Life in Simsbury
Simsbury was incorporated as Connecticut's 21st town in May 1670.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 34.3 square miles (88.8 km2), of which 33.9 square miles (87.9 km2) is land and 0.39 square miles (1.0 km2), or 1.09%, is water.[1]
Simsbury lies in the northern end of the Farmington Valley. The east side of Simsbury is flanked by Talcott Mountain, part of the Metacomet Ridge, a mountainous trap rock ridgeline that stretches from Long Island Sound to nearly the Vermont border. Notable features of the Metacomet Ridge in Simsbury include Heublein Tower, Talcott Mountain State Park, Penwood State Park, and the Tariffville Gorge of the Farmington River. The 51-mile-long (82 km) Metacomet Trail traverses the ridge. At the western foot of the mountain, near the Farmington River, grows the Pinchot Sycamore, the largest tree in Connecticut.
The town is often considered a bedroom community for the nearby city of Hartford, Connecticut, a 20 to 25 minute drive from Simsbury Center, however many residents also commute to other towns and cities within the west-central Connecticut region.
LANDMARKS
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The Ethel Walker School, Master's School, St. Mary's School, and Westminster School are private schools in Simsbury.
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The International Skating Center of Connecticut
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Three of the four state parks in Hartford County, Penwood State Park, Stratton Brook State Park, and Talcott Mountain State Park, are in town.
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Simsbury Airport is a public use airport located in Simsbury and East Granby.
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Ensign-Bickford Industries, founded in Simsbury in 1836, is still headquartered in town.
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The Pinchot Sycamore, an American sycamore located in town, is the largest tree in Connecticut. According to a measurement made in 1998, the tree was 26 feet (7.9 m) around and 95 feet (29 m) tall, with an average canopy diameter of 140 feet (43 m).
