Middletown South Green Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Middletown South Green Historic District
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From a 1907 postcard: "Our streets here are extra wide, plenty of grass between walks and curbs. Beautiful old trees. Packs of love and greetings to all, Carl"
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Union Park area, on S. Main, Crescent, Pleasant, and Church Sts., Middletown, Connecticut |
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| Area | 90 acres (36 ha) |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Second Empire, Italianate, and Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 75001922 |
| Added to NRHP | August 12, 1975 |
The Middletown South Green Historic District is a special area in Middletown, Connecticut. It was created to protect the old buildings and the historic feel around the city's South Green. This district covers about 90 acres and is full of beautiful homes built in the late 1800s. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, which means it's recognized as an important historical site.
Contents
Discovering the South Green District
This historic area is built around Union Park, which is a big, open green space. This park marks the southern edge of Middletown's main business area. The district includes properties on three sides of the green: north, south, and west. It also covers buildings on Crescent Street and a small part of South Main Street.
Most of the buildings here are houses from the late 1800s. However, you can also find two of Middletown's very oldest homes in this district. One house, the Caleb Fuller House, is also part of another historic area called the Metro South Historic District.
Architectural Styles You'll See
As you explore the district, you'll notice many buildings in the Italianate and Second Empire styles. These styles were very popular when Middletown was growing quickly between the 1860s and 1880s.
The two churches in the district, the Methodist and South Congregational churches, are both built in the Gothic Revival style. Even though they look similar, the Methodist church was built in the 1920s, and the South Congregational church was built earlier, in the 1860s. On Crescent Street, you'll find some lovely Queen Anne Victorian homes. One of the oldest houses, the Mather-Johnson House, is a great example of the Federal style. It has even been owned by two of Middletown's mayors!
Historic Buildings of the South Green
The South Green Historic District is home to many important buildings. Here are a few examples of the types of historic properties you can find:
- Doolittle's Funeral Home (14 Old Church Street): This building from the 1890s is a Queen Anne style house with a cool hexagonal tower.
- Methodist Parish House (24 Old Church Street): Built around the 1880s, this building shows off the Second Empire style.
- First United Methodist Church (Old Church Street): This church was built in the 1930s and is a key part of the district.
- Mather-Douglas House (11 South Main Street): Built in the early 1800s, this house combines Federal style with Greek Revival details.
- White-Stoddard House (33 Pleasant Street): Now the Masonic Temple Building, this brick house from the 1870s is a great example of Second Empire architecture.
- Joseph Rockwell House (21 Pleasant Street): This is one of the oldest houses, built around 1750. It's a Colonial Georgian style house.
- South Congregational Church (9 Pleasant Street): Built in 1868, this church features the Gothic Revival style with a tall spire.
- Wilcox-Meech House (55 Crescent Street): This three-story brick house from the 1870s is an Italianate style building with a special rooftop lookout called a belvedere.
These buildings, and many others, help tell the story of Middletown's past and show how architecture changed over time.
Gallery
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South Main St., around 1909
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South Main & Pleasant Sts., around 1910
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South Congregational Church around 1904
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Bust of Henry Clay Work, in South Green / Union Park
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South Congregational Church
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First United Methodist Church and parish house, on what is now Old Church Street, 2012
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Mather-Douglas House, 2012
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55 Crescent Street, 2012. The belvedere can be seen on the roof.
