1
10
65
-
https://archives.library.wcsu.edu/omeka/files/original/Danbury_Preservation_Trust_Records_MS_039/2356/NRHP_mainStDanbury.pdf
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PDF Text
Text
OMB NO. 1 024-0018
E XP. 10-31-84
United States Department of the Interior
N ational Park Service
For NPS use only
N ational Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
received
d ate entered
See i n s t r u c t i o n s in H o w t o Complete National Register Forms
Type all entries-complete applicable sections
N ame
1
historic
N. A
-
~
.
~
-
~
~
.~
.-
-
~-
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
and.or c ommon
2. L ocation
See Continuat&on Sheet
--
street--& number
-- .
city. town
tJ . not for publication
L
-
-
D anbury
N A v i c i n i t y of
~
s tateconnec t i c u t
code
09
~
-
~
county
Fairf i e l d
code
001
3. C lassification
Category
district
_.
building(s)
structure
site
object
&
Ownership
public
private
both
Public Acquisition
in process
being considered
-
N .A.
Status
X occupied
unoccupied
-work in progress
Accessible
yes: restricted
X . yes: unrestricted
1 no
L
Present U s e
agriculture
% commercial
X educational
X entertainment
government
industrial
military
X museum
L park
L private residence
X L religious
-scientific
transportation
other:
4. O wner of Property
name
Multiple
street & number
-
See Continuat.ion Sheet
city, town
-
D anbury
- -.
state
Connecticut
State
N A . v i c i n i t y of
Connecticut
5. L ocation of Legal Description
courthouse, registry of deeds, etc.
1 5 5 D e e r H i l l A venue
street & number
city, town
D anburv C i t v H a l l
D anbury
6. R epresentation in Existing Surveys
titlestate
date
R e g i s t e r of H i s t o r i c
P l a c e b a s this property been determined eligible?
1 983
federal
depository for survey records
4
i
c ity, town
-
county
2 L no
l ocal
-_
C o n n e c t i c r u ~ its x i C a l c ommission
o
59 S o u t h P--o s p-e - t St.- H-a r -f o r d
r - -c
,
t
--
-
h_~
state
_ _ yes
-
--
state C o n n e c t i c u t
---
-
-
--
.
�OMB NO. 1024-0018
E xp. 10-31-84
NPS Form 10.900.r
B 82)
United States Department of the Interior
~ a t i o n a P ark Service
l
National Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
M ain S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
Connecticut
Item number 4
Continuation sheet D anburv
-
B oughton S t .
-
Elm St.,
Ives
st.
No.
.
Paae
1
6
N os.
10-16,
18-24,
N OS.
1 , 2-4,
5 -7,
2 6 , 3 0 , 32-52
8 -10 J / 2 ,
1
1
Ives a t Railroad Place
I v e s and Delay S t .
K e e l e r St.
-
N os.
Library Place
Main S t .
-
-
N os.
N os.
-
White S t . -
2 0 , 28-32,
5-15,
34-38,
40-46
17-21
3 4 , 3 6 , 4 0 , 4 2 , 4 3 , 4 3 r e a r , 4 6 , 4 7 , 4 8 , 4 9 , 5 4 , 57, 58,
5 9 , 6 3 , 6 4 , 6 5 , 6 7 , 6 8 , 7 0 , 7 1 , 7 5 , 8 0 , 8 5-87, 8 8 , 89-91,
93-95, 9 7 , 9 8 , 101-103, 1 0 4 , 105-107, 1 0 9 , 111-113, 1 1 6 ,
1 1 9 , 1 2 0 , 1 2 5 , 1 2 9 , 1 3 2 , 1 3 5 , 1 3 6 , 137-139, 1 4 0 , 1 4 1 ,
143-147, 149-151, 153-157, 1 5 8 , 161-169, 1 7 0 , 173-175,
177-179, 181-185, S o l d i e r s ' Monument, 190-196, 191-193,
195-197, 1 9 8 - 2 0 4 , 199-201, 203-205, 207, 206-210, 209211, 213, 2 1 5 , 220-224, 221-223, 226-228, 229 1 /2-239,
2 34, 238, 240-242, 241-251, 244-246, 248, 253-255, 254,
257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 264, 2 6 5 , 266-268, 270, 272,
274, 275-277, 276, 278, 279-283, 282-286, 275-287, 288,
289, 290-292
Post Office Place
W e s t St.
7-13,
-
No.
Nos.
2 -16,
N os.
16-18,
Wooster S t . Cemetery
3
1 7 , 18-20,
20-26,
22-24,
32-34,
25, 31
36-40,
4 2 , 44-52
�C
NPS Form 10.900.r
(382)
United States Department of the Interior
N ational P ark Service
N ational Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t ~ i s t o r i c i s t r i c t
~
D anbury, C o n n e c t i c u t
Continuation sheet
Item number
6
Pane 1
National Registex o f H i s t o r i c Places :
J ohn and Mary R i d e r House, 43 Main S t r e e t , l i s t e d November 23, 1977.
Determination o f E l i g i b i l i t y :
Old Danbury J a i l , 80 Main S t r e e t , December 3 , 1980.
Local Surveys:
L
Main S t r e e t S u r v e y , 1979-1980:
Town H i l l S u r v e y , 1 982-1983.
�7 . Description
Condition
Check one
Check one
deteriorated
X unaltered
X original site
X good
ruins
& altered
moved
date
X fair
unexposed
-- - - -Describe the present and original (ifknown) physical appearance
x-xcellent
e
-
x
-
--
1 9 5 8 , &ohn D0dd S hop
No. 4 3 Main S t r e e t
-
r h e b lain S t r e e t ~ i s t o r i c i s t r i c t c o m p r i s e s 132 p r o p e r t i e s i n t h e c e n t e r
D
of t h e C i t y o f Danbury, o f which 97 a r e h i s t o r i c a l l y a n d / o r a r c h i t e c t u r a l l y significant.
The b u i l d i n g s a r e l o c a t e d on b o t h s i d e s o f Main S t r e e t
between No. 3 4 Main S t r e e t a n d No. 43 Main S t r e e t o n t h e s o u t h a n d t h e
i n t e r s e c t i o n o f Main S t r e e t w i t h White S t r e e t and E l m S t r e e t on t h e n o r t h ,
a n d o n n i n e a d j a c e n t s i d e s t r e e t s , The d i s t r i c t i s i n c l u s i v e o f D a n b u r y ' s
b u s i n e s s , i n s t i t u t i o n a l and e a r l i e s t r e s i d e n t i a l c e n t e r a s i t developed
from i t s f o u n d i n g i n t h e l a t e s e v e n t e e n t h c e n t u r y t o t h e m i d - t w e n t i e t h .
The b u i l d i n g s w i t h i n t h e d i s t r i c t a r e a mix o f commercial, r e s i d e n t i a l ,
e c c l e s i a s t i c a l a n d i n s t i t u t i o n a l , r e f l e c t i n g Main S t r e e t ' s m u l t i p l e
f u n c t i o n s a s Danbury's p r i n c i p a l s t r e e t . Represented within i t a r e
b u i l d i n g s from a w i d e r a n g e o f p e r i o d s a n d s t y l e s from t h e l a t e e i g h t e e n t h
c e n t u r y t o t h e e a r l y t w e n t i e t h , i n c l u d i n g G e o r g i a n , G reek R e v i v a l ,
R e n a i s s a n c e R e v i v a l , I t a l i a n a t e , G o t h i c R e v i v a l , Second a m p i r e , I Iigh
V i c t o r i a n G o t h i c , n i c h a r d s o n i a n K omanesque, B eaux Arts N e o - C l a s s i c a l ,
Commercial, G e o r g i a n R e v i v a l , Dutch C o l o n i a l R e v i v a l and M o d e r n i s t i c .
The
m a j o r i t y o f t h e s t r u c t u r e s a r e v e r n a c u l a r i n c h a r a c t e r , t h e work o f l o c a l
b u i l d e r s and a r c h i t e c t s , b u t t h e r e a r e s i g n i f i c a n t , w e l l - p r e s e r v e d examples
o f s e v e r a l of these s t y l e s .
The Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t i s c e n t r a l l y l o c a t e d i n t h e c i t y o f
T he c i t y ' s g e o g r a p h i c c e n t e r i s w i t h i n t h e d i s t r i c t , i n t h e a r e a
Danbury.
o f No. 2 3 8 Main S t r e e t .
