Torrington

Torrington, city (1990 pop. 33,687), Litchfield co., NW Conn., on the Naugatuck River; inc. 1740. It is the industrial and commercial hub of NW Connecticut and is known for its metal (especially brass) and machinery manufactures. The first machine-made brass goods in the country were produced in Torrington in 1834. The city was also the site of the world's first condensed-milk plant; the process of homogenization was invented in Torrington. The abolitionist John Brown was born there; his birthplace burned in 1918, and the spot is marked by a plaque. Of interest are a wildlife sanctuary and conservation area, noted for its mountain laurel; and a museum with early American glass exhibits and a John Brown room. A branch of the Univ. of Connecticut and the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts are in Torrington.