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E. A. Wildman & Co. Tobacco Warehouse facts for kids
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E. A. Wildman & Co. Tobacco Warehouse
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 34 Bridge St., New Milford, Connecticut |
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| Area | 0.2 acres (0.081 ha) |
| Built | 1870 |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th century post & beam |
| NRHP reference No. | 88000731 |
| Added to NRHP | October 20, 1988 |
The E.A. Wildman & Co. Tobacco Warehouse is a very old building in New Milford, Connecticut. It was built in 1870. This building is important because it's the oldest tobacco warehouse still standing in the town. New Milford used to be a big center for processing tobacco. In 1988, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as a special place in American history. Today, the building is used as a hotel.
Contents
What Does the Warehouse Look Like?
The Wildman Tobacco Warehouse is a large building. It has two and a half stories and is made of wood. You can find it on Bridge Street in central New Milford. It's located between Middle Street and the Housatonic Railroad tracks.
How Big is This Historic Building?
The warehouse is very long, about 167 feet (51 meters). It has three main parts. The front two parts, which are 16 sections long, were built right there. The back part, which is four sections long, was a separate warehouse. It was moved to this spot in 1901. This back section is very rare. It's an example of a "rural packing barn." This kind of barn was used by farmers to prepare tobacco.
Special Features of the Warehouse
The front of the building has five main sections. There's a porch with a slanted roof that runs all the way across the front. The main entrance is right in the middle of this porch.
A Look Back: History of the Tobacco Warehouse
The front part of the warehouse was built in 1870. This was when tobacco farming was just starting to grow in the New Milford area.
New Milford's Tobacco Boom
By the time of World War I, New Milford was a major producer of tobacco. This tobacco was used to wrap cigars. The town had 12 different places for packing and storing tobacco.
Who Was Edward Wildman?
The Wildman Warehouse was one of the first to be built by a "commercial packer." This means it was built by a business, not just a farmer. Before this, farmers usually handled their own tobacco packing. Edward Wildman was from Brookfield, Connecticut. He worked for a large tobacco company in New York City.
Growing and Changing Over Time
Edward Wildman's warehouse got bigger in 1874. It was expanded again in 1901 because more and more tobacco was being produced. The building was used for tobacco until about 1950.