Case Brothers Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Case Brothers Historic District
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 680-728 Spring St., 40 Glen Rd., and rough boundaries of Case Mountain Recreation Area and Manchester Land, Manchester, Connecticut |
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| Area | 435 acres (176 ha) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals, Rustic |
| NRHP reference No. | 09000468 |
| Added to NRHP | June 30, 2009 |
The Case Brothers Historic District is a special area in Manchester, Connecticut. It includes old homes, business buildings, and a beautiful park that all belonged to the important Case family. This family made paper for a long time, from 1862 until 1967. They also built amazing houses and helped create what is now the Case Mountain Recreation Area. This area is a natural park open to everyone. Because of its history, these properties were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.
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Exploring the Case Brothers Historic District
The Case Brothers Historic District is found in the southeastern part of Manchester. It's a bit separated from the rest of the city. This is because of Interstate 384 to the northwest and the hilly land of Case Mountain to the south.
What You'll Find in the District
This historic area includes several interesting things. You can see a paper mill complex made of brick and wood. There are also dams and bridges built by the Case Brothers across Birch Mountain Brook. These structures helped create two ponds, called Upper and Lower Case Ponds.
The district also has two beautiful homes. These belonged to Alfred Wells Case and Albert Willard Case. The houses are located at 673 and 680 Spring Street. They are close enough to walk to the brothers' paper mill. The mill stands near where the Lower Case Pond water flows out.
The Case Family Homes
Both houses were built in the 1860s. At first, they were designed in the Italianate style. But in the early 1900s, they were changed a lot. One house was updated to a Mediterranean Revival style. It has a stucco (a type of plaster) outside. The other house became a grand Colonial Revival mansion.
The Story of the Case Brothers
The twin brothers, Alfred and Albert Case, learned how to make paper at other factories. They saw a great chance to start their own business during the American Civil War. So, in 1862, they opened their own paper factory in this spot.
Building a Community
The family started building their homes in this area in 1869. Over the next few decades, the brothers bought more land. They also grew their business. They created a small, almost complete community around their mill. This area was known as Highland Park.
The paper company stayed in the family. The brothers passed it on to their children. The business even survived the tough times of the Great Depression. In 1967, the Case family sold the paper business to another company called Boise Cascade. Boise Cascade kept the mill running until 1973.
The main family homes have also been sold to new owners. The natural park area that the Cases created on Case Mountain is now owned by both the city and a local group that works to protect nature.
