Rural living west of Hartford
Through the middle of Weatogue, the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail and Hopmeadow Street run alongside and cross over each other, and Hopmeadow is parallelled – and nearly mirrored – by the Farmington River, which almost copies the road’s path through the neighborhood. Weatogue is a blend of rural living amid lush foliage, surrounded by preserves but still retaining proximity to main roads and conveniences. “It’s a very popular buying neighborhood for people because of the quality of life, the schools, the shopping and the homes,” says Katie French, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Simsbury. “It’s a desirable location. People have come here from all over the country.”
New England architecture amid the trees
Colonials and ranch homes are the most popular architectural styles in the neighborhood. “It’s a lot of neighborhoods with cul-de-sacs,” French says. “There’s homes with views of the mountains because we’re in a valley.” Residences in Weatogue were mostly built in the latter half of the 20th century, a majority of them in the 1970s and 1980s. There’s also occasional Cape Cods and split-levels, and condos are also plentiful; they typically sell for between $200,000 and $400,000. Single-family properties can range from around $300,000 and over the million-dollar mark, but primarily sell for between $300,000 and around $800,000. A few have been priced at $1 million or more, ranging as high as close to $2 million. Larger lots allow for sizable yards, tree-lined yards and plenty of privacy thanks to the foliage.
An A-rated schooling pipeline
The Tootin’ Hills School begins education for Weatogue students, scoring an A with Niche for its education of kindergarten through sixth grade. Henry James Memorial Middle School hosts seventh and eighth grades, also receiving an A. Simsbury High School completes the trifecta of A-rated schools for Weatogue, ranked by Niche in the top 20 public high schools statewide. Simsbury High athletics have numerous state championships among more than a dozen teams, and sports there include crew, ice hockey and a decorated gymnastics team.
Parks, mountains and landmarks
At Weatogue Park, athletes can take to the softball, football or two soccer fields, and the space also offers a playground. The Farmington Canal Heritage Trail runs alongside the park to the west, in its entirety running for 56 miles throughout New England and joining with other walking and biking trails along the way. Stratton Brook Open Space is occupied by dense foliage in the northwestern corner of Weatogue, featuring a trailhead to a path running through the area, while on the east side Talcott Mountain State Park’s 574-acre sprawl encompasses trails, wildlife and the Heublein Tower. Inspired by Bavarian architecture, the tower stands more than 150 feet tall and more than 1,000 feet above the valley, meaning visitors have breathtaking views of the area around them. “We have a lot of hiking trails and state parks,” French says. “One of them is on the mountain, and that offers vistas from the highest point to three different states.”
Haunted halls and boutique browsing
Just up the road from the park, Abigail’s Grille and Wine Bar is housed in a 220-year-old building and former stagecoach stop. It may or may not be haunted, too, as it takes its name from a ghost said to walk its halls. "It's been here providing people food and service for a long time," says Mike Morneau, the service manager of Abigail's. “We're open to families and events, and have two floors, two bars and outdoor seating." Other, similar mansions-turned-restaurants are in the area as well. “Weatogue abuts the center of Simsbury, and that’s a very walkable area with little shops,” French says. “It’s probably one of the more scenic towns in the valley, because it has very limited commercial space.” Down Hopmeadow Road, Riverdale Farms Shopping offers an assortment of local shops and outlets. Along East Main Street, which serves as the primary commercial area, Take Tea offers a tearoom atmosphere evocative of England. First & Last Tavern Avon, Dom’s Coffee, Bruegger’s Bagels and Max a Mia Ristorante make up a variety of restaurant options for diners. Along Nod Road, the Talcott Mountain Collective has happy hours, concerts, open mic nights and more. “Farmland is important here,” French says. “We have some farms that do co-ops and we have a farm that’s a winery.” A Walmart, Whole Foods and Stop & Shop are near Route 44 for everyday groceries.
Nature preserves and annual events
A number of state parks surround the neighborhood. “Our preserved land is one of the reasons people come here,” French says. “The river’s a big recreational attraction for kayaking and things like that.” To the north, Stratton Brook State Park has a bike trail, dense foliage and fishing opportunities, while the eastward Penwood State Park spans nearly 800 acres replete with flora, fauna and trails. Blue Fox Run Golf Course is to the south, and farther north, the Simsbury Meadows Performing Arts Center hosts events ranging from plays and concerts to charity walks and celebrations. “The Hartford Symphony comes there and has weekly concerts throughout the summer,” French says. “They’ve done an Elton John tribute before, and it can sell out. There’s an open field, food trucks and fireworks. It’s a big deal.”
Route 202 in the center of the neighborhood
Hopmeadow Street is part of Route 202, which runs north-to-south right through the center of Weatogue and in its entirety passes through eight states in New England. “There’s proximity to Bradley International Airport,” French says. “Even though it doesn’t feel like it’s near an airport, you’re 20 minutes away.” Route 44 spans four states and runs east-west to the south of the neighborhoods. Several public use airports are nearby, too, and Weatogue is only about 10 miles northwest of downtown Hartford.
Photography Contributed By
Ed Messenger
