National Register of Historic Places listings in Windham County, Connecticut facts for kids

Location of Windham County in Connecticut

Welcome to Windham County, Connecticut! This area is home to many special places that are part of the National Register of Historic Places. Think of it like a national list of important buildings, sites, and areas that tell us about America's past. These places are protected and celebrated because they are important to history, architecture, or even how people lived long ago.

In Windham County, there are 85 different places on this list. Three of them are even more special and are called National Historic Landmarks. These landmarks are considered super important to the history of the entire United States! You can even find some of these places on an online map if you know their exact location.

**Contents:** Counties in Connecticut
Fairfield (city of Bridgeport) (town of Greenwich) (city of Stamford) \| Hartford (city of Hartford) (town of Southington) (town of West Hartford) (town of Windsor) \| Litchfield \| Middlesex (city of Middletown) \| New Haven (city of New Haven) \| New London \| Tolland \| Windham

What is the National Register of Historic Places?

The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the nation's historic places. It's like a big scrapbook of America's history! When a place is added to this list, it means it's worth saving and learning about. This can be a building, a whole neighborhood, an old bridge, or even a spot where important events happened.

Why are places listed?

Places get listed for many reasons. Maybe they are:

Very old and show how people lived long ago.
Designed in a special way, showing unique architecture.
Connected to important people or events in history.
Places where we can learn about different cultures or ways of life.

Being on the list helps protect these places. It also helps people learn about their local history and feel proud of their community's past.

Special Historic Places in Windham County

Windham County has a rich history, and many of its treasures are on the National Register. Let's explore some of these cool spots!

Historic Homes and Buildings

Many old houses and buildings in Windham County tell stories of the past.

Henry C. Bowen House

The Henry C. Bowen House in Woodstock is a National Historic Landmark. It's also known as Roseland Cottage. This beautiful house looks like something out of a fairy tale with its unique Gothic Revival style. It was a summer home and was visited by three different U.S. presidents! Imagine the conversations that happened there.

Samuel Huntington Birthplace

Another National Historic Landmark is the Samuel Huntington Birthplace in Scotland. This old saltbox-style house was where Samuel Huntington grew up. He was a very important person in American history! He signed the Declaration of Independence, was the Governor of Connecticut, and even led the Congress of the Confederation. Learning about his childhood home helps us understand more about this founding father.

Prudence Crandall House

The Prudence Crandall House in Canterbury is also a National Historic Landmark. Prudence Crandall was a brave abolitionist and educator. An abolitionist is someone who fought to end slavery. She opened a school for African American girls here in the 1830s, which was a very bold thing to do at the time. Her house is a symbol of courage and the fight for equal rights.

Other Notable Homes

The Abington Congregational Church in Pomfret is a beautiful old church that has been a part of the community for a long time.
The Benjamin Bosworth House in Eastford and the Mathew Bowen Homestead in Woodstock (now an inn!) are examples of historic homes that show us how people lived centuries ago.
The Capt. Seth Chandler House in Woodstock and the Capt. John Clark House in Canterbury also offer a peek into the past.
The William Jillson Stone House in Windham (Willimantic section) is another interesting old home.

Mills and Industrial Sites

Windham County was once a busy place for factories and mills. Many of these old industrial sites are now protected.

American Thread Company

The American Thread Company buildings in Windham (Willimantic section) were once part of a huge mill complex. These mills were very important for making thread and textiles. They show us how industries grew in Connecticut.

Cargill Falls Mill

The Cargill Falls Mill (also known as Wilkinson Mill) in Putnam is another example of an old mill. These mills often used water power from rivers to run their machinery.

Plainfield Woolen Company Mill

The Plainfield Woolen Company Mill in Plainfield reminds us of the textile industry that was so important to the region's economy.

Historic Districts

Sometimes, not just one building, but a whole area or neighborhood is considered historic. These are called historic districts.

The Brooklyn Green Historic District in Brooklyn includes many buildings around the town green, showing what a traditional New England town center looked like.
The Main Street Historic District in Willimantic (part of Windham) highlights the important buildings along the main street, showing how the town grew.
The Thompson Hill Historic District in Thompson and the Woodstock Hill Historic District in Woodstock also preserve the look and feel of historic village centers.

