Department Store Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Department Store Historic District
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Cheney Building
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 884--956 Main St. and 36 Talcott St., Hartford, Connecticut |
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| Area | 5 acres (2.0 ha) |
| Built | 1876 |
| Architect | Allen, Isaac A.; Henry Hobson Richardson; Cass Gilbert |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival, Renaissance, Romanesque |
| MPS | Hartford Downtown MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 95000284 |
| Added to NRHP | March 23, 1995 |
The Department Store Historic District is a special area in Downtown Hartford, Connecticut. It's like a historical neighborhood that shows off important old buildings. This district is famous because it was home to three very important department stores. These stores played a huge role in the city's economy and shopping scene for many years!
This historic area covers about 5 acres (2 hectares). In 1995, it included three main buildings, another structure, and a special object that all added to its historical importance. One of the buildings, the Cheney Building, is so important that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places all by itself!
Contents
Exploring Hartford's Historic Department Stores
The Department Store Historic District is important because of the big economic role these three department stores played. They were not just places to shop; they were central to the city's life and growth.
The G. Fox Building: A Grand Shopping Place
The G. Fox & Co. building is located at 960 Main Street. It's a beautiful building designed in the Neoclassical style by a famous architect named Cass Gilbert. It was built in 1918. Besides the main store, a warehouse and a bridge connecting it to the store are also part of this historic district.
In 1935, a cool, modern-looking canopy was added over the storefronts. This canopy is a great example of the Art Deco style in Hartford. Every Christmas, an amazing display was built on top of this canopy. It featured tiny models of famous Connecticut buildings and festive decorations. This display brought shoppers from all over the state to see it!
The Brown Thomson Building: A Unique Design
The Brown Thomson building was originally known as the Cheney Building. It was designed by Henry Hobson Richardson in 1877. He used a special style he created called Richardsonian Romanesque. This style often features strong, heavy stone and rounded arches. At one time, the G. Fox & Co. department store even expanded into this building.
The Sage-Allen Building: A Landmark Restored
The main Sage-Allen store building was built in 1898. It was designed by architect Isaac A. Allen. You can find it at 884-902 Main Street, close to Talcott Street.
This building has been carefully restored. Now, it has both shops and fancy apartments inside. As part of the restoration, a building from the 1960s next door was updated. It was given a new front that matched the historic style of the Sage-Allen building.
The Famous Sage-Allen Clock
The Sage-Allen store was also known for its special sidewalk clock. This clock stood freely on the Main Street sidewalk in front of the store. It was a well-known landmark in Hartford. The clock was built in 1899.
Sadly, the clock was damaged in a windstorm in 1992. It was later fixed and moved to another sidewalk in the city. But people remembered how important it was to Main Street. So, a deal was made to bring the clock back to its original spot. A clock expert was called to restart it when it returned to Main Street in the summer of 2007.
