Abner Munson

Abner Munson was a Connecticut colonist who served during the French and Indian War, the North American conflict that preceded the American Revolution. Like many men from colonial towns, he answered the call to defend British interests against French forces and their allies, contributing to the military experience that would later shape a generation of Revolutionary-era leaders and soldiers. He is known as Middlebury's first Veteran.

Josiah Bronson

Josiah Bronson, oil on canvas, 25 x30 in.  Attributed to William Jennys. Photo of the painting taken at the Mattatuck Museum.

Josiah Bronson (b. 1735) was born in the Breakneck section of what was then part of Waterbury. A member of an early colonial family, he lived during the years leading up to the American Revolution, when local communities helped shape the fight for independence. 

Josiah Bronson Family House

The Josiah Bronson House is the oldest surviving house in Middlebury, originally colonial Waterbury’s Breakneck section. It once operated as a tavern. During the American Revolution, officers under the command of Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, Comte de Rochambeau are believed to have stayed there while marching through Connecticut on their way to Yorktown, linking the house to the broader story of the Revolutionary War. 

Tranquillity Farm

Tranquillity Farm in Middlebury, Connecticut, was established in the late 19th century as the country estate of JH Whittemore. Overlooking Lake Quassapaug, the expansive property once featured landscaped grounds, formal gardens, and architecturally significant buildings that reflected the grandeur of the Gilded Age. Though much of the original estate has changed over time, Tranquility Farm remains an important part of Middlebury’s historic and cultural landscape. 

William Hawkins Abbott 

Photo courtesy of the Granger Collection

Abbott was born in Middlebury, Connecticut, and became a clerk in the general store in Watertown, Connecticut, circa 1837 to 1844. He entered the general merchandise business himself in 1845, and married Jane Wheeler in September of that same year. He continued in the mercantile business, becoming interested in the petroleum business later on. He was one of the first people involved in the oil trade, and the refinery he built in Titusville, Pennsylvania in 1861 was the first petroleum refinery 

JH Whittemore 

Painting at Naugatuck Historical Society

John Howard Whittemore (1837 - 1910) was a prominent industrialist, banker, and philanthropist with deep ties to Middlebury, Connecticut. A leader in the hardware manufacturing industry and president of the Waterbury-based firm Whittemore Brothers, he amassed significant wealth during the late 19th century. Whittemore established the grand estate known as Tranquillity Farm overlooking Lake Quassapaug, transforming it into one of the region’s most notable country properties. He was also a benefactor of Yale University and numerous civic and cultural institutions, leaving a lasting impact on Connecticut’s economic and philanthropic landscape. 

Dr. Isaac Bronson 

Painting by John Trumbull, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Isaac Bronson (March 10, 1760 - May 19, 1838) was born in Middlebury, Connecticut, and went on to serve as a surgeon during the American Revolutionary War. Providing medical care to Continental soldiers under often harsh and primitive conditions, Bronson played a vital role in supporting the fight for independence. After the war, he built a distinguished career as a physician and later became a successful banker and philanthropist. He died in Greenfield Hill in 1838, remembered both for his wartime service and his contributions to Connecticut’s civic and financial life. 

Captain Isaac R. Bronson

Courtesy of the Bronson Family

Isaac R. Bronson (May 22, 1836 - June 2, 1863) was a Middlebury native who served as a captain during the American Civil War. Representing his community during one of the nation’s most defining conflicts, Captain Bronson led and supported Union troops as they fought to preserve the United States. He died of injuries sustained in the Battle of Chancellorsville. His service reflected the strong sense of duty and patriotism found among many Connecticut families in the mid-19th century, continuing a tradition of military commitment that traced back to earlier generations. 

