Bridgewater Center Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bridgewater Center Historic District
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St. Mark's Episcopal Church
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly along Main St., Warner Rd., Clapboard Rd. and Hat Shop Hill, Bridgewater, Connecticut |
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| Area | 50 acres (20 ha) |
| Architectural style | Federal, Greek Revival, et.al. |
| NRHP reference No. | 00000816 |
| Added to NRHP | July 19, 2000 |
The Bridgewater Center Historic District is a special area in Bridgewater, Connecticut. It shows what the town center looked like long ago. This district became important in the early 1800s. That was even before Bridgewater officially became its own town. Bridgewater separated from New Milford in 1856. Many buildings here are in the Federal style and Greek Revival styles. This historic district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. This means it is a very important place in American history.
Contents
Exploring Bridgewater's Historic Center
The Bridgewater Center Historic District is found mainly along Main Street. It stretches from Warner Street in the south. It goes north to a small stream crossing. The district also extends a short way west on Hat Shop Hill Road. This road meets Main Street and Clapboard Road. This meeting point is near the center of the district.
How Bridgewater Center Began
Bridgewater was first part of a larger town called New Milford. People started settling here in the mid-1700s. The area was known as "The Neck" back then. It was the part of New Milford east of the Housatonic River. The center of the village began to grow in 1807. That's when the Congregational Church was built. It was placed in a central spot. The village quickly grew, mostly south of the church.
A Town Green and Old Schools
The Center Park is a special part of the district. It is located between Main and Center Streets. This park works like a town green. It was created in 1856. This happened after Bridgewater officially became a town. One of the newer historic buildings is the Burnham School. It was built in 1929.
Important Buildings You'll See
There are more than 60 historic buildings in this district. The original Congregational Church from 1807 is here. It was updated in 1842 with Greek Revival features. Also at the main road junction is St. Mark's Episcopal Church. This church is a beautiful example of Gothic Revival architecture made of wood.
Both the current and old town halls are in the district. You can also see a unique Queen Anne style building. This building was used for businesses. It is on the west side of South Main Street. The area has not changed much since the early 1900s. This helps keep its historic look.
The Hat-Making Business
The village of Bridgewater also grew because of hat makers. Their businesses were located to the west. They were further along Hat Shop Hill Road. These hat factories helped the town center become very busy. This economic activity helped the town thrive.