Bridges and Infrastructure

Even bridges can be historic!

The Butts Bridge over the Quinebaug River in Canterbury is an old bridge that has stood the test of time.
The Glen Falls Bridge in Plainfield and the Packerville Bridge also show older ways of building and connecting communities.
The Willimantic Footbridge in Windham is a unique pedestrian bridge that has been a landmark in the town for many years.

Archeological Sites

Some places are important because of what lies beneath the ground.

The Daniel's Village Archeological Site in Killingly helps us learn about early settlements and how people lived long before modern towns existed.
The Quinebaug River Prehistoric Archeological District in Canterbury is another site where scientists can study ancient human activity, like how Native Americans lived and used the land.

Other Interesting Places

The Israel Putnam Wolf Den in Pomfret is a famous cave where, according to legend, General Israel Putnam killed a wolf in the 1700s. It's a fun place to visit in Mashamoquet Brook State Park!
The Ashford Academy in Ashford and the Israel Putnam School in Putnam are examples of historic school buildings.
The Pomfret Town House in Pomfret is now home to the local historical society, which helps preserve the town's history.
The Willimantic Armory and Willimantic Elks Club in Windham are examples of community buildings that have played a role in the town's social life.
The Temple Beth Israel in Danielson is a historic place of worship.

These are just a few of the many amazing historic places in Windham County. Each one has a story to tell, helping us understand the rich history of Connecticut and the United States!

Images for kids

Abington Congregational Church
Aldrich Free Public Library
American Thread Company
Ashford Academy
Benjamin Bosworth House
Henry C. Bowen House (Roseland Cottage)
Mathew Bowen Homestead
Brayton Grist Mill
Broad Street – Davis Park Historic District
Brooklyn Green Historic District
Bush Hill Historic District
Butts Bridge
Cady-Copp House
Canterbury Center Historic District
Cargill Falls Mill
Central Village Historic District
Capt. Seth Chandler House
Chaplin Historic District
Church Farm
Capt. John Clark House
Prudence Crandall House
Daniel's Village Archeological Site
Danielson Main Street Historic District
Dayville Historic District
Dorrance Inn
Elliottville Lower Mill
First Congregational Church of Plainfield
Forty-Seventh Camp of Rochambeau's Army
Fourth Camp of Rochambeau's Army
Glen Falls Bridge
Gwyn Careg
Hampton Hill Historic District
Hemlock Glen Industrial Archeological District
Dr. Chester Hunt Office
Samuel Huntington Birthplace
Israel Putnam School
William Jillson Stone House
Old Killingly High School
Knowlton Memorial Hall
Lawton Mills Historic District
Main Street Historic District (Willimantic)
Mansfield Hollow Dam
March Route of Rochambeau's Army: Manship Road-Barstow Road
March Route of Rochambeau's Army: Old Canterbury Road
March Route of Rochambeau's Army: Palmer Road
March Route of Rochambeau's Army: Plainfield Pike
March Route of Rochambeau's Army: Scotland Road
Mixer Tavern
Natchaug Forest Lumber Shed
George Pickering Nichols House
North Grosvenordale Mill Historic District
Old Westfield Cemetery
Packerville Bridge
Plainfield Street Historic District
Plainfield Woolen Company Mill
Pomfret Street Historic District
Pomfret Town House
Prospect Hill Historic District (Willimantic)
Putnam Farm
Putnam Town Hall
Putnam Railroad Station
Israel Putnam Wolf Den
Quinebaug Mill-Quebec Square Historic District
Quinebaug River Prehistoric Archeological District
Hezekiah S. Ramsdell Farm
Sterling Hill Historic District
Sumner-Carpenter House
Taylor's Corner
Temple Beth Israel
Thompson Hill Historic District
Trinity Church (Brooklyn)
Union Society of Phoenixville House
Unitarian Meetinghouse
Edward Waldo House
Wauregan Historic District
Jonathan Wheeler House
Willimantic Armory
Willimantic Elks Club
Willimantic Footbridge
Willimantic Freight House and Office
Windham Center Historic District
Witter House
Woodstock Academy Classroom Building
Woodstock Hill Historic District

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National Register of Historic Places listings in Windham County, Connecticut Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.