Oswegatchie Historic District
National Register of Historic Places

Oswegatchie Historic District

Waterford, New London County, Connecticut
Listed
September 14, 2005
Type
District
Period
Modern
Ref No.
05001043

About this property

The Oswegatchie Historic District is a historic district in the town of Waterford, Connecticut, United States. The historic district is located on a peninsula on the east side of the tidal Niantic River, and represents a cross-section of historic coastal land uses, from farming to a small colony of summer estates to year-round living. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. The Oswegatchie area was first settled by English colonists as farmland, beginning in the late 17th century. In the mid-19th century John Manwaring, a local farmer, took on workers in nearby granite quarries as boarders. Manwaring continued to take summer boarders after the quarries closed in the 1870s, with his son expanding the business around the turn of the 20th century, building a hotel called the Oswegatchie House. The area received a boost when the New London and East Lyme Street Railway was run down Oswegatchie Street from New London, and several handsome summer estates were built on the best land at the southern end of the peninsula. Trolley service ended in the 1920s, and the Great Depression led to the downfall of the Oswegatchie House, which finally burned in 1935. After World War II, demand for housing prompted development in the northern part of the peninsula with year-round housing. The historic district is essentially U-shaped, hugging the shoreline along the eastern bank of the Niantic River and the west and north sides of Keeny Cove. Its northwestern boundary is at East Drive, from which it runs south, around Sandy Point, and along Oswegatchie Road nearly to the head of Keeny Cove. Most of the district's buildings are residential structures, built either between 1900 and 1920, or in the 1940s and 1950s, representing the two major periods of development. The only non-residential building in the district is the Oswegatchie Church, built in 1929 to serve the summer residents. National Register of Historic Places listings in New London County, Connecticut

Location

Waterford, New London County, Connecticut
41.35140, -72.18301

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 Oswegatchie Historic District

This page lists Oswegatchie 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.
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 Oswegatchie Historic District report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Avery, Thomas, House
Industrial
1.8 mi
Graniteville Historic District
Listed
1.9 mi
Jordan Village Historic District
Listed
2.3 mi
Smith, Samuel, House
Industrial
3.4 mi
United States Housing Corporation Historic District
Listed
3.6 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Groton Heights Naval Sep 6 1781
1781Revolutionary War
2.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Oswegatchie Historic District listed on the National Register?

Oswegatchie Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 14, 2005.

What type of historic resource is Oswegatchie Historic District?

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

What is the period of significance for Oswegatchie Historic District?

The period of significance for Oswegatchie Historic District is recorded as the modern era.

Can I research the history near Oswegatchie Historic District?

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 Oswegatchie Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in New London County

Historic places, battles, and census history across New London County.

Explore New LondonCounty ›

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 Oswegatchie Historic District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report