West Granby Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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West Granby Historic District
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Broad Hill, Hartland, W. Granby and Simsbury Rds. and Day St. S., Granby, Connecticut |
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| Area | 750 acres (300 ha) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Colonial, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 92000385 |
| Added to NRHP | May 1, 1992 |
The West Granby Historic District is a special place in Granby, Connecticut. It's like a preserved neighborhood that shows how people lived and worked a long time ago. This district includes the old village of West Granby. It stretches along Simsbury Road, between Firetown Road and Hartland Road. Even though people settled here in the 1700s, the area really grew in the 1800s. That's when small factories and businesses started to appear. This historic district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.
Contents
Discovering West Granby's Past
How Did West Granby Begin?
The area we now call West Granby village was first settled in the early 1700s. At first, it was mostly farmland. Around 1742, a sawmill was built on the West Branch Salmon Brook. This mill used the power of the water to cut wood.
Later, in 1784, people used the brook's water power for more things. They built a gristmill to grind grain and a carding mill to prepare wool. There was also a trip hammer facility, which used a heavy hammer powered by water. By 1819, West Granby was one of the most important business centers in the town.
Changes Over Time
These small businesses kept going until around the time of the American Civil War (1861-1865). After the war, it became hard for them to compete. Larger factories in bigger cities could make things faster and cheaper. So, the small industries in West Granby slowly closed down.
However, the area found a new way to thrive in the early 1900s. Farmers started growing a special kind of tobacco called "shade-grown tobacco." This brought new life back to the farms in West Granby.
What You'll See in the District Today
Exploring the Historic Streets
The West Granby Historic District is shaped like a long line. It follows Simsbury Road from Hartland Road in the north to Firetown Road in the south. You'll also find some historic buildings on Hartland Road and West Granby Street.
There are 113 main buildings in the district. Most of them are homes where people lived. But you'll also see many old farm buildings and garages. These houses show different building styles from the 1800s and early 1900s. They are simple but show how architecture changed over time.
Buildings That Remain
Today, only a few small parts of the old industrial buildings are left. But there is one church that is still standing. Walking through the district is like taking a step back in time. You can imagine what life was like when these homes and farms were new. It's a great way to learn about the history of Granby and Connecticut!
