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HISTORY
In 1645, several families settled in the peaceful valley of Tunxis, commonly called the Tunxis Plantation, which was part of Farmington. This village was originally known as Northington, or the North Parish of Farmington.
The town of Avon was incorporated as a separate town in 1830, and took its name from the Avon River in England. At that time it had three hotels, harness, carriage and blacksmith shops and several stores. The Town Seal of Avon has the Towpath Canal as its central theme, which reflects Avon's early importance as an inland water port.
In 1830, the population numbered 1025 residents, increasing to 1057 by 1880, and 3171 by 1950. In 1960, the population numbered 5273 and in 1990, the count reached 14,000. The 2006 population is estimated at 17,041.
Avon's local government organization is established by Home Rule Charter, adopted in 1959 and amended in 1962, 1969 and 1975. Effective July 1981, the revised charter provides for a Town Manager, Town Council, Board of Finance and Town Meeting. Local elections are held every two years in odd numbered years during the month of November.
TOPOGRAPHY
The topography of Avon is varied. The highlands are in the westernmost portion of the town. Talcott Mountain on the West Hartford border is the most prominent feature with a peak of 950 feet. The westernmost border with Canton is delineated by the west branch of the Farmington River. The lowlands are in the Central Farmington River Valley with the east branch of the Farmington River flowing north through it. The central and western parts of Avon have rolling valley terrain with fair to good soils.
The town covers about 22.6 square miles. It has a rainfall of about 53" a year. The average daily maximum temperature is 63 and the average daily minimum is 42.50.
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