About Beacon Falls
About
The town of Beacon Falls, with a population of 6,049 is located in southwest Connecticut where it is bisected by the Naugatuck River. The area, 9.8 sq. miles, a Native American camping ground on which many relics such as arrowheads have been found, was first settled by colonists from Derby in 1678. The town was incorporated in 1871 on lands from each of the bordering towns: Bethany, Naugatuck, Oxford, and Seymour. Beacon Falls' principle industries include agriculture, warehouse storage and manufacture of plastic molding and small hardware.
Click https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/cerc-pdfs/2021/Beacon-Falls.pdf for a profile of the Town created by the Connecticut Economic Resource Center (CERC).
Heritage
Due to its strong sense of community, Beacon Falls was incorporated from Bethany, Oxford, Naugatuck, and Seymour in 1871. The first friction matches were made here in 1834 by Thomas Sanford, who later sold his "recipe" for $10.00; the Diamond Match Co. ultimately acquired the formula. The town was named after Beacon Hill, which historians say was a lookout for colonists to signal the movements of hostile Native Americans.
Industry
During the late 1800s and early 1900s, the town began to grow and thrive because of its industrial economic base. The Naugatuck River was a valuable resource, as its waters were harnessed for benefits in aiding industry.
The largest company in town during this period was the Beacon Falls Rubber Shoe Company - a sprawling complex along Main Street. The factory employed a large portion of residents and was even responsible for the construction of an entire neighborhood, providing housing for its workers. The Homer D. Bronson Company also set up shop in town in the early 1900s and was a manufacturer of hinges used in industry and homes throughout the world. These two firms promoted economic wellbeing for Beacon Falls' residents for years.
During the 1970s, the town's two major employers began to see a decrease in demand, and production dwindled. By the 1980s, both firms had left Beacon Falls. The town faced a precarious future and needed to reinvent itself to survive.
Over the next couple decades, a variety of retail, manufacturing, warehousing, construction, and service businesses revitalized the town, and a solid tax base returned. Beacon Falls is now poised to take advantage of global business markets. By welcoming like-minded visionaries and creative entrepreneurs, investors, and trendsetters, the town will continue to evolve successfully.
To learn more about the history of the Town of Beacon Falls click here.
