The American Cyclopædia (1879)/Hartford (county)

HARTFORD, a N. county of Connecticut, bordering on Massachusetts, divided into two unequal parts by the Connecticut river, and watered by Farmington, Mill, Podunk, Scantic, and other rivers; area, 750 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 109,007. The surface is much diversified, part of the river valleys being alluvial and subject to inundation, while other portions of the county are hilly and even mountainous. Most of the soil is fertile and highly cultivated; the E. part is famous for excellent dairy farms. The Connecticut river is navigable by sloops to Hartford, and by small steamboats through the county, which is also intersected by several railroads. The chief productions in 1870 were 6,458 bushels of wheat, 69,387 of rye, 217,502 of Indian corn, 119,335 of oats, 450,158 of potatoes, 1,301,352 lbs. of butter, 103,406 of cheese, 5,830,209 of tobacco, 25,925 of wool, and 95,615 tons of hay. There were 7,062 horses, 16,657 milch cows, 5,742 working oxen, 13,283 other cattle, 8,009 sheep, and 9,645 swine. There were 1,031 manufacturing establishments, with an aggregate capital of $21,259,828; annual value of products, $35,039,324. The most important were 7 manufactories of agricultural implements, 18 of carriages, 17 of clock cases and materials, 3 of clocks, 72 of clothing, 4 of cotton goods, 6 of cotton thread, &c., 6 of cutlery, 5 of axes and edge tools, 3 of firearms, 1 of gunpowder, 34 of hardware, 9 of hosiery, 23 of iron castings, &c., 26 of machinery, 27 of paper, 7 of plated ware, 21 of saddlery and harness, 3 of silk goods, 61 of tobacco and cigars, 10 of wood work, 12 of woollen goods, 36 of bricks, 12 of furniture, 30 flour mills, 2 planing mills, 26 saw mills, 3 bookbinderies, and 12 printing establishments. Capital, Hartford.