The t e r r a i n w i t h i n t h e d i s t r i c t c a n be d e s c r i b e d a s
g e n e r a l l y f l a t a n d l e v e l , d u e t o i t s v a l l e y l o c a t i o n . Main S t r e e t s l o p e s
almost imperceptibly northward towards t h e S t i l l R i v e r , a f e w hundred feet
b eyond t h e d i s t r i c t ' s n o r t h e r n boundary.
'b t h e w e s t i s a n upward s l o p e
i
f o r most o f t h e l e n g t h o f :.lain S t r e e t , t o t h e e a s t a m o d e r a t e f a l l i n g o f f .
B o u n d a r i e s o f t h e d i s t r i c t h a v e been drawn t o f o c u s o n t h e p h y s i c a l d e v e l o p T he
ment o f Main S t r e e t a s Danbury ' s c ommercial a n d i n s t i t u t i o n a l c e n t e r .
b o u n d a r i e s a r e i n c l u s i v e o f b u i l d i n g s a n d s t r e e t s c a p e s which a r e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f Main S t r e e t ' s h i s t o r i c a l d e v e l o p m e n t , m u l t i p l i c i t y o f f u n c t i o n s a n d
architectural character.
The d i s t r i c t i s v i s u a l l y and a r c h i t e c t u r a l l y
d i s t i n c t from p r i m a r i l y r e s i d e n t i a l and s t r i p commercial n e i g h b o r h o o d s which
s u r r o u n d i t to t h e e a s t , s o u t h a n d w e s t .
D i r e c t l y behind the e a s t s i d e o f
Main S t r e e t between L i b e r t y and White S t r e e t s - . i s " P a r c e l A , " a s i x - a c r e
t r a c t c l e a r e d by t h e C i t y ' s Redevelopment c ommission d u r i n g t h e 1 9 6 0 s and
1 9 7 0 s a n d s l a t e d f o r f u t u r e development.
The s t r e e t p a t t e r n o f t h e d i s t r i c t c a n be d e s c r i b e d a s d e n d r i t i c o r t reelike.
S i d e s t r e e t s - s ome o f which o r i g i n a t e d d u r i n g e a r l y s e t t l e m e n t a s
r o u t e s t o m i l l s o r o u t l y i n g f a r m s , a n d some o f which w e r e o pened by
s p e c u l a t o r s d u r i n g t h e d e c a d e s o f Main S t r e e t ' s commercial e x p a n s i o n b r a n c h o f f a t i r r e g u l a r i n t e r v a l s from t h e Main S t r e e t " t r u n k . "
N o streets
w i t h i n t h e d i s t r i c t a r e c o n t i n u o u s e a s t a n d w e s t a c r o s s Main S t r e e t , b u t
s i g n i f i c a n t i n t e r s e c t i o n s o c c u r a t White a n d E l m a n d Main, known a s
W ooster S q u a r e ; a n d West, L i b e r t y a n d Main, known a s C i t y H a l l Square.
T h e s e i n t e r s e c t i o n s , t o g e t h e r w i t h Elmwood P a r k t o t h e s o u t h , h a v e s e r v e d
a t d i f f e r e n t p e r i o d s a s f o c a l p o i n t s f o r p u b l i c , i n s t i t u t i o n a l and
commercial b u i l d i n g s and a c t i v i t i e s .
�NPS Fonn 10-800s
OM6 No.1024-0018
EXp. 10-31-84
P
W
U nited States Department of the Interior
N ational Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
M ain S t r e e t ~ i s t o r i c i s t r i c t
D
Continuation sheet D anbury , C o n n e c t i c u t
Item number
7
Page 1
T he s e c t i o n s o f W h i t e , I v e s , West, Boughton, K e e l e r a n d Wooster S t r e e t s a n d
P o s t O f f i c e and L i b r a r y P l a c e w i t h i n t h e d i s t r i c t r e p r e s e n t e x t e n s i o n s o f
Main S t r e e t u s e s a n d a r c h i t e c t u r e o n t o a d j a c e n t s i d e s t r e e t s , a n d a r e
v i s u a l l y c o n t i n u o u s w i t h Main S t r e e t .
The s o u t h e r n b o u n d a r y o f t h e d i s t r i c t i s t h e s o u t h p r o p e r t y l i n e o f No. 34
Main S t r e e t o n t h e w e s t s i d e o f Main S t r e e t a n d No. 43 Main S t r e e t o n t h e
e a s t s i d e o f Main S t r e e t .
The c h a r a c t e r o f Main S t r e e t c h a n g e s d r a m a t i c a l l y
s o u t h o f t h e s e p r o p e r t y l i n e s , g i v i n g way t o r e c e n t l y c o n s t r u c t e d c o m m e r c i a l
s t r u c t u r e s t o a p o i n t where t h e v i s u a l c o n t i n u i t y a n d i n t e g r i t y o f t h e
s t r e e t s c a p e i s l o s t . ( P h o t o g r a p h 1 ) 'The n o r t h e r n b o u n d a r y o f t h e d i s t r i c t
i s t h e n o r t h s i d e o f White a n d E l m S t r e e t s , t h e e d g e o f F l o o d C o n t r o l /
R ~ d e v e l o p m e n tp r o g r a m s o f t h e 1 9 6 0 s which l e v e l l e d o l d s t r u c t u r e s o n t h e
n o r t h s i d e s o f E l m S t r e e t a n d K h i t e S t r e e t a n d f o r a b l o c k o n Main S t r e e t
north o f the intersection.
The e a s t e r n a n d w e s t e r n b o u n d a r i e s o f t h e
d i s t r i c t f o l l o w t h e r e a r p r o p e r t y l i n e s o f Main S t r e e t p r o p e r t i e s a n d o t h e r
c o n t r i b u t i n g p r o p e r t i e s o n a d j a c e n t s i d e s t r e e t s , e x c e p t where t h e y c u t
t h r o u g h p r i v a t e l y owned p a r k i n g l o t s b e h i n d some Main S t r e e t b u i l d i n g s .
The d i s t r i c t i n c l u d e s s e v e r a l d i s t i n c t s t r e e t s c a p e s d e f i n e d by b u i l d i n g s
The g r a d u a l t r a n s i t i o n from a
o f d i f f e r e n t p e r i o d s , types and &yles.
p r i m a r i l y r e s i d e n t i a l c h a r a c t e r a t t h e s o u t h end o f t h e d i s t r i c t to a f u l l y
u r b a n complex a t i t s n o r t h i s a r e f l e c t i o n o f t h e n o r t h w a r d g r o w t h o f
Danbury's b u s i n e s s c e n t e r d u r i n g t h e n i n e t e e n t h century.
Between t h e
s o u t h e r n b o u n d a r y o f t h e d i s t r i c t a n d Elmwood P a r k , c o n t r i b u t i n g b u i l d i n g s
c o n s i s t a l m o s t e n t i r e l y o f e i g h t e e n t h a n d e a r l y n i n e t e e n t h - c e n t u r y homes,
shops and s t o r e s , p r i m a r i l y o f e a r l y craftsmen and merchants. ( Photographs
1, 2 , 3 ) T he e a r l i e s t b u i l d i n g s i n t h i s s e c t i o n a r e t w o - s t o r y v e r n a c u l a r
Georgian p l a n dwellings with s t e e p l y p i t c h e d r o o f s . (Photographs 2, 3 )
A l s o i n c l u d e d i s t h e J o h n Dodd Shop, a n a p o t h e c a r y s h o p a n d d w e l l i n g b u i l t
i n 1 7 9 0 , ( P h o t o g r a p h 2 ) T h i s b u i l d i n g was moved f r o m i t s o r i g i n a l l o c a t i o n
i n 1 9 5 8 by t h e Danbury S c o t t - F a n t o n Museum a n d H i s t o r i c a l S o c i e t y when a
l a r g e s u p e r m a r k e t was b u i l t o n i t s s i t e j u s t s o u t h o f t h e museum g r o u n d s
a n d t h e b u i l d i n g was t h r e a t e n e d w i t h d e s t r u c t i o n ,
The b u i l d i n g i s s i g n i f i c a n t a s t h e e a r l i e s t c o m m e r c i a l b u i l d i n g o n Main S t r e e t .
