Spotlight on Local History: The Samuel Deming Store and Farmington’s Ties to Freedom
As communities across the nation reflect on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this week, it is fitting to recognize the local stories that contribute to the long arc of the struggle for justice. One of Farmington’s most significant sites connected to the fight for freedom sits quietly on Mill Lane: the former Samuel Deming Store.

Today known as the Sharp House, a property of Miss Porter’s School, the building at 2 Mill Lane was, for nearly two centuries, a commercial and civic hub. Yet its most enduring legacy stems from its role in the Amistad story and the broader abolitionist movement.

A Store Built on Commerce and Principle
Built in 1809 by Samuel Deming’s father and uncle, the store originally stood next to the Deming home on Main Street. It operated as a typical early 19th century mercantile establishment, offering both local goods and imported items. Samuel Deming eventually took over the business, becoming a respected merchant, but also a respected legislator, church leader, and committed abolitionist.

Farmington’s Role in the Amistad Story
In March 1841, thirty-three African men and one boy from the schooner La Amistad arrived in Farmington after months of legal proceedings in New Haven. Deming offered the second floor of his store as temporary lodging.

Thirty three men and one boy stayed in an 18 by 20 foot room, furnished with simple bunks. By day the space served as their classroom, where they studied English, arithmetic, and Christianity for five hours daily under local and Yale affiliated instructors. The three Mendi girls lived with local families, but joined the lessons.

Farmington residents later built a dedicated dormitory at 127 Main Street, but the Deming Store remained the Mendi schoolroom for the rest of their stay. This chapter secured Farmington’s place on the Farmington Freedom Trail and linked the town directly to the anti-slavery movement.

A Local Legacy Worth Honoring
Samuel Deming’s store illustrates how national movements for freedom were shaped not only by leaders, but also by everyday citizens, and neighbors, who acted on conviction. During MLK Week, it offers a powerful local example of how everyday people contributed to a national struggle for freedom.

📜Did You Know?
When a new town hall (now the fire station site) was constructed on Main Street in the late 1920s, the Deming Store was relocated to its present location on Mill Lane.

🔍Valley Trivia
Over the decades that followed, the building served multiple community roles, including a period as Farmington’s post office (pictured above). Which two other uses did it have more recently?

A. Print shop and a cobbler
B. Town archive and a museum
C. Doctor’s office and a pharmacy
D. Local deli and shop, and a five and dime

Find out the answer in next week’s issue!

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