The National Trust for Historic Preservation has made Simsbury the first Connecticut town to win designation as one of its “Dozen Distinctive Destinations.”

The honor is bestowed annually on communities around the country and recognizes their commitment to protecting their recreational and historical assets.

In Simsbury’s case, factors in its selection included its preserved downtown, its network of hiking and biking trails, fly fishing and kayaking opportunities on the Farmington River and top rated restaurants.

According to a Hartford Courant report, the campaign to win the Destination award was led by the town’s Main Street Partnership and supported by both local officials and the state’s congressional delegation.

On the National Trust website, www.preservationnation.org, people are invited to vote for the top destination. Simsbury created a video to show locally encouraging residents to vote for their town.

Ultimately the top 2010 vote getter was Marquette, Mich. Other New England towns named to the top dozen were Rockland, Maine and Provincetown, Mass.