Farmington River Watershed Association

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Farmington River Watershed Association FRWA protects and restores the Farmington River with help from members, volunteers and the community.

Dedicated to preserving, protecting, and restoring the Farmington River and its watershed - for you, for all, forever.

Tariffville Gorge, Bloomfield, CT Section 41 (16)"My assignment for the Farmington River Quilt Project encompassed a sec...
10/12/2026

Tariffville Gorge, Bloomfield, CT Section 41 (16)

"My assignment for the Farmington River Quilt Project encompassed a section of the Tariffville Gorge, a ravine that was once the site of hydropower generation for Hartford and is now a destination for top-level whitewater kayakers. The terrain in my panel is steep and rocky and the defining characteristic is sections of rapids where the river flows over hidden rocks.

I knew from the start that I wanted to represent the whitewater using vintage linens and lace. The rapids in my panel were made from a vintage dresser scarf, ribbon, and some hand crocheted edging, all gathered and layered by hand. For the foreground I frayed vintage silk fabric and upholstery remnants to represent grasses and scrub along the rocky edge of the cliff. I hope the combination of new and old materials helps to represent the continuity and history of the landscape." - Sue Lawshe ~ West Hartford, CT
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"The Tariffville Gorge forms a dramatic stretch of the lower Farmington River. The river carved its path to the Connecticut River through the gorge, providing a view of Connecticut’s towering Traprock ridges and window into our volcanic geologic history. The gorge’s unique ecosystem supports rare plants, and its oxygenated water provides for a diverse array of aquatic life.

The gorge also provides for nationally recognized paddling as it contains some of the most popular and consistent whitewater in Connecticut. Boaters gather in Tariffville to both compete and to informally to “play” and run the river’s Class II - III rapids.

Indian Hill, an ancient settlement located in Bloomfield, is a nationally significant archaeological site that’s located a short distance away from the gorge. Artifacts found here suggest that the seasonal campsite was situated to take advantage of the anadromous fish resources of the Tariffville Gorge. The removal of the Spoonville Dam in 2012 revealed the bedrock falls where Native Americans fished long ago." - Paula Jones ~ Bloomfield, CT

Read the rest at FarmingtonRiverQuilt.org and see the rest of the FRCC and LFSWS Quilts

Flowers blooms and winterberries present at our Rockwell Park Rain Garden, which captures rooftop runoff from entering t...
10/08/2026

Flowers blooms and winterberries present at our Rockwell Park Rain Garden, which captures rooftop runoff from entering the Pequabuck River, a tributary of the Farmington River in Bristol, CT. We planted this in 2020 and the native plants and shrubs are well established, providing wildlife habitat too.

Tariffville Gorge, East Granby, CT Section 40 (15)"I wanted to highlight three features of Tariffville Gorge in my quilt...
10/05/2026

Tariffville Gorge, East Granby, CT Section 40 (15)

"I wanted to highlight three features of Tariffville Gorge in my quilt block. First, the geology of this section. The flow of the river changes near the gorge; the river goes from flowing north to flowing south in this area, a real rarity as far as rivers go. The river makes its way through a basalt ridge formed when the continents were being pulled apart beneath it. As a result there are steep basalt columns on both sides of the river.

And second, the river narrows in the gorge, causing large volumes of water to squeeze through the tall, basalt lined walls. After a lot of rain or snow melt, huge, white, foamy waves form which kayakers like me, love to play in. This section can be classified as Class 3-4 whitewater, depending on the water level. Many kayakers have gone from beginners to experts in Tariffville gorge, learning how to maneuver through the waves, holes and rocks.

My third feature is the boating community that thrives here. It is here that many iconic paddlers developed their skills and passed them along to new boaters. Jim Michaud, Bob Taylor and Denise Dieli are shown here - they have spent a lot of time in “Tville”, practicing, teaching and inspiring other boaters." - Jeanmarie Miller ~ Barkhamsted, CT
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"Tariffville gives a read of current conditions. Whitewater boaters know or learn what water levels bring out the features that promote surfing, playing, or running that fit their individual desires. Fishing or nature sitting also are a highlight at various accessible spots along the river.

The full whitewater extent runs from various put-ins in Tariffville to the Rt 187 bridge between Bloomfield and East Granby. Famous play holes exist just upstream of the beach found down the path from the dead end of Spoonville Extension. After the Spoonville Dam removal in 2012 (a hydroelectric dam partially destroyed in the 1955 flood), a good surfing wave comes in at the right water levels at that location. " - Mike Krammen ~ East Granby, CT

Read the rest at FarmingtonRiverQuilt.org and see the rest of the FRCC and LFSWS Quilts

Old Mill In Tariffville, Simsbury, CT Section 39 (14)"The powerful Farmington River roars year-round in front of the "Ol...
09/28/2026

Old Mill In Tariffville, Simsbury, CT Section 39 (14)

"The powerful Farmington River roars year-round in front of the "Old Mill." Home to fish, birds, and other wildlife. It is a lovely place to sit and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature.

