The History of Bethel

Plumtrees One Room Schoolhouse

Bethel, which means "House of God" in Hebrew, was part of the town of Danbury until 1855. Through local historians do not know the exact date of Bethel's settlement, they surmise that settlers moved into what is now known as Bethel soon after Danbury was settled in the 1700's.

Religious fervor was responsible for Bethel's creation as a separate township. In 1797, Bethel petitioned The General Assembly for town status, as their voices were not being represented at Danbury Town Meetings. Their efforts were finally rewarded in 1855.

Though Bethel's most famous citizen was P.T. Barnum, most of his 19th century contemporaries would have listed their occupations as farmer, but as early as 1793, the town, along with its big brother Danbury, became hatting center. In the late 1800's hat shops flourished and Bethel was listed as one of the top seven hatting centers in the United States. Hatting even kept Bethel thriving through the depression. After hats went out of style, Bethel residents found employment in other areas. No one industry replaced hatting, but many Fortune 500 corporations are located to the area.