Four million years ago, a shallow sea covered Connecticut, and mountains as grand as the Alps rose up. Time blew the mountains away bit by bit, and rivers carried their pieces to the Farmington Valley, located low and central. Over eons this sediment hardened into sandstone and shale. Then came fiery lava and the land twisted itself into the steep cliffs of Talcott Mountain.

Two million years ago, glaciers came and went and thick ice buried Avon at least four times. One thousand years ago, the Tunxis people of the Algonquian family of tribes settled the area, and in 1640 they sold their land to the English. The thirty-one families of Avon, then known as the Northington Parish of Farmington, built their first meetinghouse in 1754, at the end of what is today Reverknolls Road.

Thomas North, son of John North, settled on the present site in 1678. After fighting the British Colonial Army in King Phillip’s War, he became a “Freeman” and for his services he received from the King of England a grant of land on the East side of the Farmington River, under the mountain and North of the Hartford-Albany Turnpike. His son, Nathaniel built his home on a parcel of his fathers grant in 1757. Now a part of Avon Old Farms Inn- the foyer, lobby, Private Dining Room and other areas compris Nathaniel North’s original home. Nathaniel’s grandson, Isiah, Deacon of Northington Church, upon his death left his property to his son, Joseph.

In 1832, Joseph North, a blacksmith in the Nod area, remodeled his shop, erecting a fine stone building, now known as the Forge Room. Joseph North’s Forge Room has the longest continuously operating fireplace in the state of Connecticut. An Inn was established around 1678 across the turnpike from North’s Blacksmith shop and was known as Marshall Tavern. It was here that the Hartford-Albany-Boston stagecoach stopped overnight. Passengers and horses were accommodated both at Marshall Tavern and at Joseph North’s home and shop. It is rumored that both Presidents and founding fathers, George Washington and John Adams took shelter and imbibed at the North House while traveling through the area.

In 1923, the North homestead became the Old Farms Inn. The property flourished as the Old Farms Inn for nearly a century as it operated as a tavern, restaurant and inn.

In 1992, the Avon Old Farms inn underwent a major addition and renovation. The “Belle Ballroom” was added onto the property to accommodate larger private functions. The ballroom was named to honor long time owner, Belle Young. The property was foreclosed upon in 2010 by General Electric after languishing sales combined with the economic slow down. In 2011, Riverhouse Hospitality was approached to help save the historic, but failed Avon Old Farms Inn. With help from General Electric, Riverhouse Hospitality made needed renovations and upgrades.

In January 2015, the Chabot Family, owners of Farmington Gardens, walked through the historic property for the first time and realized the huge potential that the property offered with both the Belle Ballroom and the former Old Farms Inn restaurant. After months of stressful negotiations, the Chabot Family closed on the property on June 29, 2015 and vowed to finally restore Avon Old Farms Inn to its former glory. The first step was to pay homage to the settlers of the property and rename the property what it was first known as; The North House.