Connecticut Route 126
Encyclopedia
Route 126 is a minor state highway in northwestern Connecticut
, running from Route 63
in Canaan
to U.S. Route 44
in North Canaan
.
. Route 63 is signed for the village of South Canaan, while Route 126 heads directly for the town center in Falls Village
. In Falls Village, it intersects with U.S. Route 7
and then proceeds to follow Main Street and Brewster Road through the village, then turns north along Sand Road. It follows the east bank of the Housatonic River
as it heads into the town of North Canaan
, crossing the Housatonic Valley Railroad tracks, then shifting to Belden Street. After crossing the town line, it ends after 0.2 mile (0.321868 km) at an intersection with U.S. Route 44
in the southwest corner of North Canaan.
along Falls Mountain Road and Farnum Road (part of the alignment has been abandoned) into the village of Lakeville
. From there, the turnpike used modern Route 44 to reach the village of Millerton, New York
, where the road continued as the Ulster and Delaware Turnpike. This portion of Route 126 was also incorporated in the first state highway system established in 1922. The Huntsville to Falls Village section became the north end of State Highway 132 in the 1920s. In the 1932 state highway renumbering
, old Highway 132 became Route 43 (later to become Route 63
) except for the north end. Route 43 was aligned so that it went directly to South Canaan. The leftover portion heading into Falls Village became Route 126. By 1938, Route 126 was extended northward to its current end at US 44. No major changes has occurred since then.
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, running from Route 63
Route 63 (Connecticut)
Route 63 is a secondary state highway in the U.S. state of Connecticut, from New Haven up to Canaan, running for . It connects the Greater New Haven area to Northwestern Connecticut via the western suburbs of Waterbury.-Route description:...
in Canaan
Canaan, Connecticut
Canaan is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,081 at the 2000 census. The town of Canaan is often referred to locally by the name of its principal constituent village, Falls Village.-Geography:...
to U.S. Route 44
U.S. Route 44
U.S. Route 44 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 237 miles through four states in the Northeastern region of the United States. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 209 and New York State Route 55 in Kerhonkson, a hamlet in the Hudson Valley region of New York...
in North Canaan
North Canaan, Connecticut
North Canaan is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,350 at the 2000 census. The town center is still called "Canaan" by local residents, being the main town center of the old Town of Canaan prior to North Canaan splitting off as its own town.The Union Depot...
.
Route description
Route 126 begins as Point of Rocks Road splitting off to the west from Route 63 in the Huntsville section of the town of CanaanCanaan, Connecticut
Canaan is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,081 at the 2000 census. The town of Canaan is often referred to locally by the name of its principal constituent village, Falls Village.-Geography:...
. Route 63 is signed for the village of South Canaan, while Route 126 heads directly for the town center in Falls Village
Falls Village, Connecticut
Falls Village is a village and census-designated place in the town of Canaan, Connecticut. Because Falls Village is the town center and principal constituent village in Canaan, the entire town is often referred to as "Falls Village." That usage also avoids confusion of the town with Canaan Village...
. In Falls Village, it intersects with U.S. Route 7
U.S. Route 7
U.S. Route 7 is a north–south United States highway in western New England that runs for from Norwalk, Connecticut, to Highgate, Vermont. The highway's southern terminus is at Interstate 95 in Norwalk, Connecticut...
and then proceeds to follow Main Street and Brewster Road through the village, then turns north along Sand Road. It follows the east bank of the Housatonic River
Housatonic River
The Housatonic River is a river, approximately long, in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United States. It flows south to southeast, and drains about of southwestern New England into Long Island Sound...
as it heads into the town of North Canaan
North Canaan, Connecticut
North Canaan is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,350 at the 2000 census. The town center is still called "Canaan" by local residents, being the main town center of the old Town of Canaan prior to North Canaan splitting off as its own town.The Union Depot...
, crossing the Housatonic Valley Railroad tracks, then shifting to Belden Street. After crossing the town line, it ends after 0.2 mile (0.321868 km) at an intersection with U.S. Route 44
U.S. Route 44
U.S. Route 44 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 237 miles through four states in the Northeastern region of the United States. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 209 and New York State Route 55 in Kerhonkson, a hamlet in the Hudson Valley region of New York...
in the southwest corner of North Canaan.
History
The Huntsville to Falls Village section of modern Route 126 was originally the eastern half of the Salisbury and Canaan Turnpike, a private toll road that was chartered in October 1801. The turnpike ran along modern Route 126 from Route 63 to Falls Village, then it crossed the Housatonic River via Water Street and proceeded west through the town of SalisburySalisbury, Connecticut
Salisbury is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The town is the northwest-most in the State of Connecticut. The MA-NY-CT Tri-State Marker is located just on the border of Salisbury...
along Falls Mountain Road and Farnum Road (part of the alignment has been abandoned) into the village of Lakeville
Lakeville, Connecticut
Lakeville is a village and census-designated place in the town of Salisbury in Litchfield County, Connecticut, on Lake Wononskopomuc. The village includes Lakeville Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The district represents about of the village center...
. From there, the turnpike used modern Route 44 to reach the village of Millerton, New York
Millerton, New York
Millerton is a village in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 925 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined...
, where the road continued as the Ulster and Delaware Turnpike. This portion of Route 126 was also incorporated in the first state highway system established in 1922. The Huntsville to Falls Village section became the north end of State Highway 132 in the 1920s. In the 1932 state highway renumbering
1932 state highway renumbering (Connecticut)
In 1932, the Highway Department of the U.S. state of Connecticut , decided to completely renumber all its state highways. The only exceptions were the U.S. Highways and some of the New England Interstate Routes. Between 1922 and 1932, Connecticut used a state highway numbering system shared with...
, old Highway 132 became Route 43 (later to become Route 63
Route 63 (Connecticut)
Route 63 is a secondary state highway in the U.S. state of Connecticut, from New Haven up to Canaan, running for . It connects the Greater New Haven area to Northwestern Connecticut via the western suburbs of Waterbury.-Route description:...
) except for the north end. Route 43 was aligned so that it went directly to South Canaan. The leftover portion heading into Falls Village became Route 126. By 1938, Route 126 was extended northward to its current end at US 44. No major changes has occurred since then.