Tobacco Field

The First tobacco seeds are believed to have been brought to South Windsor from Virginia in the year 1640.  Tobacco has played an important part in the development of the Town. It was customary in the early days for the Town to appoint an Inspector and Presser of Tobacco at the yearly Town meeting.  Many of our historic family names- Wolcotts, Ellsworths, Bissells, Stoughtons, Grants, Talcotts, to name a few, grew tobacco for commercial purposes.  Significant advances in the raising and curing of tobacco were made here in South Windsor.  In the year 1901, Marcus Floyd grew the first shade grown tobacco on Rye Street.  The shade-grown variety produced a thinner, smoother leaf with smaller veins that was more suitable for fine cigar wrappers.  Mrs. Proust, a resident of Town is credited as being the first person to roll a cigar in the United States.