National Register of Historic Places

Old Middletown High School

Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut
Listed
August 22, 1985
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
85001826

About this property

The Old Middletown High School building in Middletown, Connecticut, in the United States, occupies the southwest corner of Court and Pearl streets. It is situated in a modestly scaled 19th century urban residential neighborhood. Although integrated into its surroundings, the old high school stands out because of its size and Romanesque Revival style. Built in 1894-1896, this building was Middletown's second high school. The Hartford firm of Curtis & Johnson designed the structure in Romanesque Revival style. The building for which no expense was spared in materials or design, set an innovative standard for the educational facilities of its day. The use of different materials (Pompeian brick, brownstone, and terra cotta) produces a rich textural effect on the exterior. A turret on the northeast corner, the use of round compound arches, and an overall asymmetrical plan are typical of Romanesque Revival. In 1912 a large wing designed by Charles Scranton Palmer of Meriden was added to the south side of the building. This wing closely repeated the materials and stylistic elements of the existing structure. A second large wing containing a library, auditorium, and gymnasium was added to the west side in 1931. Although it incorporates some Romanesque details such as sound compound arched windows and utilized materials compatible to the original, the overall impression is of a separate and distinct construction. The old high school is one of the few monumental civic buildings of the 19th century remaining in Middletown and the only one of the Romanesque style. It ceased operation as a high school in 1973. In 1978 the high school was converted into elderly housing apartments and the structure remains in good condition. In 2007 Middletown High School #2 off of Newfield Street was replaced by MHS #3 that was built in front of MHS #2 before #2 was torn down. The old building is still elderly housing on the corner of Court and Pearl Streets. National Register of Historic Places listings in Middletown, Connecticut

Location

Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut
41.55860, -72.65315

Categories

EDUCATIONARCHITECTURESOCIAL 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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Nearby Historic Sites

Broad Street Historic District
Listed
0 mi
Russell, Edward Augustus, House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Russell, Samuel Wadsworth, House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Eclectic House, The
Industrial
0.1 mi
Coite-Hubbard House
Industrial
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Old Middletown High School listed on the National Register?

Old Middletown High School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 22, 1985.

What type of historic resource is Old Middletown High School?

Old Middletown High School is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Old Middletown High School?

The period of significance for Old Middletown High School is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Old Middletown High School?

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