Windham Center Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Windham Center Historic District
|
|
The Laura Huntington House, c. 1850
|
|
 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | CT 14 and CT 203, Windham, Connecticut |
|---|---|
| Area | 205 acres (83 ha) |
| Built | 1750 |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Colonial, Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 79002655 |
| Added to NRHP | June 4, 1979 |
The Windham Center Historic District is a special area in the town of Windham, Connecticut. It covers about 205 acres and is recognized as a historic district. This means it has important old buildings and places that are protected. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. At that time, it included 61 important buildings and two other special sites.
Contents
What is the Windham Center Historic District?
Windham Center is a charming village in northeast Connecticut. The historic district is built around a lovely village green. For over 100 years, this area was the busiest part of Windham.
Why was Windham Center important?
In 1726, Windham Center became the main town for Windham County. This meant a courthouse was built here. This brought lots of important legal work and helped the village grow. It became a busy place for government, businesses, and farming.
What can you see around the Village Green?
Today, the village green is surrounded by several interesting buildings. You can see the Congregational Church, the Post Office, and an old inn. There are also many historic houses. The original Windham Bank, built in 1832, is also here. It was designed in the Greek Revival style, which looks like ancient Greek temples. This building became the Windham Free Library in 1896.
Four main streets lead away from the green:
- Scotland Road (Route 14) goes to the east.
- Windham Center Road (Route 203) goes to the south.
- Plains Road goes to the west.
- North Road (Routes 14 and 203) goes to the northwest.
Even today, the village still feels very much like a quiet, rural area.
Famous People from Windham
Windham was home to some important people who helped shape Connecticut's history.
- Eliphalet Dyer and Jedediah Elderkin were key figures during the American Revolutionary War.
- J. Alden Weir was a talented craftsman.
- Zephaniah Swift was a very smart legal scholar. He wrote a book called A System of the Laws of the State of Connecticut in 1795. This was the first book in America that explained the laws of a state. It talked about Connecticut's government and how American laws were different from English laws.