On t h e w e s t s i d e
o f Main S t r e e t i s a r o w o f b u i l d i n g s d a t i n g f r o m t h e l a t e e i g h t e e n t h a n d
e a r l y n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y , A l l o f t h e e a r l y b u i l d i n g s s o u t h o f Elmwood P a r k
D e s p i t e some
a r e s e t back from t h e s i d e w a l k and have l a n d s c a p e d y a r d s .
i n s t r u s i o n s and a l t e r a t i o n s i n t h i s s e c t i o n , t h e s e b u i l d i n g s r e p r e s e n t t h e
h i s t o r i c r o o t s o f t h e p r e s e n t b u s i n e s s d i s t r i c t t o their n o r t h , c o n t r i b u t e
s t r o n g l y t o h i s t o r i c a n d a r c h i t e c t u r a l themes o f t h e d i s t r i c t , a n d convey
a f e e l i n g of t i m e a n d p l a c e ,
Many a r e p r e s e n t l y u s e d f o r o f f i c e s o r s m a l l
businesses,
On b o t h s ides o f Main S t r e e t f a c i n g Elmwood P a r k , a g r a s s y , t r e e - l i n e d
i s l a n d i n t h e m i d d l e of t h e s t r e e t , a r e i n s t i t u t i o n a l b u i l d i n g s i n c l u d i n g
t h e c o u r t h o u s e and j a i l , a c h u r c h , s c h o o l and o t h e r b u i l d i n g s t r a d i t i o n a l l y
associated with t h e park, a focal point f o r public a c t i v i t i e s since the
e a r l y nineteenth century.
The l a n d was o l i g i n a l l y d o n a t e d t o t h e town
�NPS Form 1OOODa
a-63
United States Department of the Interior
N ational Park Service
N ational Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c t ~ i s t r i c t
C ~ n t i n ~ a t i ~ f l D anbury , ~ o n n etc c u t
sheet
i
Item number 7
...................
..
..
--.
Page
f o r u s e a s a common i n 1801.
I n 1853 i t was p l a n t e d w i t h t rees a n d a hay
I n 1879 t h e p a r k was f u r t h e r e q u i p p e d
c r o p , and c o n v e r t e d t o a p u b l i c p a r k .
w i t h b e n c h e s , f o u n t a i n s , a b a n d s t a n d and s e r p e n t i n e w a l k s , a l l o f which h a v e
been removed.
~t was t h e s t a r t i n g p o i n t f o r p a r a d e s down Main S t r e e t and
t h e b a n d s t a n d was t h e s i t e o f summer c o n c e r t s by l o c a l bands.
The modern
p a r k i s p l a n t e d w i t h maples and e q u i p p e d w i t h b e n c h e s and a n h i s t o r i c a l
marker.
Occupying a , m d e & e m i n e n c e o n t h e w e s t s i d e o f t h e s o u t h end o f t h e p a r k i s
t h e p r e s e n t C o u r t h o u s e , b u i l t i n 1899 on t h e s i t e o f two p r e d e c e s s o r s .
~ts
symmetrical facade i s buff b r i c k with limestone t r i m .
A c e n t r a l , pedimented
p a v i l i o n p r o j e c t s from t h e f a c a d e between t h e two wings.
In i t are t h e
e n t r y , f l a n k e d by t a p e r e d I o n i c columns which s u p p o r t a f r i e z e and c o r n i c e
w i t h b a l u s t r a d e above.
Four I o n i c p i l a s t e r s on t h e second s t o r y c a r r y a
f r i e z e which b e a r s t h e i n s c r i p t i o n " F a i r f i e l d County Courthouse."
The
p i l a s t e r s f l a n k a c e n t r a l window w i t h round a r c h e d f a n w i t h a r u s t i c a t e d
G i b b s s u r r o u n d , a n d e n f r a m e s m a l l e r s i d e windows w i t h p o r t a l windows above.
The i n t e r i o r o f t h e C o u r t h o u s e i s o r i g i n a l .
The h a l l w a y s a r e l i n e d w i t h
s t a i n e d a s h w a i n s c o t i n g topped w i t h a bead-and-reel molding, and t h e i r o n
s t a i r c a s e s w i t h c a s t - i r o n newel p o s t s a l s o s u r v i v e i n t a c t .
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c o u r t r o o m , b e n e a t h t h e l a r g e c o p p e r dome, i s c o m p l e t e l y o r i g i n a l , w i t h
p a n e l l i n g , d o o r s u r r o u n d s , b a r s , benches and j u r y box a l l i n t a c t .
( P h o t o g r a p h s 5, 6 )
D i r e c t l y a c r o s s Elrnwood P a r k from t h e C o u r t h o u s e i s t h e o l d J a i l b u i l d i n g ,
c o n s t r u c t e d i n 1872 and c o n v e r t e d i n t o a S e n i o r C e n t e r which w a s d e d i c a t e d
The r e d - b r i c k ,
Second E m p i r e - s t y l e b u i l d i n g s e r v e d a s a
o n May 1, 1 983.
j a i l f o r F a i r f i e l d County u n t i l 1959, when t h e c o u n t y s y s t e m i n C o n n e c t i c u t
I t o c c u p i e s t h e s i t e o f two
was a b o l i s h e d , a n d a s a S t a t e j a i l u n t i l 1969.
e a r l i e r j a i l s , a n d i s a l s o o n t h e s i t e o f t h e f i r s t C o n g r e g a t i o n a l meetingh o u s e , c o n s t r u c t e d i n 1696. D i r e c t l y t o t h e r ear o f t h e j a i l o n Wooster
S t r e e t is t h e town's o r i g i n a l cemetery, p a r t of t h e churchyard o f t h e f i r s t
meetinghouse, w i t h g r a v e s d a t i n g t o t h e e a r l y e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y .
Facing
Main S t r e e t i s t h e t w o - s t o r y , mansard-roofed j a i l e r ' s r e s i d e n c e , w i t h ones t o r y , g a b l e - r o o f e d c e l l b l a c k w ings e x t e n d i n g from t h e r e a r t o t h e w e s t
a n d s o u t h . A t h r e e - s t o r y watch tower a n d p r i s o n e r ' s e n t r a n c e i s a t t h e
Beginning
i n t e r s e c t i o n o f t h e j a i l e r ' s q u a r t e r s and t h e s o u t h c e l l b l o c k ,
i n 1980, t h e b u i l d i n g h a s been s u b s t a n t i a l l y r e s t o r e d .
The s l a t e r o o f ,
round-arched dormers a n d e x t e r i o r b r i c k w e r e c l e a n e d and r e s t o r e d ,
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The i n t e r i o r window
p o r c h columns w e r e r e p l a c e d m a t c h i n g t h e o r i g i n a l s .
a n d d o o r s u r r o u n d s , crown m o l d i n g s a n d s t a i r c a s e s w i t h t u r n e d n e w e l s , r a i l s
a n d b a l u s t e r s h a v e been p r e s e r v e d .
The w e s t e r n o r men's c e l l b l o c k h a s
b e e n c o n v e r t e d i n t o a m e e t i n g room, w h i l e s i x o f t h e women's c e l l s i n t h e
s o u t h e r n c e l l b l o c k have been p r e s e r v e d a s an e x h i b i t o f t h e b u i l d i n g ' s
h i s t o r i c function. (Photograph 7)
N o r t h o f t h e j a i l a n d c e m e t e r y a c r o s s Wooster S t r e e t a r e a row o f t h r e e
l a t e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y , r e d b r i c k b u i l d i n g s e r e c t e d by S t . P e t e r ' s Roman
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Catholic parish.
From s o u t h t o n o r t h t h e y a r e : t h e C o n v e n t , a R e n a i s s a n c e
R e v i v a l b u i l d i n g e r e c t e d i n 1 8 9 5 w i t h a c o p p e r h i p r o o f , round a r c h e d
windows w i t h b i l l e t e d b r i c k , a n d s t a i n e d g l a s s windows; t h e S c h o o l , w i t h
a n I t a l i a n a t e - s t y l e tower which p r o j e c t s from t h e f r o n t ; and t h e R e c t o r y ,
a s i g n i f i c a n t l o c a l example o f R i c h a r d s o n i a n Romanesque i n f l u e n c e .
(Photograph 8 , Figure 2)
S t . P e t e r ' s C hurch i s d i r e c t l y a c r o s s Main S t r e e t a n d Elmwood P a r k from
The s l a t e - r o o f e d , G o t h i c R e v i v a l c h u r c h i s o f r u s t i c a t e d
t h e Rectory.
