Once the home of the international axe-making company, Collins Company, Collinsville today nods to its origins. “We’re a historic river town and the heartbeat is the Collinsville Axe Factory,” says Abbey Lombardi, who owns the hair shop Milkweeds and is on the Canton Main Street board of directors. “There’s a lot of historic character in town.” The Collinsville Axe Factory still stands, having been converted to house several local stores, including Milkweeds. Downtown Collinsville retains much of its New England charm, with 1820s buildings still standing. The New England charm of downtown is a draw for people, especially from neighboring areas. “Especially in the summer, we get people coming from surrounding towns for that New England charm,” says Lombardi. “They also come for antiquing; we have lots of second-hand shops.” The neighborhood of Collinsville spreads east from the downtown section, covering the southern portion of the town Canton, which Collinsville itself is a part of. “Canton as a whole is more casual, a little more laid back,” says Lombardi. “It’s great for people with recreational lifestyles. I also love that many people are environmentalists.” With Nepaug Reservoir and the Farmington River running through the western portion of the neighborhood, outdoor recreation is another positive to this historic community. “Our area is great for outdoor enthusiasts,” says Lombardi. “Whether it’s mountain biking, running, even skiing. There’s a ski mountain about 10 minutes away from us.”
Fly-fishing, mountain bikes and skateparks within the neighborhood
In the north of the neighborhood, Mills Pond Park has outdoor activities ranging from practicing tricks at the Canton Skatepark or hitting a ball on the tennis court. The park also has an Olympic-sized swimming pool for swimmers of all ages and several pavilions where picnics can be held. For indoor activities, the Northstars Sportsplex is geared toward youth and has both basketball and volleyball courts as well as hitting cages for baseball, softball and golf. The 28,000-square-foot building also includes a weight training section. The Nepaug Reservoir Trail is a 2 mile out-and-back trail that follows a section of the Nepaug Reservoir to the west of the neighborhood. “We have a very big fly-fishing culture, especially since the Farmington River runs through Nepaug Forest,” says Lombardi. “People fly in for fly-fishing.” Mountain biking trails weave through the Nepaug Forest, and trails extend into Collinsville itself. In town, the Collinsville Talking Trail ends at the Canton Boat Launch. Named in honor of the man who made the dog park possible, the Alan Duncan Dog Park covers almost 7 acres and allows dogs to run freely.
Walking to the local restaurants and a summer Farmers Market
Downtown Collinsville steps into the past with the Collinsville Axe Factory that has since been transformed to include a hair shop, a Buddhist temple, an antique shop and several other local businesses. Lisa’s Crown and Hammer Pub sits just in front of the Axe Factory and was once the rail cargo depot for the Collins Company. “I live about a mile from the center of town and being able to walk to the pub and walk home is pretty cool,” Lombardi says. Downtown Collinsville features plenty of local restaurants and shops, from catching a game at Grindstone Tavern to experiencing Open Mic nights at Lasalle Market and Deli. Throughout the summer, the Canton Main Street Farmers Market runs every Sunday with vendors from across the state. In the east end of the neighborhood, the Shops at Farmington Valley has an Old Navy and various other clothing stores sitting alongside Barnes and Noble and DICK’s. “There’s a Whole Foods in Avon, which is great, but there’s also like 6 grocery stores between here and there,” Lombardi says.
Seasonal events including live music through the summer and a Halloween parade
Seasonal events fill the calendar, with Christmas in Collinsville, a Summer Street Fair and a Halloween Parade. “The Halloween Parade is a huge event, we don’t mess around with it,” says Lombardi. “It’s a people parade where people dress up and everyone participates.” The Canton Volunteer Fire Department hosts an Annual Lobsterfest, now in its 42nd year in 2024, while the downtown Collinsville town center has live music throughout the summer. “There’s a very big music culture. There’s always live music every Saturday night in the middle of town,” Lombardi says.
Some older homes alongside subdivisions with homeowners associations
In downtown Collinsville, homes have smaller lot sizes and tend to sit closer together. Mature trees still line the area, creating, for some homes, the illusion that there are few or no neighbors. The most common housing style is Cape Cod, but ranch, ranch-style, Colonial Revival and even a few Colonials appear between the trees. Prices can range from $170,000 to $420,000, although a Colonial in downtown Collinsville built in 1870 can sell for around $780,000. As the roads begin to weave through the countryside and the area turns from Collinsville into Canton, a few subdivisions appear. There are also some areas where trees were cleared to make way for larger properties, especially with New Traditional homes. New Traditional homes can range from $320,000 to $775,000. Throughout the area are homeowners associations, with monthly prices ranging between $33 and $355.
Route 44 access to reach groceries
U.S. Route 202 and U.S. Route 44 follow the same road and act as the northern border for the neighborhood. Route 44 continues east into Hartford, about 13 miles away, while Route 202 makes a sharp turn north about 4 miles east in Avon. “Another point of what I love is you still have accessibility to Route 44,” says Lombardi. “It’s great for people who want that bit of rural lifestyle but don’t want to drive 40 minutes for milk.”
A-minus schools with dual enrollment for high school students
Students begin at Cherry Brook Primary School for kindergarten through third grade before moving to Canton Intermediate School for fourth through sixth grade. Canton Middle School is for seventh and eighth grades and has 12 clubs and sports for students. All three schools earn an A-minus from Niche. At Canton High, which receives an A from Niche, students can take Advanced Placement courses and participate in dual enrollment with the University of Connecticut.
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