From its beginning as a town in 1708, Killingly's numerous waterways and falls were a strong influence in its future development. Sawmills and gristmills were built along the waterways, and the mill sites made nearby properties more suitable for manufacturing than for agricultural uses. Thus, Killingly grew up as a collection of small mill villages, each with its own churches, schools, stores, and tenements. With manufacturing so well established here, Killingly became the first Connecticut town to benefit from the Industrial Revolution when the area's textile industry was mechanized....