I t s 1 7 5 ' s p i r e i s a p r o m i n e n t Main S t r e e t
granite, quarried locally.
( Photograph 9 )
l a n d m a r k , v i s i b l e t h r o u g h o u t most o f t h e d i s t r i c t
.
B etween S t . P e t e r ' s Church a n d t h e C o u r t h o u s e o n t h e e a s t s i d e o f Elmwood
Park a r e s e v e r a l e a r l y nineteenth-century r e s i d e n t i a l s t r u c t u r e s , i n t e r mixed w i t h commercial b u i l d i n g s o f t h e l a t e n i n e t e e n t h a n d e a r l y t w e n t i e t h
c e n t u r i e s . A G reek R e v i v a l d o u b l e h o u s e s t a n d s a t Nos. 101-103 Main S t r e e t
i n t h e c e n t e r o f t h i s block.
The h o u s e h a s two d i s t i n c t e n t r a n c e s , w i t h a
f a n a n d two q u a r t e r f a n s i n t h e g a b l e , a n o r n a m e n t a l f e a t u r e f o u n d nowhere
e l s e i n t h e d i s t r i c t . (Photograph 9 )
Nos. 111-113 Main S t r e e t , t h e M a r s h a l l B u i l d i n g , i s a f o u r - s t o r y commercial
Its o r i g i n a l cast-iron s t o r e f r o n t
a n d a p a r t m e n t b u i l d i n g e r e c t e d i n 1891.
was c o v e r e d when t h e s t o r e f r o n t was e x t e n d e d , b u t t h e i n t e r i o r r e t a i n s i t s
pressed metal w a l l s and c e i l i n g s .
The u p p e r s t o r i e s o f t h e f a c a d e f e a t u r e
d i f f e r e n t f e n e s t r a t i o n o n e a c h f l o o r - g r o u p s o f t h r e e windows o n e a c h
s i d e w i t h k e y s t o n e s and s p l a y e d l i n t e l s o n t h e second s t o r y , round a r c h e s
formed o f molded b r i c k a n d brownstone s i l l s o n t h e t h i r d , a n d r u s t i c a t e d
sandstone l i n t e l s and s i l l s on t h e f o u r t h f l o o r , beneath a c o r b e l l e d
cornice.
On t h e e x p o s e d n o r t h w a l l o f t h e b u i l d i n g t h e r e r e m a i n s p a i n t e d
a d v e r t i s i n g f o r i t s l o n g t i m e f o r m e r owner a n d o c c u p a n t , C o r n e l i u s D e l o h e r y
U n d e r t a k e r s a n d Home F u r n i s h i n g s ,
A s t o n e s e t i n t h e c e n t e r of t h e
b u i l d i n g between t h e t h i r d a n d f o u r t h s t o ~ i e s e a r s t h e i n s c r i b e d l e g e n d
b
" M a r s h a l l , 1890."
(Photograph 9 )
The f o r m e r f i r e h o u s e o f Humane Hose Co. No. 1 , a b r a c k e t e d , I t a l i a n a t e s t u c c o
b u i l d i n g w i t h h i p r o o f , i s o n a d j a c e n t B oughton S t r e e t .
P r e s e n t l y used f o r
v e h i c l e s t o r a g e by t h e n e a r b y P o l i c e D e p a r t m e n t , t h e f i r e h o u s e was b u i l t i n
1 9 1 1 f o r o n e o f D a n b u r y ' s two o r i g i n a l f i r e c o m p a n i e s , which h a d s e r v e d
t h i s a r e a s i n c e i t was o r g a n i z e d i n 1829.
D i r e c t l y n o r t h o f t h e P a r k a r e a on t h e w e s t s i d e o f t h e s t r e e t i s a s e c t i o n
o f b u i l d i n g s o f p r e d o m i n a n t l y modern c o n s t r u c t i o n .
A t t h e northwest corner
o f B oughton S t r e e t i s t h e P o l i c e S t a t i o n , a t t h e c o r n e r o f W e s t S t r e e t i s
t h e Danbury L i b r a r y , b o t h b u i l d i n g s c o n s t r u c t e d i n 1 969-70.
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s e v e r a l commercial b u i l d i n g s c o n s t r u c t e d s i n c e 1 9 4 5 o r c o m p l e t e l y r e m o d e l l e d .
These b u i l d i n g s a r e c l a s s i f i e d a s n o n - c o n t r i b u t i n g , ( P h o t o g r a p h 1 0 ) On t h e
e a s t s i d e o f Main S t r e e t a b o v e t h e P a r k a r e commercial b u i l d i n g s b u i l t
d u r i n g t h e 1 9 2 0 s a n d 1 9 3 0 s , a s f a r a s No. 1 4 1 Main S t r e e t , which o c c u p i e s
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c ommercial s t r u c t u r e s t o t h e n o r t h end o f t h e d i s t r i c t .
No. 1 4 1 Main S t r e e t , a t w o - s t o r y b r i c k c o m m e r c i a l ' b u i l d i n g , two b a y s wide
and with brickwork p a n e l , i s n o t a b l e f o r i t s d e d i c a t i o n s t o n e , set i n t h e
c e n t e r o f t h e b u i l d i n g between t h e f i r s t and s e c o n d s t o r i e s . The i n s c r i p t i o n r e a d s "Oct. 25, 1 9 0 7 , Daoud Bochharhe" i n E n g l i s h and A r a b i c l e t t e r s .
K e e l e r S t r e e t , a d j a c e n t t o t h e e a s t o f t h i s b u i l d i n g , i s b u i l t u p on i t s
s o u t h s i d e f o r a p p r o x i m a t e l y o n e - h a l f o f i t s l e n g t h w i t h b u i l d i n g s which
r e p r e s e n t a n e x t e n s i o n o f Main S t r e e t u s e s and a r c h i t e c t u r e , i n c l u d i n g
t h e f o r m e r Moose Lodge, a r e d - b r i c k l o d g e h a l l w i t h s h a p e d g a b l e ; and t h e
h i g h - s t y l e b r i c k Queen Anne t enement a t Nos. 36-42 K e e l e r S t r e e t , which
r e t a i n s i t s s l a t e mansard r o o f and c o n i c a l t o w e r s , a n d r u s t i c a t e d browns t o n e l i n t e l s a n d s i l l s . ( P h o t o g r a p h 11)
On t h e e a s t s i d e o f Main, n o r t h o f K e e l e r S t r e e t , t h e c h a r a c t e r o f t h e
s t r e e t s c a p e c h a n g e s t o t h r e e and f o u r - s t o r y b r i c k commercial b u i l d i n g s a s
The b l o c k between Keeler a nd L i b e r t y S t r e e t s
f a r n o r t h a s White S t r e e t .
i s a c o h e s i v e s t r e e t s c a p e , a b l e n d o f I t a l i a n a t e , Commercial a n d C o l o n i a l
Revival i n f l u e n c e s . (Photograph 1 3 ) A t t h e s o u t h end o f t h e block a t t h e
i n t e r s e c t i o n o f K e e l e r S t r e e t i s t h e K e e l e r B u i l d i n g , a f o u r - s t o r y commercial
b u i l d i n g w i t h p r e s s e d b r i c k f a c a d e a n d c o r b e l l e d window hoods.
Nos. 1 491 5 1 Main S t r e e t d i r e c t l y t o t h e n o r t h i s a n e x t e n s i o n o f t h e G r i f f i n g B l o c k ,
Nos. 153-157 Main S t r e e t t o i t s n o r t h .
The G r i f f i n g B l o c k , b u i l t i n 1 8 6 4 ,
i s a t h r e e - s t o r y commercial b l o c k w i t h molded window s u r r o u n d s a n d q u o i n s :
i t h a s a n u n u s u a l wooden c o r n i c e , i t s p a i r e d b r a c k e t s f e a t u r i n g t e a r - d r o p
l i k e r e t u r n s and pendants.
U n i t i n g t h e two b u i l d i n g s i s Nos. 149-151 Main
S t r e e t , which matches No. 153 i n b u i l d i n g h e i g h t b u t whose c o r b e l l e d window
hoods e c h o t h e K e e l e r B lock. ( P h o t o g r a p h 1 2 )
A t t h e n o r t h end o f
t h e b l o c k i s t h e f o u r - s t o r y H u l l B u i l d i n g , a Commercial
s t y l e building with multi-colored pressed b r i c k facade,
In the center of
e
The Martha
t h e b l o c k i s t h e Martha ~ p a r t m e n t s / ~ a l a c T h e a t e r complex.
