Winchester and Winsted once blossomed with commerce. From cheeses that were sold to the most exclusive restaurants in major cities to tourism that proclaimed "the lake's the thing," the towns thrived. The production of clocks, clothing, knives and gold- and silver-plated coffin trimmings helped establish the region's prominence. Famous names like Rockwell, Beardsley, Boyd, Gilbert and Strong highlight the town's history, not only due to their business acumen but also because of their philanthropy. Colonel Samuel B. Horne, who earned the Medal of Honor in the Civil War, along with noteworthy journalists and artists all made their home here. And then, in 1955, disaster struck. Join local historian and author Virginia Shultz-Charette as she recounts the town's development and how the great flood changed everything.

Winchester, a remote hilltop region of dense forests, rocky ledges, and fast-moving streams, was a wilderness when first organized in 1771. Cattle enjoyed the region's abundant grasses, and as a result, a large dairy industry emerged, evident from the tons of cheese shipped to distant markets by the 1850s. Winsted, a borough in the valley below Winchester, was incorporated in 1858 and developed into an industrial giant by the 1870s. Its strategic location on coursing streams and two extensive railroad lines enabled Winsted to manufacture and export a wide variety of goods, ranging from caskets to clocks and silk threads to wool socks. Breathtaking vistas beckoned tourists to Highland Lake, the area's recreational attraction, where they swam, sailed, and enjoyed Electric Park, referred to as "Little Coney Island." Through vintage images captured by professional photographers, Winsted and Winchester portrays the growth and transition of these communities from 1870 to 1920-- a time that was quickly lost to modernity.