Parkville takes its name from its location at the junction of the North and South Branches of the Park River.

The area, similar to others surrounding Hartford, was primarily farmland through much of the 19th century. In 1878, residents tried to secede from Hartford, claiming they were over-taxed merely because their land was not developed.

By the early 1880's, the expansion of the adjacent Frog Hollow neighborhood, coupled with the extension of the railroad line southwest towards New Haven, forever changed the complexion of Frog Hollow.

In 1907, Royal Typewriter was built along the railroad tracks and other factories moved into the neighborhood, stimulating the need for housing for workers. The early population of the neighborhood was Irish, followed by French Canadian, Scandinavian and German. Today, the neighborhood is comprised of a large population of Portuguese.

The neighborhood has a very active community organization that has worked to improve the streetscape and quality of life. Margaret Merriman, the director of the Parkville Senior Citizens Center for over 30 years, sees to it that the elders in the neighborhood stay active and involved.