Fenn Farm (Brookdale Farm)

 Historically known as Brookdale Farm, it is one of Middlebury’s most cherished agricultural landmarks. The property was long owned and worked by the Fenn family. The Fenn family moved to the area that would become Middlebury in 1792 where they first worked a farm south of Lake Quassapaug. They moved to Brookdale Farm in 1887 and operated the working farm, including a dairy that delivered milk locally for generations. Though often called “Fenn’s Farm” by residents, its traditional name was Brookdale Farm, a name recently commemorated on a new sign at 55 Artillery Road. In 2006, the Town of Middlebury purchased the land and, together with the Middlebury Land Trust, placed it under conservation to preserve its scenic fields, historic barns, and rural character for the future. 

Westover School

Westover School in Middlebury, Connecticut was founded in 1909 by pioneering educator Mary Robbins Hillard to offer young women a rigorous, character-building liberal education. The campus, designed by noted architect Theodate Pope Riddle, originally opened with a main building centered around a quadrangle and quickly became a regional center for girls’ secondary education. 

Methodist Church

The historic Methodist Church on the green in Middlebury was built in 1832 to serve the local Methodist-Episcopal congregation during the 19th century. As the congregation dwindled in the early 20th century, the church sold the building in 1923 to the neighboring Westover School, now known as Hillard House for administrative and archival use. It remains one of the oldest surviving structures in the town center and a tangible link to Middlebury’s early religious life. 

Middlebury Town Hall

Middlebury Historical Society Postcard

The Middlebury Town Hall that stands today was built in 1936, replacing the above town hall from 1896 that was destroyed by a fire in 1935 along with the neighboring Congregational Church. It has served as a civic focal point and symbol of the community ever since. 

Mary Robbins Hillard

Image courtesty of Westover School

Mary Robbins Hillard (1856 - 1937) was the founder of Westover School in Middlebury, Connecticut. In 1909, she established the school with a vision of providing young women with a rigorous academic education grounded in character, leadership, and intellectual curiosity.

Under her leadership, Westover developed a strong college-preparatory curriculum at a time when advanced educational opportunities for women were still expanding. Hillard’s commitment to scholarship and moral purpose helped shape Westover into one of the nation’s respected independent boarding schools for girls, a legacy that continues to define the institution today.

Chauncey Judd

Chauncey Judd kneels before his captors in this woodcut that was featured in the book by Israel P. Warren, “Chauncey Judd: The Stolen Boy,” published in 1874. (Robert Rafford scan) 

In March 1780, during the American Revolution, 16‑year‑old Chauncey Judd, son of Anna Williams Judd and Isaac Judd, was forcibly abducted by a group of Tory raiders (Loyalists to the British crown) in what is now the Naugatuck Valley area of Connecticut. Chauncey, returning home through the woods after visiting a young woman, recognized some of the men. Fearing he would identify them, they seized him and took him along on their flight.

The captors debated killing him, but instead held him prisoner as they hid out in homes and barns in Middlebury and surrounding areas while militia gathered to pursue them. Ultimately the group fled south, attempting to escape in a boat to British‑held Long Island. Chauncey’s father and local militia gave chase, captured the raiders on Long Island, and rescued Chauncey. 

Rochambeau Trail

The Rochambeau Historical Trail and encampment in Middlebury, Connecticut marks a key moment in the American Revolution when French General Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, led allied troops through the area in June 1781 en route to join George Washington and fight at Yorktown. French soldiers camped on Breakneck Hill as part of the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route, a nationally recognized historic trail commemorating the allied march that helped secure American independence. Middlebury’s connection to this history is celebrated with monuments and interpretive sites that honor the enduring Franco-American alliance and the town’s role in the struggle for liberty. 

Timex

Middlebury Historical Society Postcard 

Founded in 1854 in Waterbury as the Waterbury Clock Company, Timex grew out of Connecticut’s thriving clock industry. During World War II, it opened a major plant in Middlebury in 1942 to produce military timing devices. Soon after, the company reorganized as the United States Time Corporation and introduced Timex watches to a broad consumer market.

Over time, Timex became known worldwide for durable, affordable watches and established its headquarters in Middlebury in 2001. Timex’s history in Middlebury, from wartime manufacturing to decades of watchmaking leadership and corporate identity,  remains an important chapter in the town’s industrial and cultural history.