National Register of Historic Places

Greenwood Avenue Historic District

Bethel, Fairfield County, Connecticut
Listed
December 17, 1999
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
99001568

About this property

The Greenwood Avenue Historic District encompasses the historic commercial village center of Bethel, Connecticut. Extending along Greenwood Avenue from P.T. Barnum Square to Depot Place, the district includes a variety of commercial and residential architecture from the mid-19th to early 20th centuries. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. Bethel began as a parish subdivision (established 1759) of Danbury, and was separately incorporated in 1855. Its early community center was located a short way northeast of Greenwood Avenue, at the site of the present Congregational church. In the early 19th century, the Greenwood Avenue area became home to a number of small hat factories, and commercial development along the avenue began in earnest after the railroad arrived in 1852. The eastern end of the downtown was anchored by the creation in 1881 of P.T. Barnum Square, donated to the town by native son P.T. Barnum. The historic district includes 29 contributing buildings, 5 non-contributing buildings, and the town green, P. T. Barnum Square. It includes a former railroad station converted into a brewery, and a World War I Doughboy bronze statue sculpted by Ernest Moore Viquesney in P. T. Barnum Square. The oldest building in the district is the Seth Seelye House, built about 1842; it is a fine example of Greek Revival architecture, and now houses the public library. The Bethel Opera House, built as a Greek Revival building about 1848, was given an Italianate restyling, and served as a community gathering space for many years. National Register of Historic Places listings in Fairfield County, Connecticut

Location

Bethel, Fairfield County, Connecticut
41.37094, -73.41331

Categories

ARCHITECTUREEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTSOCIAL HISTORY
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
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
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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
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Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Points of Interest
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Nearby Historic Sites

Seelye, Seth, House
Industrial
0 mi
Ely, Rev. John, House
Industrial
0.6 mi
Ives, Charles, House
Industrial
1.8 mi
Union Station
Industrial
2.1 mi
Rider, John, House
Industrial
2.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Tryon's Raid on Danbury
1777Revolutionary War
2.7 mi
Raid on Danbury
1777Revolutionary War
2.7 mi
Danbury Raid Apr 26 1777
1777Revolutionary War
2.7 mi
Tryon's Connecticut Raids 1777 — Newtown
1777Revolutionary War
4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Greenwood Avenue Historic District listed on the National Register?

Greenwood Avenue Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 17, 1999.

What type of historic resource is Greenwood Avenue Historic District?

Greenwood Avenue Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Greenwood Avenue Historic District?

The period of significance for Greenwood Avenue Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Greenwood Avenue Historic District?

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