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By Karen Rice West Washington County Guide History Early settlements in Farmington date back to the 1820s with William H. Engle, who operated Engles Mill at the time. Engle is also responsible for the current city name. He thought the local area was ideal for farming and raising families, and through that, the name "Farmington" was born. e town has been involved in crop production of strawberries and grapes, and is home to Stark Brothers Nursery, one of the oldest and largest nurseries in the United States. Farmington was incorporated in the late 1940s, with the majority of the city used for agricultural purposes. e McNeal store was at one time the biggest in the county. Opening in 1913, this store was in business until 1974. Besides groceries, the store had auto parts, harnesses for horses and mules, feed, medicine and dry goods. Anything the people of the community needed, they stocked. Many farmers traded in the store, many on credit. Sales began between $6 and $13 a day in 1913, and increased to over $100 per day by 1919. Sales declined during e Great Depression, and one day in 1933 the sales totaled $2.75. A huckster line was started and the younger McNeals loaded a truck with groceries and drove to the neighboring farmhouses. During the day, the McNeal store was a favorite place to "sit a spell" on the front porch. At night, seated on nail kegs around a potbelly stove, stories were told about World War I and an eccentric resident known as the Cance-Wilson ghost. e Cance- Wilson ghost has reportedly been seen by and even chased some of the area residents. During strawberry season in Farmington and the surrounding area, people traveled throughout the area to help pick. Strawberry growers Photo courtesy Enterprise-Leader Kids climb the "rock" wall at the Creekside Park playground. A growing, family-friendly metropolis Farmington: 8 | 2023 West Washington County Directory