National Register of Historic Places

West Goshen Historic District

Goshen, Litchfield County, Connecticut
Listed
October 22, 1987
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
87000982

About this property

The West Goshen Historic District is a historic district in the village of West Goshen in the town of Goshen, Connecticut, United States. It encompasses a well-preserved early 19th-century industrial village, with twenty historically significant properties in the village, most of which lie on Connecticut Route 4 between Beach Street and Thompson Road. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. The village of West Goshen, located west of the village center of Goshen on the Sharon Turnpike (Connecticut Route 4), was isolated and not developed until that road was built about 1770. The area was recognized for the potential of its water power earlier, with a gristmill and sawmill standing on the banks of local waterways in the 1740s. More development took place with the construction of a woolen mill in 1810, intended to process the output of Goshen's large sheep population. This prompted the construction of worker housing for the mill employees, and a small village quickly arose. The West Goshen Store, built in 1814, is one of the products of this period of growth. The village declined around the time of the American Civil War, as water power began to be phased out for industrial works. The historic district is about 29 acres (12 ha) in size, extending along Route 4 between Beach Street and Thompson Road. It is roughly bisected by a branch of the Marshepaug River, where its mill resources (none of which have survived in more than archaeological form) survive. Most of this area's buildings are residential and were built in the early decades of the 19th century, with Federal or Greek Revival style. There are some buildings that are older and some that date to the 1880s. Non-residential buildings include the former West Goshen Store (330 Rt. 4) and a former carding mill at 331 Rt. 4, built in 1818. National Register of Historic Places listings in Litchfield County, Connecticut

Location

Goshen, Litchfield County, Connecticut
41.82559, -73.25387

Categories

INDUSTRYCOMMERCEHISTORIC - NON-ABORIGINALARCHITECTURE
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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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
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The Community
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Rivers & Rail
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Notable People
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Finds & Access
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Nearby Historic Sites

Goshen Historic District
Listed
1.6 mi
Red Mountain Shelter
Industrial
2.3 mi
Welch, David, House
Industrial
3.9 mi
Trinity Church
Industrial
3.9 mi
Milton Center Historic District
Listed
4.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was West Goshen Historic District listed on the National Register?

West Goshen Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 22, 1987.

What type of historic resource is West Goshen Historic District?

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

What is the period of significance for West Goshen Historic District?

The period of significance for West Goshen Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near West Goshen Historic District?

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