Spring Hill Historic District (Mansfield, Connecticut) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Spring Hill Historic District
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The Altnaveigh Inn
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly along Storrs Rd., Spring Hill, Mansfield, Connecticut |
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| Area | approx. 40 acres (16 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 08000500 |
| Added to NRHP | October 10, 1979 |
The Spring Hill Historic District is a special area in Mansfield, Connecticut. It's like a time capsule, showing what a small village looked like in the 1800s. This district is found along Storrs Road, also known as Connecticut Route 195. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 because of its important history.
Exploring Spring Hill's Past
The village of Spring Hill started as a few farms in the early 1800s. It was located on a hill in the middle of Mansfield. This area became a popular stopping point for travelers. They used a main road, called a turnpike, that went between Norwich, Connecticut and Springfield, Massachusetts. Today, this old road is Storrs Road (Route 195).
Spring Hill also became known for growing mulberry trees. These trees were important for making silk. Later in the 1800s, two important residents, Charles and Augustus Storrs, gave land to the state. This land was used to start the University of Connecticut. Since then, more homes have been built, mostly for people connected to the university.
What Makes the District Special?
The Spring Hill Historic District covers about 40 acres. It includes 13 buildings that are important to history. Only two of these buildings are from the 1700s. Most of the others were built in the 1800s. Many of them show the Greek Revival style of architecture. This style was very popular back then.
The district also has a Gothic Baptist church built in 1877. There are also two buildings that used to be Mansfield's town hall. The Spring Hill area was first named a state historic district in Connecticut in 1972. Then, in 1979, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Historic Buildings to See
The Spring Hill Historic District includes some very old homes. Two of them were part of the original four houses in Spring Hill around 1800:
- 957 Storrs Road, known as the Altnaveigh Inn, built around 1776.
- 974 Storrs Road, a small cottage, built around 1740.
Other important buildings in the district mostly feature the Greek Revival style. This style became popular in the 1830s. Some examples include:
- Crain House, at 928 Storrs Road, built in 1838.
- Shumway House, at 934 Storrs Road, built in 1863.
- Shubael Freeman Farm, at 3 East Road, built in 1835.
- Bradley Sears Farm, at 950 Storrs Road, built around 1870. This home shows the Italianate style and is owned by UConn.
- The current Town Hall, at 954 Storrs Road, built in 1935 in the Colonial Revival style. An older Town Hall from 1842, in the Greek Revival style, was moved back.
- Luther Kingsley House, at 958 Storrs Road, built in 1740.
- Artemus Storrs House, at 974 Storrs Road, built in 1852. This Greek Revival home is thought to be designed by Edwin Fitch.
