Hattertown, Connecticut facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hattertown Historic District
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly, jct. of Aunt Park Ln., Castle Meadow, Hattertown, and Hi Barlow Rds., Newtown, Connecticut |
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| Architect | Patchen, Isaac |
| Architectural style | Colonial, Federal, Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 96001461 |
| Added to NRHP | December 06, 1996 |
Hattertown is a small village located in the town of Newtown, Connecticut, United States. It's a special place because it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Hattertown Historic District. This means it has important historical buildings and areas.
The Story of Hattertown
Hattertown got its name from the hat-making business that grew there in the early 1800s. Making hats was a very important job in western Connecticut during the 19th century. It first started in Danbury around 1780.
Hats were made from felt, which is a thick fabric created from animal fur. As more hats were made, the business spread from Danbury to nearby areas. This happened because the supply of fur from animals like muskrat, fox, and beaver was running low in Danbury.
A small village already existed where Hattertown is now before 1821. That's when the Taylor and Benedict families arrived and started making hats. Hattertown became one of the few places where almost everyone in the village worked in the hat trade.
Hat making in Hattertown was a "cottage industry." This means people made hats in their homes or small workshops. They would make rough, unfinished hats. These hats were then sold to larger companies in Danbury or "front shops" in New York City. There, the hats would be finished and sold to customers.
Hat making continued in Hattertown until at least 1856. However, the business started to slow down by the 1840s. This was because machines were beginning to do more of the fur processing and hat shaping. Also, there were fewer fur-bearing animals left in the local area.
Exploring the Hattertown Historic District
The Hattertown Historic District is a special area that protects old and important buildings. It is centered around the Hattertown Green, which was created in the late 1800s. The Green is surrounded by Hattertown Road, Hi Barlow Road, Gregory Lane, and the intersections of Castle Meadow Road and Aunt Park Lane.
This historic district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This listing helps to preserve the area's history. It also includes a smaller local historic district with special rules to protect its buildings.
There are eleven historic homes that are part of the National Register historic district. These houses are very old, with some dating back to around 1750. The oldest is the Levi Taylor House, and others like the house at 52 Aunt Park Lane are from about 1850.
You can also find several other old buildings from the same time period. These include barns, sheds, and even old outdoor toilets called privies. These structures also help show the history and architecture of the area.
A schoolhouse from about 1780, now called the Gregory Orchard's District School, was originally on the village green. It was moved in 1975 to its current spot next to the Morgan House.
