 A ridge east of the Quinebaug River was where the colonial meeting house was located, and is now where the First Congregational Church of Plainfield stands; it was built in 1816 to a design by Ithiel Town.The road along the ridge, now Route 12, developed as a major north-south route in eastern Connecticut, and was crossed by the road connecting Hartford with Providence, Rhode Island, now Route 14A and Cemetery Road.The town center flourished as a crossroads community into the early 19th century, after which its importance waned in comparison to the town's burgeoning textile mill villages.