National Register of Historic Places

Knesseth Israel Synagogue

Ellington, Tolland County, Connecticut
Listed
July 20, 1995
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
95000862

About this property

Congregation Knesseth Israel, also known as the Ellington Shul, is a Modern Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue located at 236 Pinney Street in Ellington, Connecticut, in the United States. The congregation was founded in 1906 by a group of Yiddish-speaking Jewish farmers from Russia and Eastern Europe. Its building, dating to 1913, is a rare example of an early 20th-century rural synagogue in the state, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. Knesseth Israel is located in what is now a rural-residential setting south of Ellington center, on the west side of Pinney Road (Connecticut Route 286) a short way north of its junction with Middle Road. It is a modest single-story wood-frame structure, with a hip roof and clapboarded exterior. Its main facade is three bays wide, with a center entrance sheltered by a gabled portico. The portico is supported by square posts, and has a Star of David in the gable. The flanking windows consist of a lower pair of sashes, and an upper transom with paired round arches applied. The interior of the building consists of one large chamber, with a bema that appears slightly oversized due to the building's small size. Because it is a single-story building, the segregated worship area for women (normally located in a second-floor gallery) is on the south side of the main space, separated by a low divider. The synagogue was built in 1913, and was originally located at the corner of Middle Rd. and Abbott Rd. in Ellington. It was built in the Colonial Revival Style partly with funds from the philanthropist Baron Maurice de Hirsch's Jewish Colonization Association. In the 1954 the building was moved to its present location at 236 Pinney St. The building was designed by Leon Dobkin. The building was one of fifteen Connecticut synagogues added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 and 1996 in response to an unprecedented multiple submission, nominating nineteen synagogues. In addition to the synagogue, the congregation maintains an Orthodox Jewish cemetery within the larger Ellington Cemetery. National Register of Historic Places listings in Tolland County, Connecticut

Location

236 Pinney St.
Ellington, Tolland County, Connecticut
41.89748, -72.47963

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 Knesseth Israel Synagogue

This page lists Knesseth Israel Synagogue. 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 Knesseth Israel Synagogue report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Ellington Center Historic District
Listed
0.7 mi
Saxony Mill
Industrial
2.3 mi
Old Rockville High School and East School
Industrial
2.6 mi
Florence Mill
Industrial
2.6 mi
Rockville Historic District
Listed
2.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Knesseth Israel Synagogue listed on the National Register?

Knesseth Israel Synagogue was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 20, 1995.

What type of historic resource is Knesseth Israel Synagogue?

Knesseth Israel Synagogue is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Knesseth Israel Synagogue?

The period of significance for Knesseth Israel Synagogue is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Knesseth Israel Synagogue?

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 Knesseth Israel Synagogue will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Tolland County

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

Explore TollandCounty ›

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 Knesseth Israel Synagogue will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report