Coventry

Coventry Town Museum

Founded: In 1806, it was formed from the town of Greene. Coventry was enlarged in 1843 to include part of Oxford.

Hamlets within the town: Blackesley Corner, Bowbell Hill and Coventryville.

Named after: Coventry, Conn., by settlers from the New England region.

Current population: 1,655 (2010 U.S. Census)

Notable people: William Goodell (1792-1878) was an abolitionist and helped to form the New-York Anti-Slavery Society in 1833. William Eugene “Pussyfoot” Johnson (1862-1945) was an American prohibition advocate and law enforcement officer who spent his career undercover, exposing illegal alcohol during the American Prohibition Movement (1920-1933).

Interesting facts: Coventry’s poor soil condition has made dairy herding prominent since the formation of Coventry. Coventry has held a blueberry festival to celebrate the crop since 2006. In 1869, the town contained three churches (Presbyterian, Methodist and Baptist), a hotel, a one district school and a select school, two wagon shops, a blacksmith shop, a tannery, several stores, and approximately 50 dwellings.

Industry past: With a high number of dairy farms, Coventry has been home to five cheese and butter factories.

Industry present: Coventry Transport Services is a company known for moving  liquid milk from local farms to large dairy distribution plants. Agriculture still plays a major and vital role in the economy of Coventry.