Sunderland: A Brief History

            Sunderland was chartered in 1761, a day after the town of Arlington and was settled by some of the same Connecticut families, with the addition of the Bronsons and the Warners. Farming and lumbering were the main means of livelihood in Sunderland. Early industries included the Arlington Edge Tool Company, which made chisels and was located along the Roaring Branch in the area known today as Chiselville. The McIntyre Job and the Kelly Stand settlements were long-standing lumbering encampments. Few signs of their presence remain today. However, there are large numbers of photographs that document their labor and raucous existence.

            The population of Sunderland has hovered at close to 500 for most of its existence, but in recent years has jumped to its current level of 886.