Sunny Ridge Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Sunny Ridge Historic District
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2, 20 Nettleton Hollow Rd., 145 Old Litchfield Rd., 6 Romford Rd. and 10-32 Sunny Ridge Rd., Washington, Connecticut |
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| Area | 175 acres (71 ha) |
| Built | 1748 |
| Built by | Canfield, Lewis; Canfield, Daniel |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Colonial Revival, Colonial:Post Med. English |
| NRHP reference No. | 95001346 |
| Added to NRHP | November 22, 1995 |
The Sunny Ridge Historic District is a special area in Washington, Connecticut. It's like a time capsule of an old village that used to be a busy stop for travelers. This district includes properties around a triangular intersection where Sunny Ridge Road, Nettletown Hollow Road, and Old Litchfield Road meet. Long ago, in the 1700s and 1800s, this spot was important for stagecoaches and mail delivery. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 because of its historical importance.
A Glimpse into the Past
How Sunny Ridge Grew
The Nettleton Hollow area was one of the first places settled in Washington, Connecticut, way back in the 1700s. A road called Nettleton Hollow Road was built through this area. This road helped travelers get between Hartford and Cornwall. From Cornwall, people could connect to Albany, New York.
Because different roads met here, it was a good place to open taverns. Taverns were like inns where travelers could eat, drink, and sleep. One famous tavern, the Rising Sun Tavern, opened in 1748 at 6 Romford Road. It was made bigger in the early 1800s. Another tavern opened around 1790 at 20 Nettleton Hollow Road. The area was very busy and important while stagecoaches were popular. However, when stagecoach travel became less common in the late 1800s, the area became quieter.
Buildings You Can See Today
The Sunny Ridge Historic District includes all the properties right around the triangle where Nettletown Hollow Road, Sunny Ridge Road, and Old Litchfield Road meet. It has ten houses, and seven of them are very old and important to history. There are also many outbuildings from the 1800s, like barns and sheds.
All the buildings are made of wood. The houses are usually one or two stories tall. The entire district covers about 175 acres (71 hectares). It's a great place to see what an old American crossroads village looked like!
