History of Wallingford, Connecticut, USA

Wallingford, a pleasant post township, is situated in the northeastern section of the county, 23 miles southwest from Hartford, and 13 northeast from New-Haven; bounded on the north by Meriden, on the east by Middletown and Durham, in the county of Middlesex, on the south by Branford and North-Haven, and on the west by Cheshire. Its mean length, from east to west, is nearly 7 miles, and its mean breath nearly 6 miles, comprising an area of about 39 square miles...

Wallingford, Connecticut
New Haven county. "Wallingford is bounded N. by Meriden, W. by Cheshire, E. by Durham and Middletown, and S. by North Bradford and North Haven. Its length from east to west is nearly 7 miles, and its breadth about 6. The central part of Wallingford is 13 miles N. from New Haven, 23 S. from Hartford, and between 11 and 12 miles S.W. from Middletown. The prevailing surface is pleasantly diversified with moderate hills and dales; the eastern extremity of the township is mountainous. The soil is generally excellent, excepting a tract called Wallingford plain, consisting of coarse sand, situated on the eastern bank of the Quinnipiac. It is nearly 4 miles in length and about 3/ 4 of a mile in breadth. It is the most extensive tract of level land in the state, and one of the most sterile and barren. The town is watered by the Quinnipiac, a valuable mill stream, which passes through the extent of the town, upon which are several mills and manufactories. Yaleville is a ...

On Monday, Aug. 7, 1839, a tornado passed over a point not far from the line of the Wallingford storm. Its direction was such that it did not strike places where human habitations existed, though it was a fearful tempest. Mr. James Bolter of this city visited the spot at the time, and Prof. Brocklesby, of Trinity College, who was then in New Haven, has a distinct recollection of the storm. The Courant of the time says an immense quantity of rain fell. It was be observed that the three tornadoes of 1787, 1839, and the one in Wallingford, occurred in August.

NEW-HAVEN, Tuesday, Dec. 27. The Button Factory of the Pomeroy Manufacturing Company at Wallingford, about 12 miles from this city, took fire early this morning, and was destroyed, together with its contents. The loss was over $5,000, most of which is covered by insurance.

Wallingford, a post-village of New Haven county, Connecticut, on the Hartford and New Haven railroad, 11 miles N. by E. from New Haven. It has a beautiful situation on elevated ground, with broad, straight streets, finely shaded. It contains 4 churches, several stores, and a flourishing school. Manufactures have recently been introduced, and are now in a very thriving condition. Population of the township, 2595.

MERIDEN, Conn., May 30. - The large three-story frame factory of the Wallingford Wheel Company in Wallingford, Conn., was struck by lightning during a heavy thunderstorm at 3 o'clock this morning and totally destroyed by fire. The entire Fire Department was promptly on hand, but owing to the breaking of a hose its work availed but little. The company was turning out about 100 sets of wheels per day, as this is the busy season and had a large amount of stock on hand. The loss will reach $60,000, with $23,000 insurance.

The company employed 300 hands, and will rebuild again.

During the last of July and the first of August, 1878, showers with thunder and lightning occurred almost daily, and on some of the days there were several disastrous ones. For two or three weeks there seemed to be more and greater thunder showers than the people of New England had ever experienced. Wind blowing with the force of a tornado frequently accompanied the, especially those that occurred on the eight and ninth of August.

On the afternoon of Friday, the ninth, in all sections of the three southern New England stated there was great destruction of property by lightning, and several persons were killed by it. Rain fell in great quantities, falling in Boston to the greatest depth ever known, and in several places wind was very disastrous. The tornado that occurred at Wallingford, Conn., was the most terrific and resulted in the greatest destruction of life and property that was ever caused in New England by such means.

Rain began to fall at about six o'clock, and in a few...