National Register of Historic Places

Connecticut Valley Railroad Roundhouse and Turntable Site

Old Saybrook, Middlesex County, Connecticut
Listed
April 27, 1994
Type
Site
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
94000395

About this property

The Connecticut Valley Railroad Roundhouse and Turntable Site is a former railroad facility located in Fort Saybrook Monument Park off Main Street in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. The roundhouse and turntable were built in 1871 by the Connecticut Valley Railroad, which was later acquired by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. The rail facilities are built partly on the archaeological remains of Fort Saybrook, the main fortification of the 17th-century Saybrook Colony, and are the only surviving remnant of what was once a large facility, with an icehouse, coal bin, steamboat dock, depot, and signal tower. Archaeological remains of these other facilities are believed to lie under other parts of the park and adjacent properties. The exposed facilities were excavated in 1981-2. Both structures were added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 28, 1994. The Connecticut Valley Railroad was chartered in 1868, and began operations three years later, providing service between Saybrook Point and Hartford, with a connection to the Shore Line Railway at the Saybrook Junction station. The extension to Saybrook Point ceased operations in 1922, and its facilities were abandoned. The roundhouse was a quarter-round structure housing six bays, with foundations of brick and stone, supporting both the structure and the tracks on which the railroad cars ran. The turntable had a concrete base. Portions of these features are exposed in the park, with interpretive signage explaining the use and history of the site.

Location

Old Saybrook, Middlesex County, Connecticut
41.28414, -72.35103

Categories

ENGINEERINGHISTORIC - NON-ABORIGINALTRANSPORTATION
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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Nearby Historic Sites

Cypress Cemetery
Listed
0.2 mi
Black Horse Tavern
Early Republic
0.4 mi
North Cove Historic District
Listed
0.4 mi
Tully, William, House
Industrial
0.5 mi
Eliot, Samuel, House
Industrial
0.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Connecticut Valley Railroad Roundhouse and Turntable Site listed on the National Register?

Connecticut Valley Railroad Roundhouse and Turntable Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 27, 1994.

What type of historic resource is Connecticut Valley Railroad Roundhouse and Turntable Site?

Connecticut Valley Railroad Roundhouse and Turntable Site is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Connecticut Valley Railroad Roundhouse and Turntable Site?

The period of significance for Connecticut Valley Railroad Roundhouse and Turntable Site is recorded as the industrial era.

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