Imagine standing in the Old Mill looking out one of the large windows at the gazebo and river beyond on an early autumn day. This image was the inspiration for the quilt. The design for the quilt was based on photographs taken in each season. Autumn was chosen because that is when the foliage and river had the most interest.

A collage technique was used for the quilt by fussy cutting fabric with trees, fabrics I painted using Inktense Pencils and Pigma Pens, and fabric made using my photographs. The rocks were cut out of gray and brown fabric and painted with Rosca fabric paint. The reflections of the trees on the water and shadows throughout the quilt were also painted with Inktense Pencils. The quilt was finished by free motion quilting around shapes in various colored 50 and 100 weight threads." - Diane Gilleran ~ Suffield, CT
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"The village of Tariffville takes its name from the Tariff Act of 1824 and the Tariff Manufacturing Company, which built the first carpet mill in America there in 1825. Carpets were made in England in very large, efficient factories but the cost of transportation plus a 33% tariff made them so expensive that a smaller domestic factory could compete. The founders constructed a mill that used waterpower to card and spin wool and handlooms to weave carpet. They brought weavers and their families from Scotland and built housing for them. The carpet was sold wholesale to dealers in New York and elsewhere. The business prospered. In 1841 the mill added new looms powered by water. The business became large enough that the Canal Railroad built a spur into the village in 1850. Many new homes and shops were built in the village, plus churches and hotels. The village was thriving." - Frank Haviland ~ Bloomfield, CT

Read the rest of the description at FarmingtonRiverQuilt.org and see the other panels! Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild & Scenic Committee

The asters and goldenrod blooming at the FRWA Frey Property are being enjoyed by pollinators!
09/25/2026

The asters and goldenrod blooming at the FRWA Frey Property are being enjoyed by pollinators!

Enjoying the blue skies and autumn breeze in the Farmington River Watershed.
09/24/2026

Enjoying the blue skies and autumn breeze in the Farmington River Watershed.

Join the Farmington River Coordinating Committee at their annual FRCC Farmington River Wild & Scenic Open House on Thurs...
09/24/2026

Join the Farmington River Coordinating Committee at their annual FRCC Farmington River Wild & Scenic Open House on Thursday, October 22 between 6:00PM and 8:30PM, at the historic Squire's Tavern in Peoples State Forest as we celebrate our designation!

See the Farmington River Quilt
Listen to live music performed by The Travelin' Trout
Enjoy light refreshments and drinks provided by the committee representatives
Come together and talk with river advocates! The event is free and open to all.

Date: Thursday, October 22
Time: 6:00PM-8:30 PM
Location: Squire’s Tavern in Peoples State Forest, 100 East River Road, Barkhamsted, CT

Tariffville Park - Old Train Bridge, Simsbury, CT Section 38 (13)"This section of the river has an interesting history. ...
09/21/2026

Tariffville Park - Old Train Bridge, Simsbury, CT Section 38 (13)

"This section of the river has an interesting history. It’s the site of a railroad bridge built in 1899 that carried train traffic for about 35 years. No longer can you hear the rumble and clacking of a train passing overhead as you stand on the river bank. Only the three large stone bases of the bridge remain to bear witness to the lives of the people that were here before us. A park and homes now occupy the banks.

To create the panel, I added the natural elements first, laying down the river, sky, and the trees before incorporating the manmade railroad bridge base structures. I grounded the bases by adding dirt, rocks, and trees. The stones in the bridge were enhanced with Inktense pencils and fabric paint before being quilted. I really enjoyed tackling this challenge." - Amy Finn ~ Simsbury, CT
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"These three handsome and historic bridge abutments in the Farmington River are located a little downstream from Tariffville Park. They appear to be built of brownstone, a material which was quarried in the Simsbury area in the past. The bridge which the abutments supported was on a line of the Central New England Railway. The line originated at Tariffville Station in Connecticut and ran to Springfield, Massachusetts.

Construction of the line began in 1899. In 1901, it was shown on a Central New England Railway map. The line was in operation as late as 1936, but in 1927, the Central New England Railway had become part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad.

Many local people are familiar with the story of a train wreck that occurred in Tariffville on a winter night in 1878 when a bridge over the Farmington River collapsed. The site of that accident should not be confused with the location of the three abutments pictured on the quilt. There are remnants of the abutments of the bridge that collapsed that are visible on both sides of the Farmington River behind the Governors Bridge condos in Tariffville." - Donald Rieger ~ Simsbury, CT

FRCC - FarmingtonRiver.org
LFSWS - LowerFarmingtonRiver.org
FarmingtonRiverQuilt.org

Address

749 Hopmeadow Street
Simsbury, CT
06070

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+18606584442

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