National Register of Historic Places

Colchester Village Historic District

Colchester, New London County, Connecticut
Listed
April 3, 1994
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
94000254

About this property

The Colchester Village Historic District encompasses most of the village center of Colchester, Connecticut. It is located at the junction of Route 16, Route 85, and Norwich Avenue (old Route 2). The district extends to the northwest along Broadway Street (Route 85) as far as Jaffe Terrace; east along Norwich Avenue to Pleasant Street; south along South Main Street to Hall Hill Road; west along Linwood Avenue (Route 16) to Kmick Lane. The historic district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1994. The Colchester Town Green is located at the center of the district. Several commercial, residential, and civic buildings surround the green, with the Colchester Federated Church in the Greek Revival style and the Bacon Academy being the dominant structures. The Hayward House is located on Hayward Avenue across the street from the green and is now being used as a bed and breakfast. Wheeler Block, the original town hall, is located across the green to the south on Norwich Avenue. Colchester was incorporated in 1698 as a dispersed agricultural community. The village center formed around the town's first colonial meeting house and burying ground, with the area's economic importance later cemented by its location as a crossroads of several early 19th century turnpikes. Bacon Academy was founded in 1803 as the region's first secondary school, and the town was home to the first Masonic lodge in the region (founded 1782). In the second half of the 19th century, the village benefited from the rise of small industries, prompting the construction of a number of commercial buildings, including the Second Empire Wheeler Block.

Location

Colchester, New London County, Connecticut
41.57390, -72.33219

Categories

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTUREARCHITECTUREEUROPEANCOMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

Bacon Academy
Industrial
0 mi
Wheeler Block
Industrial
0.1 mi
Hayward House
Colonial
0.1 mi
Champion, Henry, House
Industrial
4.7 mi
Blackledge River Railroad Bridge
Industrial
4.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Colchester Village Historic District listed on the National Register?

Colchester Village Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 3, 1994.

What type of historic resource is Colchester Village Historic District?

Colchester Village Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Colchester Village Historic District?

The period of significance for Colchester Village Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Colchester Village Historic District?

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