National Register of Historic Places

Hartford Electric Light Company Maple Avenue Sub-Station

Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut
Listed
August 10, 2000
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
00000833

About this property

The Hartford Electric Light Company Maple Avenue Sub-Station is a historic industrial and commercial building at 686 Maple Avenue in Hartford, Connecticut. Built in 1926, it is a fine example of Classical Revival architecture designed by noted local architects, and a reminder of the history of the area's electrification. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000, and has been converted into commercial use. The former Maple Avenue substation of the Hartford Electric Light Company stands in southern Hartford's Barry Square area, on the east side of Maple Avenue between Adelaide and Barker Streets. It is a single-story brick building, shaped in a rough parallelogram to accommodate Maple Avenue's diagonal traversal of the city street grid. Its walls are buff brick laid in common bond, and it has a five-bay front facade, articulated by projecting brick pilasters with papyrus-leaf capitals. A double-leaf door in the southernmost bay provides entry to the building, sheltered by a metal hip-roofed hood. The front facade is crowned by a stepped parapet, in which the building's original name and function are incised. The Hartford Electric Light Company (HELCO, later merged into Connecticut Light & Power and now part of Eversource Energy) was founded in 1881, primarily to serve large industrial customers. Its service expanded, and this distribution substation was built in 1926 as part of a push to expand service more broadly into southern Hartford. The station was designed by Frank Whiton and John McMahon, Hartford-based architects. The pair designed an eclectic example of Classical Revival architecture for an otherwise utilitarian structure. National Register of Historic Places listings in Hartford, Connecticut

Location

686 Maple Ave.
Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut
41.74135, -72.68224

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Hartford Electric Light Company Maple Avenue Sub-Station

This page lists Hartford Electric Light Company Maple Avenue Sub-Station. 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.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Hartford Electric Light Company Maple Avenue Sub-Station report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Kellogg, Gen. Martin, House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Washington Street School
Industrial
0.4 mi
Engine Company 15 Fire Station
Industrial
0.5 mi
Wethersfield Avenue Car Barn
Industrial
0.6 mi
Grandview Terrace Boulevard
Industrial
0.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Hartford Electric Light Company Maple Avenue Sub-Station listed on the National Register?

Hartford Electric Light Company Maple Avenue Sub-Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 10, 2000.

What type of historic resource is Hartford Electric Light Company Maple Avenue Sub-Station?

Hartford Electric Light Company Maple Avenue Sub-Station is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Hartford Electric Light Company Maple Avenue Sub-Station?

The period of significance for Hartford Electric Light Company Maple Avenue Sub-Station is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Hartford Electric Light Company Maple Avenue Sub-Station?

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 Hartford Electric Light Company Maple Avenue Sub-Station will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Hartford County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Hartford County.

Explore HartfordCounty ›

More historic places in Connecticut

Browse all historic places in Connecticut.

View Connecticuthistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Connecticut history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Connecticuthistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Hartford Electric Light Company Maple Avenue Sub-Station will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report