Stafford Springs, CT

Stafford is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States, settled in 1719. The population was 11,307 at the 2000 census.
The Colonial Town of Stafford began as a rural agricultural community. The easy availability of water power from the tributaries of the Willimantic River led to industrialization, and this abundance of power helped generate local population growth. By the mid-19th century, Stafford was connected by railroad to markets across New England, and before the State Highway projects of the 1920s and 1930s, the town had a trolley connection to Rockville, CT. During the Civil War, factories in Stafford made cannonballs and other war supplies for the northern forces.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 58.8 square miles (152.2 km²), of which, 58.0 square miles (150.1 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) of it (1.38%) is water. At 58.8 square miles, Stafford is the 3rd largest town in Connecticut based on area.