United Bank Building facts for kids
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United Bank Building
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 19–21 Main St., New Milford, Connecticut |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1902–04 |
| Architect | Wilson Potter |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Part of | New Milford Center Historic District (ID86001255) |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004447 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 12, 1982 |
| Designated CP | June 13, 1986 |
The United Bank Building is a cool old building at 19–21 Main Street in downtown New Milford, Connecticut. It was designed by an architect named Wilson Potter and built between 1902 and 1904. This building is a great example of Classical Revival architecture, which is a style that looks back to ancient Greek and Roman buildings.
It was built to house two banks. Their old buildings had been destroyed in a big fire. The United Bank Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It is also an important part of the New Milford Center Historic District.
Contents
What Does the Building Look Like?
The United Bank Building stands in a very important spot in downtown New Milford. It is at the top of Bank Street, one of the main shopping streets. It also faces the town common, which is like a town park.
The building has two stories and is made of strong stone. It uses light brown bricks and has trim made of brownstone. The front of the building, which faces Main Street, has three main sections. These sections are separated by wide columns that go up to the roof.
Main Entrance and Windows
The main door is in the middle section. It is set back inside a tall, rounded archway. Above this arch, you can see a special panel with the building's name carved into it. There's also a fancy decoration above that, with windows on each side.
The sections on either side of the main door have groups of three windows. These window groups are on both the first and second floors. Inside, there is a central hallway. This hallway separates the spaces that were originally used by the two different banks.
Why Was the Building Built?
On May 5, 1902, a big fire happened in New Milford. The fire started at the New England House, which was a well-known inn and tavern. This building was located at the corner of Bank and Main Streets.
The Big Fire of 1902
The fire was so big that it also burned down the buildings next door. These included the New Milford Savings Bank and the New Milford First National Bank. Both banks were located further down Bank Street.
Banks Decide to Rebuild Together
After the fire, the two banks quickly decided to rebuild. They agreed to build one shared building on the spot where the tavern used to be. They chose a design from Wilson Potter. He was an architect working in New York City at the time.
The building is very large and stands out. Its important location on the town common makes it a striking feature. It is a very impressive part of New Milford's business area.
