Last month, I described how, as a result if the flood of 1955, Granby became an island when the bridges and roads on Routes 9, 189, 20, and 10 were washed out or badly damaged, so that no one could get in or out of Granby. Our town green was literally an island as it is surrounded by Routes 10, 20 and 189 (formerly known as Route 9). Here is a brief history of roads through picturesque Granby.
Before the 1955 flood, Route 189 began at Route 20 in the center of town and ran down Hartford Avenue for seven miles into Bloomfield. After the flood, the State of Connecticut redesigned Route 189 to go from North Granby down Hartford Avenue through East Granby, Simsbury, Bloomfield, West Hartford and Hartford. From Granville, Mass. to Hartford, Route 189 is about 22 miles.
The original Route 9, created by the State of Connecticut in 1932, started in North Granby and connected Bloomfield, Hartford, Wethersfield, Cromwell, Middletown, Haddam and Old Saybrook. After years of debate in the State Legislature following the 1955 flood, Route 9 was redesigned. Today it runs from Old Saybrook to Farmington and no longer connects to Hartford or North Granby.
Route 20 was created in 1932 by renumbering two old highways, 133 and 343. Beginning in Winsted, traveled east through Barkhamsted, around the Barkhamsted Reservoir, through Hartland and into Granby, and east of Granby center it continued through East Granby down Rainbow Road and came into Route 75. Today from Granby, Route 20 goes into East Granby and after intersecting Route 187, joins the Bradley Airport Connector built in 1961, and becomes a divided highway that intersects with Route 91 in Windsor Locks.
Route 10 is one of the oldest routes in Connecticut. Established in 1922, it runs 54 miles in Connecticut before heading into Massachusetts. For decades, Route 10 was known as College Highway, as it ran from Yale University in New Haven to Smith College in Northampton. Route 10 north from New Haven takes travelers through Cheshire, Southington, Plainville, Farmington, Simsbury and Granby. As you approach the center of town, you go through the historic section of Salmon Brook Street and see some of the finest homes in town.
At the time of the 1955 flood, Route 91 did not exist nor did many other highways throughout the United States. The first plans for a super highway system began in 1938 during President Roosevelt’s New Deal. Progress was delayed because of World War II with approximately 6,500 miles completed. When President Eisenhower came into office, he saw the need for a strong highway system. The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 created more than 41,000 miles of highway over the next 12 years. This system made it easier to travel and to evacuate in emergencies. However, there were drawbacks as the highways passed by many small towns causing them to lose visitors and business. At the same time, many cities and neighborhoods were split up by eminent domain as the new highways went through them.
Fortunately, even with three state roads going around our green, our town has not lost its charm. Traveling on each state road through town, one can see the beauty of Granby’s landscape. To learn more about these old state roads, join the Salmon Brook Historical Society by calling 860-653-9713, or go online at salmonbrookhistoricalsociety.com