Located at the west end of Farmington, Unionville was first recognized by the U.S. Postal Service in 1834. Earlier it was called Langdon’s Quarter and then Union District. Residents took full advantage of the Farmington River by diverting it into canals to power a growing number of factories and mills. By the 1850’s, Unionville had gained manufacturing stature in the Farmington Valley by producing clocks, writing paper, wooden and tin buttons, saws, gun stocks, furniture, knives, paper boxes, caskets, flutes, oyster tongs, nuts, bolts, and wooden screws. An influx of Irish, Italian, and Slavic immigrants, attracted by opportunities to work, contributed to Unionville’s further growth. Many mills and shops prospered well into the 20th century, until the flood of 1955 wiped out much of the center of Unionville and neighborhoods along the river. A redevelopment project in the late 1960s-early 1970s changed Unionville’s character from an industrial village to a suburban center.