Winchester Center,
Connecticut 06094
Owned & Operated By The
Connecticut State Grange
About the Area …
The small village of Winchester Center, with its elm-shaded Green, lies about 4 miles southwest of Winsted, both located within the town of Winchester in Connecticut. The Town of Winchester/City of Winsted is nestled in the mountains of Litchfield County and is noted as the Gateway to the Berkshire Mountains. Winchester, with 32 square miles and a population of 11,500, claims a wonderful quality of life with beautiful lakes, fishing, boating, fresh water springs and more.
Winsted is the downtown city area within the Town of Winchester, at the point where the region’s major transportation corridor, Route 8, intersects with Route 44. The Town is noted for its beautiful ecclesiastical, Victorian, neo-classical, Greek Revival, Queen Anne and Colonial Revival architecture, as well as for one of the State’s largest lakes, Highland Lake. Highland Lake is a resort lake over three miles in length and 444 acres in area. It is enjoyed for its swimming, fishing, boating and water skiing.
Northwestern Connecticut Community-Technical College is located in downtown Winsted. This two-year State College has a full-time equivalent enrollment of approximately 2,500 students. Degree programs in liberal arts, science, business and technical areas are offered. The college is nationally recognized for its special assistance program for the deaf and hearing impaired.
Northwest of the village of Winchester Center, on the Norfolk Road, is Lake Winchester. To the southwest, we find Owleout Hill, best reached from Rt. 49, with a fine view and the remains of an Indian lookout. Chief Owleout was buried here. Going south on Rt. 49, and taking Hall Meadow Rd. in the southwest corner of the town, an old chimney marks the home of the first settler, Caleb Beach, in 1750.
The name was taken from Winchester in England. The region was remote, and the first settler did not arrive until 1750; town privileges were granted in 1771. Winchester is a broken hill country, the elevations ranging from 700 to over 1500 feet. It is in the Greenwoods section of the State, with abundant hemlock and pine. The town is noted for its laurel display, and an annual Laurel Festival is held each June.
Today, the area of Winchester Center has a Congregational Church, a Grange Hall, the Historical Association Museum, a rural Post Office, and a Volunteer Fire Department, as well as numerous summer camps, such as Camp Berger.