A p a r t m e n t s i s f i v e s t o r i e s , o f b r i c k l a i d i n a s t r i k i n g E n g l i s h bond p a t t e r n ,
with limestone c o r n i c e and s t o r e f r o n t s .
I n t h e t h i r d s t o r e f r o n t from t h e
s o u t h end o f t h e g r o u n d f l o o r o f t h e b u i l d i n g i s t h e e n t r a n c e t o t h e P a l a c e
t h e a t e r , t h e f i f t h l a r g e s t auditorium i n Connecticut.
The i n t e r i o r o f t h e
2 , 0 0 0 - s e a t t h e a t e r i s A damesque.
I t s g l a s s and bronze d o o r s a r e o r i g i n a l ,
The l o b b y , 1 0 0 ' l o n g , i s m i r r o r e d a n d
surmounted by a f e s t o o n e d f r i e z e .
p a n e l l e d i n mahogany, w i t h a m a r b l e p a t t e r n f l o o r a n d m a r b l e dado.
A
c o r r i d o r l i n e d w i t h a m b e r - c o l o r e d l e a d e d g l a s s l e a d s down t o a n o v a l f o y e r ,
where m a s s i v e m arble C o r i n t h i a n p i l a s t e r s r ise t o t h e f u l l h e i g h t o f t h e
mezzanine above.
Marble s t a i r c a s e s l e a d t o t h e b a l c o n y .
The t h e a t e r ' s
i n t e r i o r s p a c e i s c r e a t e d by a 4 5 ' dome.
A s i n t h e l o b b y and f o y e r , t h e
d e c o r i s A damesque.
Medallions t o e i t h e r s i d e o f t h e s c r e e n enframe
p a i n t i n g s o f female f i g u r e s c a r r y i n g urns.
Festooned f r i e z e s and C o r i n t h i a n
p i l a s t e r s c a r r y o u t t he C l a s s i c a l m o t i f e l s e w h e r e .
Two l a r g e w a l l p a n e l s ,
p r e s e n t l y c o v e r e d by f a b r i c , f e a t u r e C l a s s i c a l l y i n s p i r e d m u r a l s .
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to f i v e t i e r s .
I n 1 9 7 9 , t h e t h e a t e r was c o n v e r t e d i n t o a t r i p l e x by
p a r t i t i o n s down t h e m i d d l e o f t h e main f l o o r a n d a f l o o r i n s t a l l e d a t t h e
balcony l e v e l .
The c o n v e r s i o n i s n o t i r r e v e r s i b l e , a n d t h e t h e a t e r i s
c u r r e n t l y b e i n g s t u d i e d by a n A r t s T ask F o r c e a s a p o s s i b l e s i t e f o r a
R e g i o n a l o r c ommunity c e n t e r f o r t h e p e r f o r m i n g a r t s .
Its s t r u c t u r e ,
f u r n i s h i n g and d e c o r a t i v e elements a r e e s s e n t i a l l y i n t a c t . (Photograph 1 3 )
North o f L i b e r t y S t r e e t o n t h e e a s t s i d e o f Main a r e two and t h r e e - s t o r y
commercial b u i l d i n g s j o i n e d by p a r t y w a l l s a n d f l u s h w i t h t h e s i d e w a l k ,
r a n g i n g i n d a t e from 1852 t o 1965.
(Photograph 1 7 ) A l a r g e proportion o f
t h e commercial'.buildings on t h i s s i d e o f t h e street w e r e b u i l t p r i o r t o
1 880.
The B e n e d i c t a n d N i c h o l s B u i l d i n g a t Nos. 191-193 Main S t r e e t
( P h o t o g r a p h 1 7 ) i s r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f t h e e a r l i e s t commercial b u i l d i n g s ,
which d i s p l a y Greek R e v i v a l f e a t u r e s s u c h a s t r a b e a t e d l i n t e l s a n d s i l l s o f
g r a n i t e o r l i m e s t o n e a n d s i m p l e c o r n i c e s b e a r i n g C l a s s i c a l ornament.
No. 213 Main S t r e e t , b u i l t i n 1 9 1 1 , r e t a i n s i t s o r i g i n a l s t o r e f r o n t c o r n i c e ,
s e c o n d - s t o r y p l a t e g l a s s d i s p l a y window a n d b r i c k w o r k p a n e l s below a
c o r b e l l e d c o r n i c e , a l l i n b u f f b r i c k . Next n o r t h o f i t , t h e p r e s e n t
Howland's Department S t o r e ( N o s . 2 15-217 Main S t r e e t ) f e a t u r e s a t r i p l e
d i s p l a y window i n i . t s s e c o n d s t o r y a n d a c o r n i c e w i t h G r e c i a n f r e t w o r k
f r i e z e and p a r a p e t .
(Photograph 1 8 )
The P o s t O f f i c e , a t No, 265 Main S t r e e t , i s a t w o - s t o r y b r i c k b u i l d i n g ,
I t s m ain e n t r a n c e i s t h r o u g h a t r i p l e a r c h e d
Georgian Revival i n s t y l e ,
l o g g i a s e p a r a t e d by C o r i n t h i a n p i l a s t e r s a n d f l a n k e d o n e i t h e r s ide b y
h i g h , r o u n d - a r c h e d windows.
The p i l a s t e r s r i s e t o a d e n t i c u l a t e d l i m e s t o n e
c o r n i c e and p a r a p e t ,
The v e s t i b u l e a n d b u l l e t i n b o a r d s t o e i t h e r s i d e i n
t h e P o s t O f f i c e l o b b y a r e o f h a n d c a r v e d , a rnrnoniated a n d waxed o a k w i t h
f l o r a l , egg-and-dart a n d b e a d - a n d - r e e l m o l d i n g s .
The l o b b y h a s t e r r a z z o
floors and marble wainscoting,
The P o s t O f f i c e o c c u p i e s t h e whole s o u t h
s i d e o f P o s t O f f i c e P l a c e , a s h o r t a l l e y between Main S t r e e t a n d I v e s
S t r e e t . ( P h o t o g r a p h 20)
White S t r e e t , t h e n o r t h e r n boundary o f t h e d i s t r i c t , i s a s t r e e t o f c o m m e r c i a l b u i l d i n g s o n i t s s o u t h s i d e , i n c l u d e d i n t h e d i s t r i c t . ( P h o t o g r a p h 21)
The f o r m e r Heyman b u i l d i n g a t N o . 36 W hite s t r e e t i s a c ommercial a d a p t a t i o n of t h e Neo-Classical s t y l e , b u i l t i n c o n c r e t e with a d e n t i c u l a t e d
c o r n i c e and p a n e l l e d p a r a p e t .
The e a s t e r n m o s t b u i l d i n g i n t h e d i s t r i c t i s
t h e Seaman-Lynch Hardware S t o r e , o r i g i n a l l y Union H a l l , N o s . 4 2-52 White
Street.
This t h r e e - s t o r y commercial b l o c k h a s a p r e s s e d b r i c k f a c a d e and
r e t a i n s its o r i g i n a l b r a c k e t e d wooden c o r n i c e ,
T a l l windows o n t h e t h i r d
f l o o r l i g h t e d a 1 , 0 0 0 s e a t temperance h a l l , now u s e d a s a p a r t m e n t s .
The
l a r g e b l o c k d e f i n e s t h e d i s t r i c t ' s n o r t h e a s t e r n boundary.
Tb i t s e a s t i s
N a t i o n a l P l a c e , a l a n e l e a d i n g to p a r k i n g l o t s ,
O ff White s t r e e t a n d p a r a l l e l i n g Main S t r e e t a s f a r s o u t h a s P o s t O f f i c e
P lace i s I v e s S t r e e t , upon which i s l o c a t e d a s i g n i f i c a n t l a t e - n i n e t e e n t h
�OM6 Ha.1024-0018
E rp. -31-84
U nited States Department of t he Interior
National Park Service
N ational Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
M ain S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
Continuation sheet D a n b u r y , C o n n e c t i c u t
Item number 7
Page 6
century streetscape.
On t h e e a s t s i d e o f t h e s t r e e t a r e t h e I v e s S t r e e t
F i r e h o u s e : a n d t h e f o r m e r S w i f t , now Omaha B e e f , w a r e h o u s e .
