Bush Hill Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bush Hill Historic District
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Parts of Bush Hill Rd., CT 169, and Wolf Den Rd., Brooklyn, Connecticut |
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| Area | 350 acres (140 ha) |
| Built | 1740 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 87000012 |
| Added to NRHP | February 10, 1987 |
The Bush Hill Historic District is a special area in Brooklyn, Connecticut. It's like stepping back in time! This district includes parts of Bush Hill Road, Connecticut Route 169, and Wolf Den Road. It's famous for having many old farmhouses and barns that were built a long time ago, some even before the 1800s. This historic district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 because of its importance.
Discovering the Bush Hill Historic District
The Bush Hill Historic District is found on two raised areas, or "ridges." One ridge has Connecticut Route 169 running through it. The other ridge is home to Wolf Den Road. Bush Hill Road connects these two important areas.
What Makes Bush Hill Special?
There are about twenty houses in this district. Most of these homes were built using a style called "post-and-beam construction." This means they have a strong frame made of large wooden posts and beams. Many also have a big chimney in the center and a roof that slopes down on two sides (called a "side-gable roof").
Most of these houses were built in the late 1700s or early 1800s. Many of them still have their original farm buildings, like barns, from the 1800s. These buildings show us how people lived and farmed many years ago.
A Look Back at Brooklyn's History
The area that is now Brooklyn started to be settled in the 1710s. The first church was built there in 1728. Brooklyn officially became its own town in 1786. It was formed from parts of two other towns, Pomfret and Canterbury.
Settlement in eastern Connecticut, including Brooklyn, usually happened on the ridges. Farms were typically between 100 and 150 acres in size. In the early days, these were "subsistence farms." This means farmers grew just enough food to feed their own families. Later, in the 1800s, many farms started to specialize. They might focus on growing fruit in orchards or raising cows for dairy products.
The Bush Hill area was mainly settled by families named Williams and Putnam. You might know about Israel Putnam, a famous general from the American Revolutionary War. He was a member of the Putnam family and had a large house in the center of Brooklyn. However, his specific farm was not located within this historic district.
