PLACES TO VISIT

The Hilliard Mills have been on the Connecticut register of historic places since 1989. At 642 Hilliard Street, the mills sit at the confluence of Bigelow Brook and the Hockanum River.

Established in 1780, the woolen mills produced blankets for soldiers in the War of 1812. The mills kept weaving until the mid 1930s, and the buildings later housed Pratt & Whitney operations, Tober Baseball manufacturing, and Bezzini�s Old Colony Furniture.

Today the mills are being renovated and already house offices and a catering firm, with more space being prepared for adaptive re-use.

An article on the history of Hilliardville, for which the Mills were the central feature, can be found in the "Reprints" section of this web site, at "Hilliardville, Then and Now".

To access the Hilliard Mills web site for a detailed history of the mills and the current state of their restoration and current tenants, please click: Hilliard Mills.

Directions to the Hilliard Mills:
From Hartford: eastbound on I-84, take exit 60, U.S. route 6 and 44, toward Manchester. Right at end of long exit ramp. In 0.3 miles, slight left onto Middle Turnpike West, through light, and straight onto New State Road. In about 0.3 miles, right onto Hilliard Street, and in 0.2 mile, Hilliard Mills at 642 Hilliard Street will be on the right.

From Boston: westbound on I-84, take exit 62, toward Buckland Street. Right at end of long exit ramp onto Pleasant Valley Road, then right onto Buckland Street. Proceed 0.7 miles on Buckland Street, straight through lights at intersection (now Adams Street), and go 0.8 miles. Turn right onto Hilliard Street. Hilliard Mills at 642 Hilliard Street will be on the left.