(Photograph 22)
The F i r e h o u s e , b u i l t i n 1 8 8 3 , i s a t w a - s t o r y b r i c k Queen Anne b u i l d i n g .
I t s w indows a r e s e g m e n t a l l y a r c h e d w i t h s o l d i e r c o u r s e s o f a l t e r n a t i n g r e d
and yellow b r i c k .
O r i g i n a l l y p a i n t e d r e d , it h a s been p a i n t e d s e v e r a l
colors i n the intervening years.
T r i p l e windows i n t h e s e c o n d s t o r y a r e
trimmed i n r e d a n d b l u e s t a i n e d g l a s s , which a l s o was o r i g i n a l l y i n t h e
The g r o u n d f l o o r was a n d i s now u s e d
transoms o f t h e f i r e and o t h e r doors.
f o r s t o r a g e of f i r e v e h i c l e s ; while t h e upper f l o o r , o r i g i n a l l y p a r l o r s f o r
t h e two f i r e c o m p a n i e s f o r which i t w as b u i l t , was c o n v e r t e d d u r i n g t h e l a t e
nineteenth century i n t o barracks f o r p a i d firemen.
'To t h e r e a r a r e a s m a l l
I the south o f t h e
b
b a t t e r y room a n d s t a b l e c o n s t r u c t e d d u r i n g t h e 1 8 9 0 s .
f i r e h o u s e i s t h e f o r m e r S w i f t , now Omaha B e e f , w a r e h o u s e .
On t h e w e s t s i d e o f t h e s t r e e t a r e t h e f o r m e r L e o n a r d B u i l d i n g s , o n t h e
corner of I v e s S t r e e t and Fost O f f i c e Place.
(Photograph 23) Characterized
by b r a c k e t e d c o r n i c e s o f p r e s s e d m e t a l a n d r e c t a n g u l a r windows w i t h s i l l s
a n d l i n t e l s o f r u s t i c a t e d b r o w n s t o n e , t h e s e two V i c t o r i a n c o m m e r c i a l b u i l d i n g s a r e u n i t e d a t s t o r e f r o n t l e v e l b y a eommon c o r n i c e , a l s o o f formed
metal.
Windows o n t h e g r o u n d f l o o r l e v e l o f N O. 2 - 4 I v e s S t r e e t h a v e
been f i l l e d i n o r a l t e r e d .
The e a s t s i d e o f Main S t r e e t b e t w e e n L i b e r t y a n d White S t r e e t i s c h a r a c t e r In
i z e d by a common s c a l e a n d t h e e a r l y p e r i o d o f many o f i t s b u i l d i n g s .
t h i s s e c t i o n m o d e r n i z a t i o n o f s t o r e f r o n t s by b u i l d i n g o w n e r s h a s h a d i t s
greatestimpact.
While n e a r l y a l l t h e commercial b u i l d i n g s i n t h e d i s t r i c t
h a v e b e e n a l t e r e d t o a g r e a t e r o r l esser e x t e n t a t t h e s t o r e f r o n t l e v e l ,
d u r i n g t h e 1 9 6 0 s a n d 1 9 7 0 s i n p a r t i c u l a r , b u i l d i n g o w n e r s i n many c ases
a p p l i e d v a r i o u s f a c a d e t r e a t m e n t s t o make t h e i r b u i l d i n g s a p p e a r more modern.
Some o f t h e s e t r e a t m e n t s c o n s i s t o f a p p l i e d m e t a l s c r e e n o r s p r a y e d - o n
g u n n i t e ( N o s . 275-277 Main, N o s , 2 79-281 M a i n ) ( P h o t o g r a p h 3 4 ) ; o t h e r s h a v e
b e e n g u t t e d a n d g i v e n c m m p l e t e l y new f a c a d e s ( No.207 M ain, Nos. 203-205
Main, Nos, 197-199 Main, No, 257 M a i n ) , ( P h o t o g r a p h 1 7 )
The i n t e r s e c t i o n o f Main S t r e e t a n d W e s t S t r e e t h a s b e e n a c e n t r a l f o c a l
p o i n t f o r - - p u b l i c a c t i v i t i e s and s t r u c t u r e s s i n c e t h e l a t e e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y ,
I n t h e c e n t e r o f t h e i n t e r s e c t i o n , o n a s m a l l p a r k - l i k e i k l a n d , is- t h e
S o l d i e r s Monument, ( p h o t o g r a p h 1 0 ) The monument i s 3 2 ' h i g h , c o n s i s t i n g o f
a m arble f i g u r e o f a Union S o l d i e r h o l d i n g a f l a g i n h i s r i g h t h a n d , a t o p a
g r a n i t e C o r i n t h i a n column 1 2 ' h i g h , e n c i r c l e d by a b a n d b e a r i n g t h e names
o f b a t t l e s i n which Danbury s o l d i e r s f o u g h t .
Upon t h e d i e f a c i n g Main S t r e e t
i s t h e i n s c r i p t i o n : " To o u r B r o t h e r s , B e l o v e d , H o n o r e d , R e v e r e d , Who D i e d
t h a t Our C o u n t r y m i g h t l i v e , "
On t h e W e s t S t r e e t f a c e i s i n s c r i b e d : "The
Defenders o f t h e Union,"
The n o r t h e r n c o r n e r o f t h e i n t e r s e c t i o n i s d omina t e d b y t h e P e r s h i n g B u i l d i n g Nos. 190-196 Main S t r e e t a n d Nos, 1 - 1 5
W e s t S t r e e t , a t h r e e - s t o r y Commercial-style o f f i c e b u i l d i n g o f buff b r i c k
w i t h c o n c r e t e t r i m , w i t h p a r a p e t r o o f a n d p e d i m e n t e d c rests a t t h e c o r n e r s
and i n the center o f t h e south elevation,
W e s t S t r e e t f o r a block w e s t o f
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�United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
N ational Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
, Connecticut
Item number 7
Continuation sheet D anbury
-
-
Main S treet i s i n c l u d e d i n t h e d i s t r i c t .
On t h e n o r t h s i d e o f t h e s t r e e t
i s t h e G o t h i c R e v i v a l S t . J ames E p i s c o p a l Church. ( P h o t o g r a p h 1 5 )
T t h e w e s t o f t h e church on t h e n o r t h s i d e o f t h e street is t h e former
o
o f f i c e b u i l d i n g o f t h e S o u t h e r n N e w E ngland T e l e p h o n e Company i n Danbury
a t No. 3 1 W e s t S t r e e t .
( P h o t o g r a p h 1 6 ) The t w o c s t o r y b r i c k b u i l d i n g r ises
t o a m o d i l l i o n e d c o r n i c e o f formed m e t a l .
F i v e b a y s wide and f o u r d e e p , i t s
w indows h a v e s p l a y e d l i n t e l s o f b r i c k w i t h k e y s t o n e s o f s a n d s t o n e , The s i d e
w a l l s form s t e p p e d g a b l e s ,
Across W e s t S t r e e t on i t s s o u t h s i d e a r e a p a i r
o f s t u c c o , I t a l i a n a t e l o d g e h a l l s , t h e f o r m e r Odd F e l l o w s B u i l d i n g a t No, 18(Photograph 1 4 )
20 K e s t S t r e e t l a n d N os. 22-24 W e s t S t r e e t , t h e Danbury C l u b .
The s e c t i o n o f t h e w e s t s i d e o f Main S t r e e t b etween W e s t a n d E l m S t r e e t s i n
t h e c e n t r a l b u s i n e s s d i s t r i c t i s c h a r a c t e r i z e d by b u i l d i n g s o f a more m a s s i v e
s c a l e a n d monumental q u a l i t y a n d by a g r e a t e r p r o p o r t i o n o f e x a m p l e s o f h i g h
s t y l e b u i l d i n g s t h a n t h e e a s t s i d e o f Main S t r e e t i n t h e same s e c t i o n .
Several a r e free-standing.
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t h i s s e c t i o n o f Main S t r e e t i s a r ow o f f o u r b a n k s .
The s o u t h e r n m o s t o f t h i r s e b a n k s i s t h e Union T r u s t , a ~ e o - C l a s s i c a l b u i l d i n g o f
Indiana limestone,
( P h o t o g r a p h 24) I t s f a c a d e c o n s i s t s o f a c e n t r a l e n t r y ,
n o l o n g e r i n u s e , s u r r o u n d e d by r o p e m o l d i n g , w i t h f o u r l a r g e , r o u n d - a r c h e d
windows, a s i m p l e m o d i l l i o n e d c o r n i c e a n d p a r a p e t .
