The Most Widely Read Stories of 2011

During canton-ct.patch.com's first full year, we had the chance to cover many different stories that involved nearly every age group and segment of the population. 

Following is a list of the 10 local stories that generated the highest number of "hits." The topics that resonated with readers varied greatly. Sadly the first two involve the deaths of Canton teachers, both of whom made a huge impact on students.

Other stories were intriguing in nature, such as Sylvia Cancela's look at the history of Nepaug Reservoir and some of the alleged mystery that surrounded it.

A few involved animals. While a cruelty case from July generated nationwide interest and heated comments, a rare photo of a Moose in Canton easily surpassed it in popularity.

Weather, of course, was a huge story in 2011. While two stories from the October snowstorm made our top 10 list, surprising none from last winter or Tropical Storm Irene did. However, it was certainly a big story and we have included a newly submitted video from Irene, taken from the Route 179 bridge where hundreds gathered to see a raging Farmington River. 

There was certainly more news in 2011. There were a few dramatic fires that altered lives, and our election results also did well. Here, however, are those that made the cut.