Unionville Historic District
- District Overview
- Inventory List
- Town:
- Farmington »
- Year of Establishment:
- 2008
- Notes on Establishment:
- CCT approved in 2007
- Overlapping Historic Designation(s):
- LHD, SR
- District Authority:
- Unionville Historic District Commission
- Link to Commission or Municipal Website:
- Map:
-
Map of the historic district retrieved from the Historic District Commission.
View PDF - District Character:
- Village Center
- Features:
Buildings, Open spaces, Parks, Cemetery
- Architectural Style:
Stick Style, Vernacular, Cape, Colonial Revival, Queen Anne, Gothic
- Era:
- 19th Century, 20th Century
- General description:
The Unionville Historic District runs laterally along the north side of Farmington Avenue, encompassing small enclaves that represent 19th and early 20th century housing, recreational facilities, a cemetery and a firehouse. The district is located north of Route 4 (Farmington Avenue), between the junctions with Route 167 (West Avon Road) and Route 177 (Lovely Street). It lies in the heart of what was once a vibrant manufacturing community, beginning in the early 19th century with a sawmill, gristmill and woolen mill on Roaring Brook, a waterway which runs south through Lion's Park, along Cottage Street and into the Farmington River. The original Tunxis Hose Firehouse, a Queen Anne brick structure, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRIS 83001266). [2]
- Significance of the district:
The Unionville Historic District is important as a microcosm of the town's vitality as a 19th and early 20th century manufacturing center. During this period, Unionville businesses thrived, using the power of the Farmington River to run mill and operate a canal network. The house on Cottage Street are remnants of the optimistic residential building that grew out of this economic vitality, and the parks, cemetery and firehouses are vestiges of the recreation and services that manufacturers and private associations provided for the workers. All buildings possess integrity and the parks, now owned by the town, are maintained carefully. [2]
- District Boundary (according to the LHD Study Report, copied in 2010):
The historic district runs along Cottage Street, encompassing buildings numbered 38, 42, 43, 45, 48 and 62. At the north end of the street, the district encompasses Lion's Park (lot 8A) and north and south of that, Suburban Park (lot 45), the canal bed (lot 62) and Brooks Common (lot 6C). From the western boundaries of these two parks, the district runs further west to encompass Hillside Cemetery (lot 99), the corner of Farmington Avenue and Lovely Street (lot 2), and Tunxis Hose Firehouse (lot 3). The district ends at Route 177 (Lovely Street).
- Sources:
[1] District information retrieved from the town website http://www.farmington-ct.org/.[2] Unionville Historic District Study Report, 2007, SHPO Library, Hartford. [3] Assessors information and Parcel IDs retrieved from the website http://www.farmington-ct.org/landrecords/search.php.
- Notes:
None
- Disclaimer:
Content for this website and district boundaries were compiled from several sources and are subject to change. Boundaries for LHDs may be different from those of State or National Register Districts. To verify the boundaries and particulars of a specific district, consult the LHD study report on file with the respective municipal authority or the State Historic Preservation Office.
- Date of Compilation:
- 12/31/11
- Compiler:
- Manjusha Patnaik, CT Trust for Historic Preservation
