Flanking the Ottauquechee River and extending up Happy Valley Road, the area developed around a metal tool factory established by members of the Taft family in 1793.

[1] The village of Taftsville is centered around the junction of United States Route 4 and Happy Valley Road in far eastern Woodstock.

A former school building, now serving as a Mennonite chapel, stands on Happy Valley Road; it was built in 1911, and has Colonial Revival features.

The business was a success, and flourished into the late 19th century despite its original main building's destruction by fire in 1811.

It is unclear if the Tafts built the store as a place to sell their wares, or as a service to their growing number of employees.