The Seaside (Waterford, Connecticut) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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The Seaside
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 36 Shore Rd., Waterford, Connecticut |
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| Area | 36 acres (15 ha) |
| Built | 1934 |
| Architect | Cass Gilbert |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival, Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 95001007 |
| Added to NRHP | August 15, 1995 |
The Seaside is a historic building located at 36 Shore Road in Waterford, Connecticut. It is very important because it was the first place ever built to help children with tuberculosis using a special treatment. This treatment was called heliotropic treatment, which meant using sunlight and fresh air. The buildings at The Seaside are also special. They were designed by a famous architect named Cass Gilbert in a beautiful style called Tudor Revival. The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.
Contents
History of The Seaside
The Seaside building was first built to help children who had tuberculosis. This was a serious lung disease. Later, the building was used for different purposes. It became a home for older people, then a hospital, and finally a place to help people with developmental disabilities.
Early Years and Different Names
The facility first opened in the 1930s for children with tuberculosis. At that time, it was known as the Seaside Sanatorium. In 1958, it changed and became a home for elderly people for three years. Then, it was used to help people with developmental disabilities until 1996. During this period, it was called the Seaside Regional Center for the Mentally Retarded.
Finding the Right Location
The land in Waterford where The Seaside now stands was chosen in 1930. The State Tuberculosis Commission bought 28 acres of land. More land was bought in 1936, making the property 36 acres in total.
The Seaside in Waterford was actually the second place to be called "The Seaside." The first one was at a hotel in nearby Niantic, Connecticut. This original sanatorium started taking patients in January 1920. It was the first and only place in the country to treat tuberculosis in this way.
The first Seaside quickly filled up, and many children were waiting for a spot. The state wanted to make it bigger, but they couldn't buy the land next door. The family who owned the land refused to sell it. The state even went to the Supreme Court to try and get the land, but they lost. So, the state had to find a new place.
Designed by a Famous Architect
The current property in Waterford became available, and the state bought it. A very famous architect, Cass Gilbert, was hired to design the new buildings. The new facility in Waterford was ready in 1934, and the patients from Niantic moved there.
The location was chosen because of the fresh sea air and lots of sunshine. At that time, doctors believed that fresh air and sunlight could help cure tuberculosis. Children, all 14 years old or younger, would spend their days outside in the sun as part of their heliotropic treatment. By the end of the 1940s, new medicines were discovered that could treat tuberculosis much better. Because of these new drugs, places like sanatoriums were not needed as much anymore.
Future of The Seaside
In 2014, Governor Dannel Malloy decided that The Seaside Sanatorium should become a state park. This decision aimed to preserve the historic property for everyone to enjoy.
