National Register of Historic Places

Upper Main Street Historic District

Ansonia, New Haven County, Connecticut
Listed
December 2, 1982
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
82001004

About this property

The Upper Main Street Historic District encompasses a collection of mainly late-19th-century commercial buildings on Main Street in downtown Ansonia, Connecticut. Extending south from Maple Street, the district exemplifies the rapid commercial growth of the city at that time. Its most prominent feature is the Ansonia Opera House, built 1870. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Ansonia's historic downtown area is located on a terrace of the steeply pitched hillside on the eastern bank of the Naugatuck River, from which it is separated by railroad tracks and a flood wall. The district is about 2 acres (0.81 ha) in size, with its major feature a row of connected masonry commercial buildings on the west side of Main Street, extending south from Maple Street to the opera house. A smaller array of buildings standing roughly opposite the opera house round out the district. The district is hemmed in by a combination of more recent construction and by some of the factories that caused the city's growth. Most of the buildings were constructed between 1870 and 1900, with most predating Ansonia's separation from Derby in 1889. The Ansonia Opera House is the largest and most prominent of the district's buildings. It was built about 1870, and is a fine example of Italianate architecture executed in brick and stone. Across the street stands the Savings Bank of Ansonia building, a neo-Classical structure with an elaborate granite facade. Immediately north of the opera house stands a two-story Romanesque building finished in yellow brick. The buildings extending north from it are all brick three-story buildings, whose most architecturally sophisticated elements are their cornices, some of which are elaborately worked. National Register of Historic Places listings in New Haven County, Connecticut

Location

36-100, 85-117 Main St.
Ansonia, New Haven County, Connecticut
41.34516, -73.07951

Categories

COMMERCEARCHITECTURE
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 Upper Main Street Historic District

This page lists Upper Main Street 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 Upper Main Street Historic District report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

US Post Office-Ansonia Main
Industrial
0.1 mi
Ansonia Library
Industrial
0.2 mi
Mansfield, Richard, House
Industrial
0.6 mi
Humphreys, Gen. David, House
Industrial
1 mi
Wood, Harcourt, Memorial Library
Industrial
1.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Raid on New Haven (Connecticut)
1779Revolutionary War
8.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Upper Main Street Historic District listed on the National Register?

Upper Main Street Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 2, 1982.

What type of historic resource is Upper Main Street Historic District?

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

What is the period of significance for Upper Main Street Historic District?

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

Can I research the history near Upper Main Street 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 Upper Main Street Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in New Haven County

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

Explore New HavenCounty ›

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

Research your locationView a free sample report