Southington has a population over 38,000 with a town
manager/town council form of government. There are 12 public and
3 private schools, over 20 places of worship, 2 museums, a
hospital, a library, 4 fire stations, and a multiplex cinema. Apples and apple orchards are a trademark of
Southington. The Apple Harvest Festival draws nearly 300,000
people each year during the first two weekends in October. The
American Bus Association has recognized the Festival as one of
its Top 100 events in the US and Canada. For information on this year's festival, visit http://www.appleharvestfestival.com/.
Lake Compounce -
Kennywood Entertainment Company has transformed Lake Compounce, America's First Family Theme Park, into a unique
regional family theme park. The rejuvenated park blends Southington's natural beauty and rich heritage with traditional and contemporary rides, live shows and attractions. Boulder Dash, the park's newest rollercoaster, follows the cliff-side and is the longest and fastest wooden coaster on the East Coast. 
Lake Compounce also boasts Splash Harbor, Connecticut's only water park, Brave Thunder Rapids, featured on the Discovery Channel's "Extreme Rides," and a vintage 1911 Carousel. In the fall, Lake Compounce sponsors a special Halloween Haunted Graveyard. Lake Compounce has also hosted the regional finals of ESPN Sport's X-Games.
Barnes Museum
The most
fascinating historical site in Southington is the Bradley Barnes
Museum at 85 Main Street. Formerly known as the "Bradley
Homestead", the house was built in 1836 by Amon Bradley when
he married Sylvia Barnes. The family remodeled the house in 1909.
The house remained in the family until 1973, when Bradley Barnes,
Amon's grandson, donated the house and its contents to the Town
of Southington.
A visit to the museum is like General Electric's Carousel of
Progress at the 1964 New York World's Fair . Over the years, the
Bradley's collected an amazing display of antique objects dating
back to the mid-1800's. Through the many references in the family
diaries, the date and original prices of many of the objects are
precisely documented. Gorgeous furnishings, many antique toys and
radios, a pristine Steinway player piano, and a huge glass goblet
collection are just a few of the delightful attractions found in
this lovely museum.
The Museum is open for tours throughout the year. Admission is
$2 for adults and $1 for children. Hours:
Monday-Wednesday and Friday 9 am to 5 pm. Thursday 11 am to 7 pm, Saturday 1 pm to 5 pm (No Saturday tours in the Summer). 860-628-5426.
Southington lies
between two prominent north-south ridges to the east and west.
Rock climbing is common on the eastern ridge, which comprises
Meriden Mountain, Short Mountain, and Ragged Mountain. Castle Craig is a beautiful structure at the top of this ridge and is accessible from Hubbard Park in Meriden.
The Traprock Ridge
Recovery Strategy has more information on the preservation of this area. The Ragged Mountain Foundation web site contains a great deal of useful information on climbing and hiking on Ragged Mountain.
The western ridge is the site of one of the rarest rock formations in the world, the Great Unconformity,
an unusual contact and folding of metamorphic and sedimentary
rock. Mount Southington Ski Area is located at the southern end
of the western ridge. Briarwood College, offering the state's only mortician's
program, and the scenic Pine Valley Golf Course are located near
the northern end of the western ridge.
Historical Society
It
was Sylvia Bradley's daughter-in-law, Mrs. Julia Bradley, who was the founder and main benefactor for Bradley Memorial Hospital, which opened in 1938. The Sylvia Bradley Memorial, next to the Hospital, was formerly the town library. Today, it is the Southington Historical Center, home to the Southington Historical
Society. The Society holds open houses numerous times throughout the year. For more information, please call 860-621-4811, or send e-mail to southingtonheritage@yahoo.com.
Other historical sites in Southington include the Rochambeau
Monument on Marion Avenue, marking the site of Count Rochambeau's
encampment in 1781 during the Revolutionary War, and the South
End and West Street one-room schoolhouses.
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Last Changed: 4/2/2005