Westbrook Town Center Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Westbrook Town Center Historic District
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The 1854 Riggio Municipal Building
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Old Clinton at Hammock Rds., Boston Post Rd. at Bellstone Ave., Trolley Rd., Boston Post Rd. at Goodspeed Dr., Westbrook, Connecticut |
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| Area | 178 acres (72 ha) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Colonial, and Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 100001732 |
| Added to NRHP | October 16, 2017 |
The Westbrook Town Center Historic District is a special area in Westbrook, Connecticut. It includes the town's historic center. This district stretches along the Boston Post Road (Route 1). Its main point is where the Boston Post Road meets Essex Road (Connecticut Route 153).
This area has been important for the community since the early 1700s. Westbrook officially became a town in 1840. The district shows off buildings from three centuries. These buildings include homes, shops, government offices, and churches. In 2017, this historic district was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a special place worth protecting.
Discovering Westbrook's Historic Heart
Westbrook's town center is a cool place to explore history. It shows how the town grew over many years. You can see different building styles from the 1700s to the mid-1900s.
A Journey Through Time
The land that is now Westbrook was once part of Old Saybrook. Old Saybrook is one of Connecticut's oldest settlements. In 1724, people living in this western part asked to have their own church parish. It was known as Pochoug or West Saybrook. Later, in 1840, it officially became the town of Westbrook.
The town center grew naturally along the Boston Post Road. This road was a main route between New York City and Providence, Rhode Island. A common area and a cemetery were set up north of the road. This was near the spot where Essex Road headed north. Early churches were built here, and it became a small center for businesses too.
What You'll See Today
The historic district runs along Boston Post Road. It starts from the Westbrook Town Hall on the west side. It goes all the way to the Oxford Academy campus on the east side. Another part of the district follows Old Clinton Road. This road mostly has homes. Some properties are also on South Main Street, which was an older part of the post road.
The district covers about 178 acres. It has 195 buildings that are important to history. Most of these buildings are homes. They show many different styles, built from the mid-1700s to the mid-1900s.
Some important buildings include:
- The old library, built in 1904. It's in the triangular green area where Route 1 and Essex Road meet.
- The current town hall, built in 1932. It was first a school and is in the Colonial Revival style.
- A former town hall, which was a private home built in 1854. It became the town hall in 1940.
