Economic and Community Development

    Available Commercial Properties May - July 2025 

The idea of a Community Garden grew from one young man’s quest to grow a giant cabbage, named Hamelton, for a scholarship from the Bonnie Cabbage Company.  Unfortunately, Hamelton could not grow quite large enough due to space constraints!  Two years later, The Dr. Robert R. Johnston Community Garden of Rhodesville emerged! The Garden is located at 41 Smith Street.

Check out our new pollinator garden!

We have revitalized the sign garden on site at the community garden with a special focus on supporting pollinators. Pollinator gardens are a critical aspect of maintaining healthy ecosystems. They instigate plant growth through increased pollination and improve air quality. Our geographic location allows local agriculturists to benefit from the effects of the garden. They provide food and shelter for insects and other wild animals, promoting biodiversity. One of every three bites of our food is created with the help of pollinators. Pollinator’s ecological cost is valued at $200 billion a year in America alone (Randall). They are essential to a more sustainable world. Ways you can contribute to pollinators include lawnmowing every 2-3 weeks, decreasing insecticide use, and planting pollinator friendly flowers and shrubs.

Community Garden Shed Gets a Facelift! 

Putnam’s Farmer’s Market is held on Saturdays from 10:00am to 1:00pm at the Riverview Marketplace Pavilion, 18 Kennedy Drive and is open from June through October. For Saturday Farmer’s Market information please click on the side panel under Economic & Community Development. 

Northeast CT Farmer’s Market is held on Thursdays, starting May 2025, from 3:30pm to 5:30pm at the Riverview Marketplace Pavilion, 18 Kennedy Drive.  Opens May through October. For Thursday Farmer’s Market information please click here.

The Town of Putnam adopted a permanent Storywalk® along the Putnam River Trail in 2015 through a Small-Town Economic Assistance Program Grant.  

A StoryWalk ® is a fun, educational activity that places a children’s story along the popular Putnam River Trail.  The project is a creative way to inspire parents, grandparents, teachers, and friends to take young children outside for physical activity while enjoying the gift of literacy. The Storywalk® starts at the Riverview Marketplace Pavilion, 18 Kennedy Drive, depending on the number of pages. ends approximately at the Kennedy Drive parking lot across from Riverview Landscape and Supply. 

 Go to the Putnam Public Library page 

December 2023 Story Details 

November 2023 Story Details 

October 2023 Story Details

August 2023 Story Details

July 2023 Story Details

June 2023 Story Details

May 2023 Story Details 

  Please Join us to help welcome the following businesses to the Community! 

2024

   Friday, August 9th @ 9am 

   Friday, August 16, @ 12 noon

The department's mission is to support business development in Putnam. One way we do this is through a small business loan program. We are looking to support businesses through capital improvement projects that will help bring them to the next level!

Applications available here.   If you have any questions, please reach out to the contact listed below.

 The Small Business Loan program is not available at this time.  

Beautification of Putnam is a collaborative and continuous effort. 

Partnering with the Putnam Business Association (PBA), the Beautification Committee coordinates not only clean street and landscapes, but also full-on Beautification events and programs like Adopt a Garden and Clean-Up Day. 

It takes a Community to keep a Community Clean.

For information about the Annual Beautification Clean-Up Day, visit the Rec Department page. 

Please contact the Economic Development Department for questions about the Beautification Committee.  

   Click the link below:

   How to Start an LLC in Connecticut 

   Click here for the Lead Free CT - A hub of lead information for residents and homeowners document.