The first house built, in what is now Winsted, was located at the very top of
Lake Street. It was built by David Austin who discovered Highland Lake (then know as Long Pond) when he came over the
mountains from Winchester Center.
From page 22 of Boyd's Annals--"In June, 1771, the proprietors of Winchester granted to Richard Smith, the proprietor of the "Old Forge," at Robertsville, a right "to draw off or lower the Long Pond in Winchester one and a half feet, for the benefit of his iron works, during the pleasure of proprietors." During the same year, David Austin became the owner of the land at the outlet of the lake, and soon after built a grist-maill and saw-mill on the premises now owned by the Henry Spring Company...etc."
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