National Register of Historic Places

Watertown Center Historic District

Watertown, Litchfield County, Connecticut
Listed
April 11, 2001
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
01000352

About this property

The Watertown Center Historic District encompasses the historic village center of Watertown, Connecticut. It exhibits architectural and historic changes from the early 1700s into the 20th century. It is roughly bounded by Main, Warren, North, Woodbury, Woodruff, and Academy Hill Roads, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. The area that is now Watertown was settled in the early 18th century, but was not incorporated as a separate town until 1780. Its town green, extending north–south between U.S. Route 6 and Woodbury Road, was laid out in 1772, and a colonial meetinghouse built at its edge (where the present town hall now stands), the area began to take shape as a village center. Steele Brooke, which flows east of the village, was developed as a modest industrial area in the 19th century, and the village was eventually populated with shops and several churches. The houses and institutional buildings built in the village before about 1930 represent an unusually high level of quality and diversity of style, and include a significant number of architect-designed buildings. The historic district covers about 45 acres (18 ha), and is roughly centered on the town green and a stretch of US 6 between Woodbury Road and Main Street. At its eastern edge, Main Street, it abuts part of the town's modern central business district. Its southern boundary is Woodbury Road and Academy Hill Road, extending further south on Woodruff Road almost to Scott Avenue. It extends northward along Main and North Streets to include Warren Street. The green includes several small war memorials and a gazebo. The typical streetscape in the district is residential, with stylistically diverse buildings of high quality. Important non-residential buildings including the 1839 Greek Revival Congregational Church, and the Richardsonian Romanesque former library, built in 1883. The present town hall, built in 1894 in brick, is a fine example of Colonial Revival architecture. The United Methodist Church is an architect-designed Shingle Style structure built in 1898, and the Episcopal church is a fine example of an English country church designed by Allen & Collens of Boston, Massachusetts. National Register of Historic Places listings in Litchfield County, Connecticut

Location

Watertown, Litchfield County, Connecticut
41.60487, -73.11910

Categories

ARCHITECTURESOCIAL 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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This page lists Watertown Center 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

Skilton Road Bridge
Industrial
2.6 mi
Bryan, Roderick, House
Industrial
2.9 mi
Minortown Road Bridge
Industrial
3.5 mi
Sheffield Street Bridge
Industrial
3.8 mi
Reynolds Bridge
Industrial
4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Watertown Center Historic District listed on the National Register?

Watertown Center Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 11, 2001.

What type of historic resource is Watertown Center Historic District?

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

What is the period of significance for Watertown Center Historic District?

The period of significance for Watertown Center Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

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

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