Picture Ellington - Then And Now

ELLINGTON, CT — Once again, our look into Ellington history brings us to a fascinating picture book entitled Images of America: Ellington. The book, compiled by Lynn Kloter Fahy for the Ellington Historical Society, was first published in 2005, and contains 128 pages of amazing photos and stories of the small town formerly known as "the Great Marsh." It may be purchased from the Nellie McKnight Museum store here.

On page 126, we find the Lanz Dairy Farm on the north side of Frog Hollow Road. John Lanz, an immigrant from Canton Bern, Switzerland, purchased 42 acres of land for $1,000 in August 1893 to become the first Swiss farmer in Ellington. The farm was known for having the tallest silo in town.

Keith and Nancy Way later owned the farm, which ceased dairy operations in 2000. Nancy was a former member of the Ellington Board of Education and Board of Selectmen. She died at 65 in 2006.

The farm has been torn down, but the land is still used to grow hay.

Here is a more contemporary look at the approximate site of the farm, courtesy of Google Maps.

Do you have a photo of an old Ellington business which no longer exists, to which you own the copyright and which we could feature in this column? Email tim.jensen@patch.com.

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