Tariffville Walking Tour 2025

Take a stroll through Tariffville!

Nestled along the banks of the Farmington River to the east, this small mill village in Simsbury is rich in history, natural beauty, and New England charm. This self-guided walk is designed to be casual and unhurried. Wander around and experience the stories tucked into our streets, buildings, and landscapes. Compare the “then” images to our “now” locations. We have included street overviews, house style information, and bits of local history. The Mill is open with a display and interior tour information. Enjoy river views from the grounds. Each step of your journey illustrates how this Village has kept its character while adapting to the present.

Tips for your Enjoyment:

Respect: Many sites are private residences; please enjoy only from the public walkways.
Gratitude & Acknowledgment: Information sourced from the Simsbury Historical Society, National Historic Register, Simsbury Historic Resource of Tariffville, and Public Domain. Information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.
Wear comfy shoes—Be mindful of uneven paths and curb edges.
Bring water.
Mill Building at 2 Tunxis Road is open.
There is only a little bit of information under each photograph. For more information, scroll to the bottom of the page.

Click for more information about the walking tour through Tariffville

Click for house style definitions

Tariffville Then and Now

1869 Street Map

From Winthrop Street looking towards Main Street

From Elm Street looking towards Church Street Ext. and further toward Laurel Hill.

From Church Street looking towards Elm Street

From the corner of Elm and Church Street, looking up the hill towards Simsbury.

From the corner of Elm Street and Maple Street. looking down the hill toward the river.

Old Well Tavern

Don't forget the Tariffville Reunion Party going on at the Old Well on September 26, 2025, beginning at 6 pm!

The Bridges of Tariffville

The original automobile bridge between Main Street, Tariffville, and Hartford Avenue, Granby (Currently Old Hartford Ave, East Granby).

The Tunxis Road automobile bridge between Tunxis Road, Tariffville, and Tunxis Avenue, East Granby.

The Tunxis Road automobile bridge taken from the old rail line which is currently the Rail Trail between Tariffville and Bloomfield.

The Rail Bridge over Tunxis Road in front of the Mill.

The Rail Bridge between Tariffville, currently Tariffville Park, and East Granby (would have been in the valley behind Old Hartford Ave, East Granby).

The Tariffville Train Crash occurred on the Rail Bridge between Tariffville and Simsbury, behind what is currently Governor's Bridge.

Tunxis Road, Tariffville

The Mill on Tunxis Road, Tariffville

The Mill circa 1940.

One of 4 identical Greek Revival cottages built by Tariff Manufacturing for a supervisor or highly skilled Scottish Carpet Weaver. These are the only company owned buildings to survive the 1867 fire.

View of Hanging Rock from the East Granby side of the River. House is the back on one on Tunxis

Main Street, Tariffville

32 Main Street- Currently Marco's Italian Restaurant with apartments above. This is the only fully articulated Queen Anne Style building in Tariffville. Prior use as the Tariffville Hotel, as well as the Blazis Ice Cream Parlor in the 1950's.

28 Main Street- Currently, The Cracker Barrel Pub with apartments above. This is the only example of brick standard Victorian Vernacular commercial architecture in Tariffville. Built after the railroad came to town. Originally known as Boles Block. The left side was a reading room with the Post Office on the right. The telegraph office was located upstairs, as was a factory for hand-rolled cigars. The uppermost floor was a meeting hall hosting many of Tariffville's organizations, including: Knights of Pythias, Foresters, and Boy Scouts.

The Tunxis House- The Tariffville Green marks the site of
the Tunxis House. The first picture was taken in 1885 when the Tunxis House was expanded to boast an Opera House with a 40’x25’ stage and a ballroom. There were 40 guest rooms. When the railroad service ended, it became a boarding house. The Tunxis House was destroyed in a fire in 1935.

Holcomb's Store. Located on the corner of Winthrop Street and Main Street.

Correspondence reads:
Mr. C.P. Loomis,
Dear Sir,
Y_____ rec'd with list of ______. Thank you but you did not make change for your trouble. Please do so and I'll remit. It is a convenience and I'll be glad to pay for it. Don't you want some cement? I have a lot on hand fresh and will sell what you want as cheap as anybody if not cheaper. Shall also be able to do anything in furnace stove or tin or ____ or pipe work wanted.
Yours,
Chas B. Holcomb

Click for more information on Main Street, Tariffville

Winthrop Street, Tariffville

12 Winthrop Street
Built in 1820 two story Greek Revival with1920s frame barn. Thomas Adams house, merchant & well to
do farmer. One of the best detailed and preserved Greek Revival dwellings in the Village.

12 Winthrop Street

14 Winthrop Street
Two story Revival house/ storefront.
One of only a few commercial use buildings

21 Winthrop Street
Built in 1840 in a Vernacular two story, five bay structure.
Built by Porter White (stage) on land bought from the Ketchin Pinney family purchased in 1880s. Workers hand rolled R.I. Pinney cigars in the small building behind the house.

Saint Bernard's and Tariffville Cemeteries
Saint Bernard's is the larger portion with more 20th century monuments. Marble, granite materials
and dotted with brownstone obelisks. Tariffville
cemetery has older graves dating to 1840.
Grave markers memorialize generations of local residents,
often giving the birthplace of immigrants and noting events, ie fuse factory explosion of 1/15/1879, Wall
sisters perished, aged 18 and 20. Scores of war veterans are interred and remembered annually during Memorial Day activities.

Corner of Winthrop and maple Street

5 Maple Street- Formerly St. Bernard's Church, Catholic Church. Built in a frame interpretation of the Gothic style. Currently, Manases Church, Tariffville.

Trefoil-shaped windows above the altar.

Tariffville School

42 Winthrop Street, Tariffville

The Tariffville School District was the largest district in Town with four rooms in two stories. Tariffville School was the only one with the luxury of a furnace and a library.

In 1925, it was replaced with a new brick school at a cost of $35,000. Reminiscent of Collegiate Gothic, the parapet contains two cast plaques. ”Public School” above the entrance, and “Knowledge is Power”. The building continues to supply a commodious educational facility as well as proving to be the village center for its 100 years.

Click for more information on Winthrop Street, Tariffville

Elm Street, Tariffville

19 and 21 Elm Street. Built in 1850 in the vernacular style. Owned by Sanford Olcott, a harness maker. The rear building was a workshop.

24 Elm Street. Built in 1855 in the Greek Revival brick style by Morgan Bacon, a wealthy farmer. Later owned by Thomas Lee, then the Barwick family. Emily Barwick (1867-1958) was a long-time teacher at Tariffville school.

39 Elm Street. Built in 1860 in the Carpenter Gothic style by Ariel Mitchelson. Built for visiting family members and as an investment property.

48 Elm Street. Built between 1820 and 1840; expanded in 1895. In the Vernacular style with Greek Revival and Victorian alterations.

Mitchelson house. An influential family that owned most of the land in
Tariffville down to the river. The family was instrumental in developing
the process of shade tobacco.