National Register of Historic Places

Mechanic Street Historic District

Stonington, New London County, Connecticut
Listed
June 6, 1988
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
88000653

About this property

The Mechanic Street Historic District encompasses a historic 19th-century mill and mill village in a 14-block area of the Pawcatuck section of Stonington, Connecticut. Extending along the Pawcatuck River and south of West Broad Street (United States Route 1), the area includes a large brick mill complex on the banks of the river, and a neighborhood of well-preserved worker housing on the road grid to its west. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. The Pawcatuck area of Stonington developed, along with adjacent Westerly, Rhode Island, as a port and shipbuilding center in the early 19th century. Several shipyards lined the western (Stonington) bank of the river, whose worker housing formed the early construction of worker housing on the residential grid to the west. The arrival of the railroad in 1837 led the area to also develop an industrial base, with a foundry established in 1851 and a machine factory in 1857. This plant eventually specialized in the manufacture of printing presses, and was joined later in the 19th century by a textile mill. Worker housing of all types was built nearby, both by the business owners and other parties, to meet the housing demand for the workers employed in these businesses. The historic district is 147 acres (59 ha) in size, bounded on the north by West Broad Street and the east by the Pawcatuck River. It includes a large waterfront mill complex, with 7 major buildings over a 25-acre (10 ha) area, and a smaller company office building. It extends westward from the mill as far as Courtland Street, the area beyond the railroad tracks consisting mainly of worker housing. The buildings in the residential area are stylistically diverse, including examples of Greek Revival housing from the shipyard period, and tenement-style housing built later in the 19th century. National Register of Historic Places listings in New London County, Connecticut

Location

Stonington, New London County, Connecticut
41.37393, -71.83553

Categories

INDUSTRYARCHITECTURESOCIAL 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
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The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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The Community
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Rivers & Rail
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Nearby Historic Sites

William Clark Company Thread Mill
Industrial
0.8 mi
Stanton, Robert, House
Industrial
2.8 mi
Randall, John, House
Industrial
3.2 mi
Palmer, Capt. Nathaniel B., House
Industrial
4.3 mi
Stonington Borough Historic District
Listed
4.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Stonington Connecticut 1814
1814Early Republic
4.3 mi
Stonington Bombardment 1814
1814Early Republic
4.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Mechanic Street Historic District listed on the National Register?

Mechanic Street Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 6, 1988.

What type of historic resource is Mechanic Street Historic District?

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

What is the period of significance for Mechanic Street Historic District?

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

Can I research the history near Mechanic Street Historic District?

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