has changed considerably over the course of the town's history. At various points, iron works, logging, manufacturing, and farming have driven local economic activity, but contemporary Washington has no industrial base, and only a handful of farms remain active. Today, the local economy is centered on the town's population of affluent, part-time residents, whose income, for the most part, is not locally derived. The design, construction, renovation, decoration, maintenance, and sale of country houses accounts for a substantial portion of local economic activity. Restaurants, inns, speciality retail shops, and professional services also play an important role in Washington's economy, as do educational institutions. Infrastructure Transportation U.S. Route 202 runs east–west in the northern part of town, connecting the villages of Marbledale, New Preston, and Woodville. Connecticut Route 109 runs east–west near the town's geographic center, connecting Washington Depot with New Milford and Morris. The main north–south highways are Route 47, Route 199, and Route 45. There is no public transportation within the town. Architecture A substantial percentage of the houses in Washington were built prior to 1950, and many of the structures built since then have faithfully followed the town's rural New England vernacular, resulting in an unusual degree of architectural cohesion. Washington has many well preserved historic homes, built in the Georgian, Greek Revival, Italianate, and Shingle styles, and many 19th century mill structures, barns, and other agricultural outbuildings. The Connecticut Historical Commission conducted a comprehensive inventory of historic structures in Washington and in 2000 published the voluminous "Historic and Architectural Resource Survey of Washington, Connecticut," which includes detailed information about dozens of historic structures throughout the town. Historic districts Washington includes three municipal historic district and one federally designated National Register district. The Washington Green Historic District encompasses the area around the Congregational Church and includes portions of Green Hill Road, Kirby Road, Parsonage Lane, and Old North Road. The district includes several buildings designed by architect Ehrick Rossiter, together with well-preserved 18th- and 19th-century houses designed in the Georgian, Greek Revival, and Italianate styles. The Calhoun–Ives Historic District runs along Calhoun Street and Ives Road. It is Connecticut's only agricultural historic district and is characterized by modestly scaled 18th- and 19th-century farmhouses, built in the Georgian and Greek Revival styles, together with accompanying agricultural outbuildings, farm fields, and fruit orchards. The Sunny Ridge Historic District encompasses the area along Sunny Ridge Road, just south of its junction