Main Street Historic District (Durham, Connecticut) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Main Street Historic District
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The Oliver Knowles House (1839)
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly Maple Ave. and Main St. between Talcott Ln. and Higganum Rd., Durham, Connecticut |
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| Area | 160 acres (65 ha) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Greek Revival, Colonial |
| NRHP reference No. | 86002837 |
| Added to NRHP | September 4, 1986 |
The Main Street Historic District is a special area in Durham, Connecticut. It includes the old town center, where people lived, shopped, and gathered. This historic district stretches mostly along Main Street (which is also Route 17). It also follows Maple Avenue, a street that runs next to Main Street.
This district has many old buildings from the colonial times. It also features important public buildings. The Main Street Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. This means it is a place worth protecting because of its history.
Exploring Durham's Historic Main Street
Early settlers divided the land that is now Durham in the 1600s. But the town itself was not planned and settled until the early 1700s. Important landowners from Hartford helped choose the town center's location. They picked the northern part of the town.
Main Street was built on a high ridge of land. This ridge was between swampy areas that were common in the town back then. Because of these swamps, a full grid of streets could not be built. However, Maple Street was added later in the 1800s. It runs parallel to Main Street on its west side.
Life and Work in Old Durham
Durham was mostly a farming town. But its center was important because it was on a main road. This road connected Hartford and New Haven. Travelers often stopped here. They could find taverns and other services.
In the early 1800s, shoemaking became a popular home business. People made shoes in their houses. Other small businesses also started later in the 1800s.
Buildings of the Historic District
The Main Street Historic District has many interesting buildings. There are 112 buildings that add to its history. There are also 23 newer buildings that do not. These buildings show over 200 years of building styles.
You can see many different kinds of homes here. Some are fancy, built in styles like Federal or Victorian. Others are simpler homes, built for workers.
The district also has important public buildings. These include the town hall. There is also a church built in 1849 in the Greek Revival style. This church is now used as the town hall. You can also find the library, built in 1901. Another Greek Revival church, built in 1826, is also here. An old tavern from the early 1800s is part of the district too.
