Naugatuck Center Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Naugatuck Center Historic District
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The Whittemore Library
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly bounded by Fairview Ave., Hillside Ave., Terrace Ave., Water St., and Pleasant View St., Naugatuck, Connecticut |
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| Area | 80 acres (32 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 99000859 |
| Added to NRHP | July 30, 1999 |
The Naugatuck Center Historic District is a special area in Naugatuck, Connecticut. It's where the town's main businesses and government buildings are located. This district is built around a town green, which is like a central park. Many of the buildings, like churches, schools, and town offices, were built in the late 1800s or early 1900s. There are also many different kinds of old houses. This important area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
Contents
Discovering Naugatuck's Historic Heart
Naugatuck was first settled a long time ago, in the 1600s. It grew mostly because of its factories. These factories used the Naugatuck River to power sawmills and gristmills. The town officially became a town in 1844.
Unlike many towns in New England, Naugatuck's center didn't start around a church. Instead, it grew around the town green. An innkeeper gave this green to the town in 1831. After that, two churches moved their buildings there. Soon, it became the main spot for businesses and town activities.
How Naugatuck Grew with Industry
Naugatuck's growth was greatly helped by successful industries in the late 1800s. One big success was making rubber products, thanks to Charles Goodyear. Another was making special iron products, started by John Whittemore and Bronson Tuttle.
John Whittemore was very generous to the town. He hired a famous architecture firm, McKim, Mead & White, to design many buildings. They designed at least eleven public and private buildings in Naugatuck!
Exploring Important Buildings
The historic district covers most of the important public and business buildings in downtown Naugatuck. It stretches out from where Church, Water, and Meadow Streets meet. These streets then run south, forming the main parts of the district.
On the western side, you'll find Terrace Avenue and Fairview Avenue. The southern edge of the district is around Pleasant View Avenue. A small part of the district also goes east along Cedar Street. This part includes the town's unique Spanish Revival-style railroad station.
Must-See Buildings in the District
There are several famous buildings in the Naugatuck Center Historic District:
- The Whittemore Library is a beautiful building. It was designed by the famous McKim, Mead & White firm.
- The main post office also has a Spanish Revival style, just like the railroad station.
- The Bronson B. Tuttle House is at the very north end of the district. It's a grand brick mansion from the Victorian era. This house is special because it's the only large home of a major factory owner that still stands in the city.
