Allingtown Walking Tour

Take a self-guided walking tour of Allingtown — or take several

West Haven’s Allingtown has changed a great deal in just the last decade or so, with an extensive and quite striking remake of its center commercial area. This development almost certainly is the beginning of a new era for the former home of the Quinnipiac Indians, early Colonials, and succeeding waves from Europe and the Americas that continues to the present day. It has been 381 years now, and the American Indian paths and farm cart trails we know as Boston Post Road, Campbell Avenue and Forest Road have born and witnessed a great deal.

There is the people, presidents and vice presidents to be, military heroes, community builders, long-tenured educators, sports celebrities, merchants who left lasting legacies — and a gutsy band of volunteer firefighters who protected them all. There are the buildings they put up for us — some remaining, but many gone — all remembered with honor, some with great fondness.

You can see many of these places and remember or learn about these people from the times when the Quinnipiacs were at home here, when Roger Alling put up his house and blacksmith shop — on through to the community’s long history of farming, fishing and logging; to its explosive growth to become an urban and manufacturing hub; and then to an educational center that brings in people from all over the world.

So pick a nice day and take one or more of the loops through Allingtown’s inspiring history. Or maybe, on a not-so-nice day, complete a tour in the comfort of your home — to reminisce or learn anew or both. And may the road rise up to meet you.

— Tim Higgins, Author, “Over the West River Bridge: Historic Walks Around Allingtown”