National Register of Historic Places

East Haddam Historic District

East Haddam, Middlesex County, Connecticut
Listed
April 28, 1983
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
83001273

About this property

The East Haddam Historic District is a 110-acre (45 ha) historic district in East Haddam, Connecticut. It includes buildings from two 18th-century settlements of the town on the east bank of the Connecticut River, Upper Landing and Lower Landing. The district is linear and runs along Route 149. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, and includes a diversity of 18th and 19th-century styles, as well as the town's main civic structures, and the Goodspeed Opera House. Also included in the district are two monuments, one to Nathan Hale and another to Gen. Joseph Spencer, a park, and a cemetery. East Haddam was settled in 1685, and was originally part of Haddam. Ferry service was introduced on the river in 1695, and developed at several points. The Upper and Lower Landings each developed somewhat independently, but over time became united into a long linear village, caused in part by the steep terrain immediately to the east which limited growth in that direction. Both landings flourished up to the American Civil War, as centers of international commerce doing business with the East and West Indies. The landings declined in economic importance after the war, owing to the rise of the railroad as the principal means of commercial transport, which was run up the west side of the river. The southern landing eventually became more significant as a tourist destination, and is where the East Haddam Bridge is now located, as is the village's commercial district. Epaphroditus Champion, son of Henry Champion lived in East Haddam. The Maplewood Music Seminary was at Uooer Landing.

Location

East Haddam, Middlesex County, Connecticut
41.45758, -72.46330

Categories

INDUSTRYCOMMERCEENTERTAINMENT/RECREATIONPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
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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Everything a full report reveals about East Haddam Historic District

This page lists East Haddam Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
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
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Goodspeed Opera House
Industrial
0.4 mi
Camp Bethel
Civil War
0.5 mi
Warner House
Industrial
1.2 mi
Little Haddam Historic District
Listed
1.8 mi
Seventh Sister
Industrial
2.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was East Haddam Historic District listed on the National Register?

East Haddam Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 28, 1983.

What type of historic resource is East Haddam Historic District?

East Haddam Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for East Haddam Historic District?

The period of significance for East Haddam Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near East Haddam Historic District?

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