Ellington is located in Tolland County in the north central part of the state on Highway 140 north of the town of Vernon.
"Land surveyed to Daniel and John Ellsworth, sons of Lieutenant John Ellsworth, of Windsor, by Thomas Kimberly, surveyor of land in Hartford County, 16th of March, 1720, five hundred and forty acres of land between the mountains east of Windsor and Connecticut river, at a place called by the English 'The Great Marsh,' and by the Indians 'Weaxkashuck'.
Originally Ellington was part of the township of East Windsor. It was incorporated as a town in 1786.
Local attractions include: Shenipsit Lake, Hockamn River, Shenipsit State Forest, Broad Brook Millpond, Windsorville Pond, Abbey Brook, and Seantic River.
Ellington is part of the Hartford, Connecticut metro area.