Union Society of Phoenixville House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Union Society of Phoenixville House
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 4 Hartford Turnpike, Eastford, Connecticut |
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| Area | 1.2 acres (0.49 ha) |
| Built | 1806 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 07001247 |
| Added to NRHP | December 11, 2007 |
The Union Society of Phoenixville House is a special old building in Eastford, Connecticut. People also call it the Community House. It's located at 4 Hartford Turnpike, right where State Highway 198 meets U.S. Route 44. This building has a long history of bringing people together.
It's a wooden building with a simple shape and a strong stone foundation. It has two doors, one facing east and another on the south side. The house was built way back in 1806. For many years, it served as a place for Sunday School and community gatherings. Because of its important history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.
Contents
A Place for Everyone
The Union Society of Phoenixville House started its life as a gift. A mill owner named Smith Snow built it for his wife as a wedding present.
The Union Society Movement
In the mid-1800s, a big movement spread across the United States. It was called the Union Society movement. Its main goal was to help children learn to read. Many kids back then worked almost every day of the week. They didn't get to go to school. The Union Society wanted to make sure these children had a chance to learn.
The Union Society of Phoenixville met on Sundays. They gathered in different homes around the village. The Union Society of Phoenixville House was one of these welcoming places. Everyone was welcome there. It didn't matter how old you were, if you were a boy or a girl, how much money you had, what you believed, or where your family came from.
Fun and Learning for All Ages
In 1906, the Union Society of Phoenixville officially became a group. Their goal was to provide good activities for kids and families. Besides the weekly Sunday School, lots of other fun events happened in this building.
Community Gatherings
Imagine all the cool things that took place here!
- Potluck dinners, where everyone brought a dish to share.
- Wild game suppers with food from hunting.
- Card games like dominoes and whist.
- Fundraising oyster suppers for the local volunteer fire company.
- Holiday parties for Easter, July 4th, Halloween, and Christmas.
At Christmas in 1918, 87 children received gifts from the Union Society. The usual gifts were an orange and a box of hard candy. But kids who needed a little extra help sometimes got a small piece of jewelry, a game, or a puzzle.
Outdoor Fun
Outside, kids played croquet in a special part of the yard. This area was surrounded by the old walls of a barn that used to be there. Starting in the late 1920s, the croquet court even had lights! The electricity came from a nearby mill. Kids kept playing croquet there all the way through the 1950s.
Earning a Bible
When Sunday School children turned 12, they had a special challenge. They were encouraged to memorize the 10 Commandments. If they could recite these important rules, they received their very own King James Bible.
One of these Bibles was given by Mary Jezierski. She received her Bible in 1937. Mary lived in a nearby town and was one of many children who traveled to the building for Sunday School. Everyone was always welcome.
A New Chapter
Activities at the Union Society House continued until the year 2000. By 2002, there were fewer members, and keeping up the building was hard. So, it was sold to the Town of Eastford.
Currently, the building is being fixed up. The goal is to open it again for everyone to use. This building is very important to the history and culture of the area. It's one of only two Union Society buildings still standing in Connecticut!
