National Register of Historic Places

Metro South Historic District

Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut
Listed
January 24, 1980
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
80004064

About this property

The Metro South Historic District encompasses a portion of the downtown area of Middletown, Connecticut. Extending south from Main and College Streets for two blocks, this area was developed in the 19th century, and contains a diversity of well-preserved architecture from that period, some with association to locally important individuals. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The district includes 15 contributing buildings and one non-contributing building and extends on the west side of Main Street from Church Street (just north of the South Green) to College Street. Two buildings, the armory and a c. 1750s colonial house, are located on the east side of Main Street. The contributing buildings include two Greek Revival churches: a Baptist church (1842) and Universalist Church (1839). One of the buildings, the Middlesex Opera House was designed by nationally known architect Francis Kimball. The southern part of Middletown's Main Street was predominantly residential into the 19th century, and still includes a few houses from the colonial and Federal periods. In the late 19th century, the commercial portion of the downtown began to extend southward, as exemplified by the construction of the opera house 1892 and the armoury in 1921. Other buildings of note from that period are the 1896 firehouse, and the 1867 Middlesex Assurance Company building at 179 Main Street, which is one of the district's most architecturally sophisticated buildings. Caleb Fuller House (1771, also included in Middletown South Green Historic District) Gen. Mansfield House (1810, houses the Middlesex Historical Society) 109-111 College Street (1926, building that used to serve as entrance for Middlesex Theater) State Armory (1921), including John Watkinson House (1810) National Register of Historic Places listings in Middletown, Connecticut

Location

Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut
41.55782, -72.64853

Categories

ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATIONARCHITECTURE
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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Everything a full report reveals about Metro South Historic District

This page lists Metro South Historic District. 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.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Middletown South Green Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
YMCA of Northern Middlesex County
Industrial
0.1 mi
U.S. Post Office
Industrial
0.2 mi
Broad Street Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi
Old Middletown High School
Industrial
0.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Metro South Historic District listed on the National Register?

Metro South Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 24, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Metro South Historic District?

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

What is the period of significance for Metro South Historic District?

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

Can I research the history near Metro South Historic District?

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