Milton Center Historic District
Description and history
The village of Milton was settled around 1740, and was first known as West Farms. David Welch, one of the early arrivals, built a house in about 1756 that still stands near the eastern end of the village. He was a merchant who also processed iron on his property. Other early residents dammed the branches of the Shepaug River to operate sawmills, gristmills, and other water-powered industry. The small settlement was formally granted parish status by the town in 1768, and its first church was built in 1791. The village flourished until the mid-19th century, after which it declined, bypassed by the railroads and technological advances reducing dependence on water power.
The historic district is basically linear, extending east-west along Milton Road, from the cemetery in the west to the junction of Shearshop Road in the east. The focal point is at this eastern junction, where there is a triangular green and the Trinity Church. The 1791 Congregational Church is a short way to the west. Other notable buildings in the district include the Milton Academy and a Milton District School. Two bridges cross over the East branch of the Shepaug River, and there are archaeological remnants of the water-powered industries. The district is embedded in a larger locally designated district that encompasses 150 buildings.
Notable person
- Amy Archer-Gilligan, serial killer