National Register of Historic Places

Gurleyville Historic District

Mansfield Center, Tolland County, Connecticut
Listed
December 30, 1975
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
75001933

About this property

The Gurleyville Historic District encompasses a formerly industrial rural crossroads village in Mansfield, Connecticut. Centered on Gurleyville and Chaffeeville Roads, it includes a collection of mainly vernacular 19th-century residences, a stone gristmill dating to about 1749, and the archaeological remains of later industrial endeavours. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Gurleyville is located what is now a rural setting of north-central Mansfield, Connecticut. The historic district is bounded on the west mostly by the Fenton River, historically the source of power for the village's mills, and the south by the junction of Stone Mill and Grist Mill Roads. It is basically linear in character, extending northward along Chaffeeville Road to its junction with Gurleyville Road, and then westward along the latter road to the river. Its boundary crosses to the west side of the river north of Gurleyville Road, to include the archaeological remains of a mill site. Industrial features in the historic district include a stone grist mill and dam on the river that were constructed beginning in 1749 by Benjamin Davis, and include operable 19th-century equipment. Other features include foundations and other ruins of a small 19th-century textile mill known as Royce Silk Mill, and the foundation of a sawmill dating from 1724. There are roughly one dozen historic homes, as well as several buildings originally built for commercial purposes and now used as residences. These houses are typically vernacular in style, with only minimal nods to architectural fashions of the 19th century. Meadowland surrounding the village is included in the district to preserve the village in relation to its historical agricultural setting. The ruins of the Gurley-Mason Mill, a sawmill built by Zebulon Gurley around 1778, are located two miles to the north along the Fenton River. Connecticut Governor Wilbur Cross was a native of Gurleyville. National Register of Historic Places listings in Tolland County, Connecticut

Location

Mansfield Center, Tolland County, Connecticut
41.81133, -72.22218

Categories

INDUSTRYHISTORIC - NON-ABORIGINALPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURESOCIAL 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
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

Farwell Barn
Industrial
1.5 mi
University of Connecticut Historic District-Connecticut Agricultural School
Listed
1.5 mi
Spring Hill Historic District
Listed
1.7 mi
Williams, Eleazer, House
Colonial
3.3 mi
Mansfield Center Historic District
Listed
3.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Gurleyville Historic District listed on the National Register?

Gurleyville Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 30, 1975.

What type of historic resource is Gurleyville Historic District?

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

What is the period of significance for Gurleyville Historic District?

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

Can I research the history near Gurleyville Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Gurleyville Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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