Located in the southwestern corner of the state, Hinsdale was chartered in 1753. It was named for Colonel Ebenezer Hinsdale. Col. Hinsdale served as chaplain at Fort Dummer, an important trading post on the Connecticut River, later enlisting as an officer in the army. Then, in 1742, he established Fort Hinsdale. Settlers came from Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut to homestead. A number of farms grew up along the Connecticut River near the confluence of the Ashuelot River. The area had been a favorite of the Native Tribes that inhabited the region.