New Britain herald., 1928-05-05
First House Built Here in l690;
 Now Look at the Business Center

mills and the filling mills. but the first metal manufacturing indus tries were its blacksmiths' shops. The earliest in the south end. was established at the extreme end of East street near its junction with Christian Lane. It was set up by Adonijah Lewis about 1745 and served the whole Great Swamp par ish. Before this farmers had to have their blacksmith work done in Farmington or Wethersfield. In 1749 Thomas Richards moved from Southington, where he had kept blacksmith shop, and set up one in Stanley Quarter which was the first ill the north end of the town. These shops manufactured all the ordinary tools required for every day use. such as axes, augers. brads, bridle bits, paiis, boxes, bush scythes, chest locks, compasses. pitchforks, ram rods, staples, steel Landslide, sleigh irons, slaves, spikes, knives. kegs, nails, tongs. spades shovels, wedges, etc.
 James North Father Of Industry These shops were the forerunners of the big hardware manufacturing industries of New Britain. James North, leader of commanding in- l fluence in the early days, learned his trade in Richards shop. and started his sons in the manufacturing indus tries. at first producing such things as sleigh-bells and small brass goods, articles of jewelry, plated wire. coat and cloak clasps, neck stocks, hooks and eyes. textile goods, etc. All manufacturing of metals and textile goods was done by hand labor from the beginning of 1882 when the first i steam engine was set up in the fac 1 tory of r. T. Stanley in the center of the village. There he manufac- 1 tured the first locks made in this country. At that time the popula- tion of New Britain was 1,200.
 steam Power Gave City Start l The increase in the population in the first 142 years of life here. when farming was the chief concern and main support of the community, was Only elenl per cent.
 MT. Bassette says:
 Ut was the invention of steam power that stimulated the inventive genius of New Britain's sons, and that has carried her to the fifth place among the cities of Connecti- cut, notwithstanding her handicap in having no navigable stream near l by. Genius is said to be nothing but labor and diligence and New Britain l has lot of it to overcome it's hand leaps and work itself into honorable place of The Hardware City of the country, if not indeed of the world. New Britain is the highest city in the state. three river systems rising within it's borders. Our Main street is ITO feet higher than Main street 1 in Hartford. This is why some of i New Britain's tainted industrial wa ter, flowing through Park river in Hartford, was a thorn in the side of Hartford for so many years"
 First Railroad in 1S44
 Here is some other information
 which Mr. Bassette has collected in his long life in New Britain.
 "Steam power. too, brought the
 railroads. The New Haven main line went through in 1S44. the New Haven & Northampton line in 1S4S, and the present Highland branch in 1850. Thus came the outlets which made the markets for the mass pro- duction of steam power and com- ploted the foundation for New Brit aims growth to it's present size and power. Railroads at once reduced the cost of transporting freight and persons, as against the horse drawn vehicles, at less than one-hundredth the cost and ten times as fast as the wagon. Railroad, indeed, changed not only the industrial, but also the social and economical conditions profoundly. Electric and automo- tive power did not appear until our day and have added their might to the steady progress of industry and comfort"