South Willington Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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South Willington Historic District
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | River Rd. roughly Battye Rd. to Fisher Hill Rd.; Pinney Hill Rd., Village & Center Sts., Willington, Connecticut |
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| Area | 88 acres (36 ha) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Late Victorian, Craftsman/Bungalow |
| NRHP reference No. | 100001860 |
| Added to NRHP | November 30, 2017 |
The South Willington Historic District is a special area in Willington, Connecticut. It's like a time capsule showing how a village grew. This area was once a busy factory town in the 1800s. It was built around the Gardiner Hall Jr. Company. In 2017, this district was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important place to protect and remember.
Contents
The Story of South Willington
How the Village Began
The story of South Willington's factories started in 1840. A man named Origen Hall and his partners created the Willington Thread Company. Later, in 1848, Origen and his brother Gardner started another company. They made cotton padding and stuffing.
The Hall Thread Company
After some ups and downs, Gardiner Hall started the Hall Thread Company in 1860. He built the oldest factory building still standing in the village today. This business faced a big problem. The American Civil War meant there wasn't enough cotton. So, the company had to stop for a while.
Growth and Community
But Gardiner Hall didn't give up! He restarted the business in 1867. This time, it became very successful. The factory kept running until 1954. The Hall family cared a lot about their workers. They built a school and a church for them. They also built homes where the workers could live. This helped the village grow a lot in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Exploring the Historic District
What You Can See Today
The historic district stretches along River Road. This road is also called Connecticut Route 32. It goes from Fisher Hill Road in the north to Battye Road in the south. The district also includes Village Street. This street has many of the old homes where the factory workers lived.
Important Buildings and Places
Some of the most important sights in the district are:
- The old factory buildings.
- Hall's Pond, a peaceful body of water.
- The Hall Memorial School, built in a style called Colonial Revival.
- The Clara Hall Elliott Memorial Church, built in 1911. It has a Gothic Revival style.
You can also see some beautiful old homes. These were built by the factory owners in the mid-to-late 1800s. They are along River Road. Near Depot Street, there's a large old barn. It has a small tower on top. The company built this barn around 1885.