Panels with carved
f o l i a t e d d e s i g n s i n r e l i e f o c c u p y t h e s p a n d r e l s between t h e a r c h e d windows.
The s e a l o f t h e S t a t e o f C o n n e c t i c u t i s c a r v e d a b o v e t h e c e n t r a l e n t r y .
An
addition t o t h e bank's south contains the present entry.
The i n t e r i o r i s
d i s t i n g u i s h e d by i t s h i g h , p a n e l l e d a n d molded c e i l i n g .
A c r o s s C h a p e l P l a c e from t h e Union T r u s t , a n d s i t e d upon a s l i g h t eminence
i s t h e S a v i n g s Bank o f Danbury.
(Photograph 25) A l i m e s t o n e b a l u s t r a d e
with turned b a l u s t e r s l i n e s t h e sidewalk on t h e southern p r o p e r t y l i n e ,
e n c l o s i n g a s m a l l lawn, t h e o n l y s i g n i f i c a n t p r i v a t e l a n d s c a p i n g i n t h e
b u s i n e s s a r e a n o r t h o f Elmwood P a r k .
The b u i l d i n g ' s i n t e r i o r i s e n t i r e l y
original,
P a n e l l e d w a i n s c o t i n g , f u r n i t u r e and a pedimented v e s t i b u l e a r e
o f f i n i s h e d oak, a s a r e the bank's counters.
The w a l l s h a v e p l a s t e r
c o r n i c e s f e a t u r i n g s c r o l l m o d i l l i o n s a n d e g g - a n d - d a r t m o l d i n g s which conceal ceiling lights,
An o a k m a n t l e w i t h f r i e z e , t r i g l y p h s a n d c o r n i c e
encloses the vault.
(Photograph 26)
The Union S a v i n g s Bank a t N OS. 2 26-228 Main S t r e e t i s t h r e e - s t o r i e s h i g h ,
a n d d i s t i n g u i s h e d by i t s d a r k r e d e x t e r i o r a n d i t s l a v i s h u s e o f t e r r a
T h i s bank i s t h e o n l y o n e o f t h e f o u r
c o t t a t i l e a s a surface treatment.
i n t h e row whose i n t e r i o r h a s been., e x t e n s i v e l y m o d e r n i z e d , a f t e r t h e o f f i c e s
w e r e b lown u p i n a 1 9 7 1 r o b b e r y .
Upper f l o o r s a r e u s e d f o r o f f i c e s , a n d
t h e t h i r d f l o o r c o n t a i n s a l a r g e h a l l which s e a t e d 500, o n c e u s e d f o r t h e
D anbury High S c h o o l d u r i n g t h e 1 8 9 0 s . I n f r o n t o f t h e g r o u n d f l o o r i s
suspended a s q u a r e T i f f a n y g l a s s c l o c k added i n 1927, (Photograph 25)
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United States Department of the Interior
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Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
D anbury, c onnecL-icu t
Item number
--
Continuation sheet
7
Page 8
C i t y T r u s t Bank i s a N e o - C l a s s i c a l b u i l d i n g o f w h i t e m a r b l e , w i t h a c e n t r a l
e n t r y a r c h i n which i s s e t t h e b r o n z e d o o r s , e n r i c h e d by e t c h e d d e s i g n s ,
w ith;:a l a r g e t r a n s o m window a b o v e a n d a b r o n z e r e l i e f o f an I n d i a n l o o k i n g
o u t o v e r t h e P l a i n o f Pahquioque above t h e c e n t e r o f t h e a r c h , a d e s i g n
t a k e n from a n e a r l y bank n o t e , The i n t e r i o r o f No. 234 Main S t r e e t r e t a i n s
i t s o r i g i n a l monumental t w o - s t o r y c e i l i n g , w i t h a f r i e z e a r o u n d i t f e a t u r i n g
swags, c o r n u c o p i a e , r o p e moldings and o t h e r m o t i f s and a G r e c i a n f r e t b o r d e r .
The u p p e r f l o o r s a r e r e a c h e d by a n O t i s e l e v a t o r , i n s t a l l e d i n 1 9 3 1 when
A carved
t h e bank was e n l a r g e d a n d r e m o d e l l e d i n t o i t s p r e s e n t a p p e a r a n c e ,
e a g l e i s s e t b etween t h e s p a n d r e l p a n e l s o f t h e a r c h .
A modillioned c o r n i c e
and p a r a p e t w i t h crest surrounds a f l a t r o o f .
Side walls a r e o f yellow
brick,
(Photograph 25)
A t t h e s o u t h e r n c o r n e r o f Main a n d L i b r a r y P l a c e i s t h e f o r m e r Danbury
' rhe b u i l d i n g i s
L i b r a r y , used f o r c i t y o f f i c e s . (Photograph 28, Figure 3 )
t h e o n l y example o f High V i c t o r i a n G o t h i c s t y l e i n t h e d i s t r i c t .
The
e x t e r i o r i s o f orange-red p r e s s e d b r i c k , r e s t i n g on a c o p i n g o f r u s t i c a t e d
granite.
S t a i n e d g l a s s windows l i g h t t h e s t a i r w a y l e a d i n g t o t h e s e c o n d
f l o o r on t h e south s i d e .
The i n t e r i o r c o n s i s t s o f a f i r s t f l o o r w i t h a
main room, o r i g i n a l l y t h e C h i l d r e n ' s Room, now u s e d a s a n o f f i c e .
The
f o r m e r C h i l d r e n ' s Room i s d i s t i n g u i s h e d by m u r a l s e x e c u t e d i n 1937 a s a
W . P . A . p r o j e c t by l o c a l a r t i s t C h a r l e s F e d e r e r .
Illustrations are of
Mother Goose t a l e s ; t h e a r t i s t u s e d l o c a l D a n b u r i a n s o f t h e t i m e a s models.
The s e c o n d f l o o r , o r i g i n a l l y t h e main r e a d i n g room, h a s a h i g h , v a u l t e d
I t r e t a i n s i t s o r i g i n a l w a i n s c o t i n g , windows a n d r a d i a t o r s .
c e i l i n g o f ash.
The room, which o c c u p i e s a l m o s t a l l o f t h e s e c o n d f l o o r , i s l i g h t e d by t h e
t a l l a r c h e d windows i n t h e c r o s s i n g g a b l e s a n d h a s b e e n p a r t i t i o n e d by
temporary s l i d i n g d i v i d e r s i n t o o f f i c e s .
T hese o f f i c e s a r e e x p e c t e d t o be
moved i n t h e n e a r f u t u r e a n d t h e room c o n v e r t e d i n t o a C r e a t i v e A r t s C e n t e r
by t h e C i t y o f Danbury, which a l s o c l e a n e d t h e e x t e r i o r a n d r e - p a i n t e d t h e
wooden window t r i m d u r i n g t h e summer o f 1981.
To t h e n o r t h o f t h e L i b r a r y i s t h e f o r m e r Danbury N a t i o n a l Bank, p r e s e n t l y
known a s t h e Thomas S e t t l e B u i l d i n g , a t No. 248 Main S t .
(Photograph 28,
F i g u r e 2 ) I t s e x t e r i o r o f r u s t i c a t e d s a n d s t o n e f e a t u r e s round a r c h e d
windows o n t h e f i r s t f l o o r a n d a c a r v e d f r i e z e a b o v e t h e s e c o n d s t o r y .
It
The b u i l d i n g ' s main b a n k i n g room i s now u s e d a s a n i n s u r a n c e o f f i c e .
remains s u b s t a n t i a l l y i n t a c t , i n c l u d i n g i t s o r i g i n a l wainscoting and pedim ented d o o r s u r r o u n d s a t t h e f o r m e r v a u l t s .
T he b u i l d i n g ' s t h i r d - s t o r y
g a b l e s , which complemented t h e d e s i g n o f t h e n e i g h b o r i n g L i b r a r y , w e r e
u n f o r t u n a t e l y l o s t f o l l o w i n g s e v e r e f i r e damage i n 1973.
Significant
f e a t u r e s remain, however, p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e c a r v e d , f o l i a t e d r e l i e f and t h e
( ~ h t o g r a p h 2 8 , E 'igure ' 3 )
o
well-preserved i n t e r i o r .
