Rural town with a tight-knit community
Located 15 miles east of Hartford with a population of 5,000, the rural town of Bolton offers convenience with an extra dose of hospitality. “Bolton is a place where people care about each other,” says Mavourneen Costello, a Realtor with NextHome Elite Realty, who lives in Vernon, minutes from Bolton. “It’s a wonderful close-knit town where people embrace small businesses, like Georgina’s, which has been in business for 30 years, or Bolton Veterinary Hospital, where everyone goes for their animal care.” With scenic hiking trails through town and events at churches and well-known farms, Bolton is a community where neighbors truly get to know each other.
Classic homes in high demand
Homes in Bolton were built as early as the 1700s and as late as the 2000s, but most sprung up midcentury or later and give the community a well-established feel. Buyers will see small, renovated ranch-styles along Bolton’s country roads, some with fruit trees in the yard, or Cape Cods with views of local creeks and ponds. Large colonials, some historic, share their classic architecture with contemporary features, such as updated kitchens. Homes in Bolton sell for between $200,000 to over $1 million, so cost isn’t always an issue; inventory, however, frequently is. “It’s hard to find a home here,” Costello says. “Buyers often wind up in bidding wars when so few are on the market. Residents who leave town — and I know a few — find it hard to move back, and they often want to.”
Loved and well-known local businesses
With few chain stores in town, Bolton residents strongly support local businesses and vice-versa. Georgina’s Restaurant serves Italian favorites and features a banquet facility for weddings and events, like the spaghetti dinner fundraisers it puts on to raise money for the local high school. Don Fish, who owns Fish Family Farm Creamery and Dairy, a 211-acre working farm, is well-known and beloved, often seen driving his Rolls Royce around town. “The hardware store, England True Value Hardware, has been in business forever,” Costello says. “They don’t just rent you something; they help you out with it, and they answer your questions. It’s very family-oriented.”
Schools that build community
Elementary and middle school students can attend Bolton Center School, which receives a B from Niche and features an impressive 11-to-1 student-teacher ratio. Throughout the year, students enjoy dances, concerts, family nights, and art shows that unite the school community and showcase student talent. Upon entering ninth grade, students matriculate to Bolton High School. This B-plus school offers dozens of team sports and clubs, including boys’ and girls’ basketball and soccer, a robotics team and the National Honors Society.
From trails and greenways to lakes and city parks
Bolton Notch State Park features nearly 100 acres of green space with woodlands, a pond and two key hiking trails. The Charter Oak Greenway starts at the park and runs alongside Interstate 384 to Hartford. The Hop River State Park Trail comes through the park from the north and travels east along U.S. 6 to Willimantic, about a 15-mile trip. Bolton Lake is a hotspot for fishing, swimming and kayaking. Near the center of the community, Herrick Park offers a playground, baseball fields and a basketball court – everything most people would expect from a town park, including a community center.
Community events in Bolton
Most community events in Bolton take place at churches like Bolton Congregational Church, which celebrates Cinco de Mayo with a taco meal, or St. Georges Episcopal Church, which brings in fresh fruit and vegetables to hand out to the community through a local mobile foodshare truck. Events like Farm Day in September at Fish Family Farm draw huge crowds for the activities, food, music, animals and ice cream. “Fireworks in Manchester are the best in the area,” Costello says, so most Bolton residents head to this neighboring community for the July 4th celebration.
Getting to and from Hartford
CT Transit offers a park-and-ride lot off U.S. 44 and Interstate 384 near Bolton Notch State Park. Both highways, which run east-west, get residents into Hartford, about a 15-mile trip. Amtrak trains operate out of Hartford Union Station downtown, 15 minutes away, and Bradley International Airport, a 28-mile drive.
Crime not a problem but flooding could be
CAP Index gives Bolton a crime score of 1 out of 10, significantly lower than the national average of 4. However, Bolton is lined with rivers, creeks and ponds that can flood during heavy rains or prolonged rainfall. After Hurricane Henri in 2021, flooding washed out a bridge near Bolton Lake, stranding residents. Buyers looking to purchase a home in this rural community should inquire if flood insurance is needed for properties near water or in low-lying areas.
Photography Contributed By
Ed Messenger
