Collinsville is a village within Canton, CT, and is nestled in the Farmington River valley. The Collinsville section of Canton is steeped in New England’s manufacturing history and has retained its architectural charm. The Collins Company, founded by two brothers and a cousin, was in operation for 140 years. In its prime in the mid-19th century, the Collins Company was a well-known brand; they were the largest edge-tool manufacturer in the world.

You may notice reminders of this manufacturing history in the millstones now used as garden ornaments around town. You can read more about Collinsville and Canton’s history and view then-and-now photos on the Canton Historical Museum website. They also have two scale model railroads on display, built over a former bowling alley. 

While the Collins Company closed its doors in 1966, the buildings and surrounding village endure. The village center maintains its quaint feel with a smattering of restaurants, galleries, and shops, but is just 5-10 minutes from many modern shopping options.

Located on the edge of the more rural Litchfield Hills, Collinsville/Canton is a great location for nature lovers, too:

• The Farmington River Trail runs through town – get your bike out!
• Enjoy hiking? Over 500 miles of trails to explore in Canton and nearby Burlington, and New Hartford
• The Farmington River is a popular fly fishing destination
• Kayakers also abound here (both stillwater and rapids). Check out Collinsville Canoe & Kayak for more information
• Ski Sundown is 15 minutes away
• The nearest ocean beaches are 1 hour away

Need access to a city? Connecticut’s capitol city of Hartford is just 30 minutes away. Boston and NYC are each 2 to 2 1/2 hours away.

Collinsville/Canton is a beautiful spot with the benefit of being accessible to all kinds of options. We hope to see you here.

Connecticut is a state with approximately 3.6 million residents.

Housing

While the U.S. is in the midst of a housing shortage and home prices are trending high, there are condominium/townhome options in the Canton, Farmington, New Hartford, or other surrounding communities that may prove affordable. Try Zillow or Realtor.com for current available housing options.

Education 

The Canton Public School District is highly rated and has about 1600 K-12 students with a student-teacher ratio of 13 to 1. Check out other surrounding school districts of Farmington, Avon, Burlington, and New Hartford here.

Trinity Nursery School is a non-profit, non-sectarian preschool that is an outreach program of Trinity Episcopal Church. It is housed in Trinity and has been in business for nearly 50 years. With accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), its staff are truly dedicated teachers with enviable longevity at the school. 

Farmington Continuing Education provides a wide array of courses available to all area residents. Offerings range from wellness, travel, and hobbies to more business-oriented pursuits. They also have GED and ESL resources.

There are many higher education facilities within commuting distance, including Central Connecticut State University, University of Connecticut (which has several campuses), University of Hartford, Trinity College, Hartford Seminary (which has recently been renamed the Hartford International University for Religion and Peace), University of St. Joseph, Wesleyan University, Yale University, and several community colleges.

Transportation

Canton has easy access to transportation. Bradley International Airport is 30 minutes away. Amtrack runs through both Hartford (for points south) and Springfield (for points east-west). 

CTtransit Hartford Division operates over 30 local and 12 express bus routes. Local routes operate 7 days a week, serving 26 towns in the Capital Region. 

Medical Needs

There are several major medical facilities within a half hour of Canton, including Bristol Hospital, Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, UConn Medical Center (a teaching hospital), Hartford Hospital, St. Francis Hospital, and the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. A few urgent care facilities are minutes away. Cherry Brook Nursing Home is located in Canton.

Several veterinary services are in the area, as well as a Veterinary Emergency Center.

Recreation and Additional Services

Canton Public Library is close to Trinity and is part of the Connecticut borrowIT system; using their hometown cards, non-residents may visit any public library and borrow ( in-person or by ordering online) any of the materials that participating libraries lend out. Returns may also be made at any library.  

Canton Parks and Recreation has plenty of offerings for kids and adults. Mills Pond Park has fields, an outdoor swimming pool, playground, skateboard park, and tennis courts.

The Canton Senior Center provides programming, trips, and services specific to seniors’ needs.

Favarh/The Arc provides services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout the Farmington Valley.

Collinsville is an art-minded community. Check out the Canton Arts Council for more information. The annual Collinsville Halloween Parade is a locally-famous event and has been organized by a group of local artists since 1994. 

The Collinsville Farmers Market runs on Sundays from June to October on Main Street in the Canton Town Hall parking lot. Meet local growers, bakers, and craftspeople. Occasionally enjoy live music.

Cherry Brook Garden Club is an active group of volunteers with beautification projects all over town. The Farmington River Trail, the Canton Public Library, and the town gazebo all benefit from their diligent caretaking.

The Northwest CT Arts Council created a webpage to acknowledge the Native American tribes who were living on this soil long before European settlers. The Mohican, Munsee Lanape, Paugussett, Pocumtuc, and Wappinger tribes inhabited the land of Northwest Connecticut. We embrace their continued connection to this region and thank them for allowing us to live, work, learn, and collaborate on their traditional homeland.