to run these factories. To attract workers to a place where previously nothing had been, mill owners were obliged to construct entire new towns around the mills. The companies built housing, stores, schools, churches, and recreation halls. At one time, Connecticut had 203 "mill towns"" Life in these mill towns was initially very good and widely acclaimed; but as more and more were established, competition between factories increased and the exploitation of employees and their families began. Hours were long, pay was low, and working conditions were poor.

To be perfectly suited for the new mill towns, a river had to be large enough to assure a good water flow year-round but small enough that tidal influences did not creep upstream to sap the power of the water. The Connecticut was too big, being tidal as far north as Windsor Locks. The Naugatuck, Willimantic, Shetucket, and Quinebaug rivers, however, were almost made to order. Mill towns established in the late 19th century line these rivers like beads on a string. Heading downstream from its source, the Naugatuck powered mills in Drakeville, Wrightville, West Torrington, Torrington, East Litchfield, Thomaston, Waterbury, Union City, Naugatuck, Beacon Falls, Seymour, Ansonia, and Derby. The Shetucket River and its main branch, the Willamantic River, turned turbines for the mills of Staffordville, Hydeville, Stafford, Stafford Springs, West Willington, Merrow, Eagleville, Perkins Corner, Willimantic, South Willimantic, South Windham, Baltic, Occum, Taftville, and finally Greeneville. A similar list of towns lines the Quinebaug.

Many mill towns in the Uplands still bear the names of the men who owned the first water-powered factories. Thomaston, for example, is named for Seth Thomas, who owned clock mills there, and Collinsville for Samuel Collins, who established the town around an axe and machete mill. Other mill towns simply were named for the older uplands farming town whose jurisdiction the mills lay in, for example South Willington after Willington. The earlier split of new hilltop farming towns from an original hilltop town and the later rise of mill towns down in the valleys created an absurd number of settlements with variations on the original town's name. It was like cell division. From Willington (now called Willington Hill) sprang North Willington, South Willington, West Willington, and East Willington. Woodstock split into North Woodstock,

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