Village Shops

The historic village of New Preston was settled in 1746 by folk migrating west from the
town of Preston in eastern Connecticut. As an integral part of New England, the village played a
prominent role in the movement for independence from Great Britain. The larger township was
named after George Washington during one of his many stays in the area. Early settlers were
farmers - some for food and some for dairy. Later work took on saw mills, forges, coking, and
mining supported by the East Aspetuck River that runs through the village. Up until a few
decades ago, "downtown" New Preston consisted of a fire house, gas station, a barber shop,
butcher, grocer, pharmacy, liquor and hardware stores. Today New Preston boasts being one of
the premier antique centers in the state. A stroll through the village will reveal shops dedicated to
antiques, jewelry, furnishings, clothing and books. For further information on the businesses in
the Washington area click onto the logos below.