Union Village Historic District (Manchester, Connecticut) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Union Village Historic District
|
|
Second Congregational Church
|
|
 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Roughly bounded by Union Pond, Oakland St., RR Right of Way, Marble St., Hockanum R., Manchester, Connecticut |
|---|---|
| Area | 100 acres (40 ha) |
| Architectural style | Federal, Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 02000831 |
| Added to NRHP | August 6, 2002 |
The Union Village Historic District is a special area in Manchester, Connecticut. It shows what a mill village looked like in the 1800s. This area grew around Union Street and North Main Street. It started as a "company town," which means a town built by a company for its workers. Later, it became a community where many different working families lived. In 2002, this important area was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list helps protect places that are important to American history.
Contents
What is Union Village?
Union Village is a historic neighborhood in Manchester, Connecticut. It covers about 100 acres (40 hectares) and looks like a "T" shape. The main parts are Union Street and North Street. These streets run north from North Main Street to Union Pond. The district also includes parts of Golway Street and Edwards Street. It stretches west along North Main Street too.
Buildings in the District
There are over 170 historic buildings in Union Village. Most of these are homes built between the late 1700s and early 1900s. You can also find four churches and a library here. The North District School, built in 1914, is another important building. It was designed in the Colonial Revival style.
How Did Union Village Begin?
Union Village started to become an industrial area around 1794. This was when one of Connecticut's first cotton mills was built. It was located next to the Hockanum River. At that time, this area was part of East Hartford.
Growth of the Mills
The mills grew very quickly after the Union Manufacturing Company started in 1819. Manchester became its own town in 1823. By 1850, the company had built many homes for its workers. These were mostly duplexes (two-family homes) on Union, Kerry, and North Streets. They also built nicer, larger homes for their managers. These manager homes were often in the Greek Revival style.
The Railroad and More Growth
The arrival of the railroad in 1849 helped Union Village grow even more. It made the village the main economic center of Manchester. Other companies, like paper manufacturers, also built mills nearby. They built more homes for their workers too.
Changes Over Time
The cotton mills started to struggle during the American Civil War. This was because there wasn't enough cotton. Also, bigger mills in other places became more efficient. But the paper mills kept the village's economy strong. The Cheney Brothers silk works, located south of the village, also helped. Workers could easily get to the silk mills by trolley, which started running in the 1880s. This helped Union Village stay a busy and important place.
