Little Haddam Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Little Haddam Historic District
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First Church of Christ, Congregational
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly bounded by E. Haddam Rd., Orchard Rd., and Town St., East Haddam, Connecticut |
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| Area | 75 acres (30 ha) |
| Built | 1794 |
| Architect | Fillmore, Lavius |
| Architectural style | Colonial, Federal, Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000783 |
| Added to NRHP | August 1, 1996 |
The Little Haddam Historic District is a special area in East Haddam, Connecticut. It's like a time capsule, showing how a small village looked long ago. This historic district includes old buildings along Orchard and Town Roads. People settled here very early in Connecticut's history. For many years, this spot was the main center of East Haddam. You can still see some of the oldest buildings from the 1700s and early 1800s here. Because of its history, the district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.
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Discovering Little Haddam's Past
Little Haddam holds a lot of history for the town of East Haddam. This area was once the heart of the community. It was where the first important buildings were constructed.
How East Haddam Began
East Haddam was not always a separate town. It was first part of Haddam. The Connecticut River separates the two places. People started settling in this area in the 1670s. The very first church, called a colonial meeting house, was built in Little Haddam in 1704. East Haddam officially became its own town in 1734.
The Village Center Changes
Little Haddam was the main town center for a long time. But over the years, other places became more important. Areas along the river grew because of trade and business. Later, Moodus became a busy place for factories and jobs in the 1800s. Even though Little Haddam wasn't the main center anymore, it still had some importance. For example, the Grange, a community organization, became active here in the late 1800s.
Historic Buildings to See
The Little Haddam Historic District is centered where Orchard Road and Town Road meet. This was the spot of East Haddam's very first church. The church you see there today was built in 1794. It's a great example of the Federal style of architecture.
Other important buildings include a hall built in 1857. This hall was used for town meetings, where people discussed local issues. The Grange hall, built in 1905, is also part of the district. Many homes in the district are also very old. Some date back to around 1702. You can see many well-preserved houses from the Colonial and Federal periods. These buildings help us imagine what life was like hundreds of years ago.
