THOMPSON
The territory which the Nipmuc Indians called "Quinnatisset", now included in
the town of Thompson, was settled in 1693. The first settler, Richard Evans of
Rehoboth, Massachusetts, purchased 200 acres in the vicinity of Quinnatisset
Hill. At first part of Killingly, Thompson was incorporated in 1785 as a
distinct town and derived its name from its principal landholder, Sir Robert
Thompson of Middlesex, England.
Many examples of early architecture can be seen preserved in the dwellings and
public buildings of Thompson. The Vernon Stiles Inn, established in 1814, was
a favorite stop for travelers along the Boston to Hartford and Providence to
Springfield "pikes".
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THOMPSON
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The Thompson Bank, incorporated in 1833, was moved in 1963 to Old Sturbridge
Village, where it stands as a monument to early mill town culture. The Old
Town Hall, dating from 1842, remains on the west side of the Common, and the
Congregational Church, completed in 1856, stands on the east side.
Ellen D. Larned (1825-1912), historian and author of the History of Windham
County, resided here on Thompson Hill. Ithiel Town (1784-1844), noted
architect, was also a native of Thompson.
Text transcribed from the cast town markers erected under Connecticut's town historical marker program in the 1970s and early 1980s. Presented as a historical record.