About Washington
The town of Washington, located in the lower part of Litchfield County, is in the southern foothills of the Berkshire Mountains. Colonists settled the land in 1734, and by 1746 they had established iron works and began mining iron ore. Named for George Washington, the town was founded in 1779 from parts of Woodbury, Litchfield, Kent, and New Milford. In the early 19th century, small mills and factories sprang up along the Shepaug River in what became known as " Factory Hollow'' in what is now Washington Depot. At the same time, small industries sprang up along the banks of the East Aspetuck River in New Preston. Today Washington is home to the Armory, a college preparatory school founded in 1850, and is a rural enclave with both permanent and seasonal residents.