Geography

A rural community in Windham County, Pomfret was purchased from the Indians in 1686. The price was 30 pounds and was known at that time as "The Mashmuket Purchase" and the area at that time was about 18,270 acres. The Mashmuket Purchase was incorporated by legislature and called Pomfret in 1713. In the ensuing years Brooklyn became a town, Hampton became a town and in 1855 Putnam became a town. All of these new towns took land from Pomfret. That portion lost to Putnam was by far the most damaging economically as it included a section known as Pomfretville or what today is known as the Cargill Falls. Pomfretville or Pomfret Factory was the industrial center of Northeastern Connecticut at that time.