiles, MD Date Published:	1859 Publisher:	Munsell & Rowland

Name:	The Memorial History Of Hartford County, Connecticut, 1633-1884 Volume 2 - Town Histories Author:	J. Hammond Trumbull Date Published:	1886 Publisher:	E. L. Osgood Name:	Windsor Farmes, (A Glimpse of an Old Parish) Author:	John Alden Stoughton Date Published:	1883 Publisher:	Clark and Smith Book Printers