A quiet village 18 miles east of Hartford, Bolton was born at the nexus of two prehistoric Native American trails. Bolton was formed in 1720, and because of its location outside of Hartford, the town played an important role as a Revolutionary War route. In the early 19th century, Bolton emerged as a small, yet prosperous town and a stagecoach stopping point for trips from both Boston and Providence to Hartford. By 1849, the railroad erased the need for stagecoach lines and inns, and soon industrial mills cropped up along the streams. In the early 1900s, immigrant families settled in Bolton, and affluent families from Hartford bought farms and summer homes in town. Today Bolton continues to preserve much of the history and natural beauty that has drawn residents to it for generations.