(
1
North of t h e L i b r a r y o n t h e n o r t h s i d e o f Library P l a c e i s t h e former
S e i f e r t Armory a t Nos. 5 - 1 5 L i b r a r y P l a c e ; a n d a row o f t h r e e a t t a c h e d
T he m a s s i v e
t e n e m e n t s complementary i n d e s i g n a n d m a t e r i a l s , t o i t s w e s t .
f o r m e r armory h a s s e v e n s t o r e f r o n t s o n t h e g r o u n d f l o o r , t h e t h r e e e a s t e r n most w i t h C a r r a r a g l a s s s t o r e f r o n t s .
The t h r e e u p p e r s t o r i e s a r e u s e d f o r
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
~ a t i o n aRegister of Historic Places
l
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
, Connecticut
Item number 7
Continuation sheet D anbury
Page 9
apartments.
Its e x t e r i o r is pressed brick.
The t h r e e a t t a c h e d a p a r t m e n t s
f e a t u r e a bay window E l a n k i n g t h e e n t r y o n t h e g r o u n d f l o o r w i t h rounda r c h e d w indows8'.above6 n t h e s e c o n d , r i s i n g t o - . a m o d i l l i o n e d c o r n i c e o f
formed m e t a l .
( P h o t o g r a p h 2 9 ) The s t r u c t u r e s form a c o h e s i v e e x t e n s i o n
o f t h e Main S t r e e t s t r e e t s c a p e u p t h e s t e e p n o r t h e r n s l o p e o f L i b r a r y
Place a s f a r a s Tower Place.
N o r t h o f L i b r a r y P l a c e t h e w e s t s i d e o f Main S t r e e t c o n s i s t s e n t i r e l y o f
commercial b u i l d i n g s .
The T r e a d w e l l Block a t Nos. 266-268 Main S t r e e t , a
three-story building, stands out.
T he b u i l d i n g , o f a more m a s s i v e s c a l e
t h a n i t s n e i g h b o r s , d o m i n a t e s t h e c e n t e r of t h e b l o c k . ( P h o t o g r a p h 3 0 )
A t t h e c o r n e r o f Main a n d E l m S t r e e t s i s t h e Danbury N e w s B u i l d i n g , w i t h
i t s d i s t i n g u i s h i n g tower.
(Photograph 31)
E l m S t r e e t , which i n c l u d e s a mix o f b u i l d i n g t y p e s , f o r m s t h e n o r t h w e s t e r n
boundary o f t h e d i s t r i c t .
( P h o t o g r a p h s 3 2 , 3 3 ) The H o r n i g Block a t N os.
1 0-16 E l m S t r e e t i s t h e o n l y b u i l d i n g i n t h e d i s t r i c t w i t h a p r e s s e d m e t a l
facade.
A t N o . 3 0 E l m S t r e e t a G reek R e v i v a l h o u s e i s s i t e d o n a s l i g h t
p r o m o n t o r y , a b o v e a row o f s t o r e s a t s i d e w a l k l e v e l .
The h o u s e i s f u l l y
pedimented w i t h f r i e z e and c o r n e r p i l a s t e r s , t o g e t h e r w i t h a V i c t o r i a n
f r o n t porch.
The w e s t e r n m o s t b u i l d i n g i n t h e d i s t r i c t i s t h e f o r m e r
(Photograph 33) I t s
American L e g i o n B u i l d i n g a t Nos. 36-52 E l m S t r e e t .
f a c a d e i s o r i g i n a l , w i t h a b u f f b r i c k e x t e r i o r , a n d unornamented c o n c r e t e
c o r n i c e and p a r a p e t above.
Five storefronts r e t a i n t h e i r o r i g i n a l glass
b l o c k t r a n s o m s a n d a r e s u r m o u n t e d by a c o n t i n u o u s m o d i l l i o n e d s t o r e f r o n t
cornice of concrete.
The b u i l d i n g ' s s e c o n d f l o o r i s l i g h t e d by f i v e r o u n d a r c h e d windows f l a n k e d by two r e c t a n g u l a r windows o n t h e s e c o n d s t o r y .
The f o r m e r l o d g e h a l l c o n t a i n s a n a u d i t o r i u m a n d t h e a t e r o n t h e s e c o n d f l o o r .
�NPS Form 10.900-•
OM6 NO.1024-0018
0-92)
Enp. l0-31-84
United States Department of the Interior
~ a t i o n a Park Service
l
National Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t ~ i s t o r i c i s t r i c t
~
D anbury , C o n n e c t i c u t
Continuation sheet
Item number
INVENTORY
C= C o n t r i b u t i n g
NC= N o n - c o n t r i b u t i n g
S t r e e t a n d No.
.
7
Contribution t o
H i s t o r i c and/or
A r c h i t e c t u i a l Themes
d
Map 1-X
B oughton S t
6
1911, I t a l i a n a t e , P h i l i p Sunderland, a r c h i t e c t .
2 s t o r i e s , s t u c c o o n frame, s l a t e h i p r o o f ,
o r n a m e n t a l wooden b r a c k e t s .
O r i g i n a l l y Humane
Hose Co. No. 1 F i r e h o u s e , p r e s e n t l y u s e d f o r
C
s t o r a g e o f v e h i c l e s by Danbury P o l i c e Department.
Elm St.
10-16
1 8 8 2 , I t a l i a n a t e Commercial. Hornig Block: two
s t o r i e s , p r e s s e d m e t a l o v e r c l a p b o a r d ; low p i t c h ,
Only p r e s s e d m e t a l s i d e d
composition roof.
:'C
building i n d i s t r i c t .
1 8-24
1 8 8 3 , I t a l i a n a t e Commercial.
P r a t t Block:
t h r e e s t o r i e s , b r i c k w i t h wooden c o r n i c e and
window h e a d s : l ow p i t c h ,c o m p o s i t i o n r o o f .
C
Three s t o r e s w i t h a p a r t m e n t s o n upper f l o o r s .
1
2
3
1 9 2 6 , 1955, Modern c ommercial. O ne-story ,
a luminum s t o r e f r o n t s - b r i c k ; f l a t , c o m p o s i t i o n
roof
NC
4
c . 1 8 4 0 , Greek R e v i v a l .
Two s t o r i e s , g a b l e r o o f
f a c i n g s t r e e t . F u l l y pedimented w i t h c o r n e r
pilasters rising t o frieze.
Clapboard.
V i c t o r i a n f r o n t p o r c h w i t h t u r n e d columns a n d
scrollwork.
Roof o f No. 26 E l m b e g i n s a t bottom
o f p o r c h , below t h i s b u i l d i n g a n d n o t i n f r o n t
o f i t.
C
5
1 927, f o r m e r A merico V e s p u c c i , American Legion
all-y ~ o d e r n / ~ o l o n i a le v i v a l , P h i l i p S u n d e r l a n d ,
R
architect.
Roman b u f f b r i c k w i t h c o n c r e t e
m o d i l l i o n e d c o r n i c e a n d p a r a p e t above.
Expanses
o f w a l l s u r f a c e w i t h l a r g e , round a r c h e d windows
a r e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f S u n d e r l a n d ' s work.
Six
s t o r e f r o n t s , l o d g e h a l l and a u d i t o r i u m i n u p p e r
Concrete modillioned s t o r e f r o n t c o r n i c e
floors
a n d o r i g i n a l g l a s s b l o c k transoms.
C
6
.
.
Ives St.
1
1 8 9 3 , R ornanesque R e v i v a l , William Webb S u n d e r l a n d ,
B r i c k w i t h brownstone l i n t e l s , ground
architect
floor.
F l a t , c omposi t i o n r o o f , t h r e e s t o r i e s
S egmental a r c h s e c o n d f l o o r o f f a c a d e , t h i r d s tory
f e a t u r e s a r c a d e formed o f c o r b e l l e d round a r c h e s .
h i l t a n d s t i l l i n c o n t i n u o u s u s e a s m e a t w arehouse.
.
.
c
7
�NPS Form 1 0-8001
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
Continuation sheet
,
M ain S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
I
A
Page 1
1
~ p r t i r ~ l t Item number 7
S t r e e t and No.
Ives S t r e e t continued
2-4
1895, I t a l i a n a t e , J o e l F o s t e r , a r c h i t e c t .
Three-stories , b r i c k with i r o n cornices,
brownstone s i l l s and l i n t e l s .
5- 7
8 -10 1 /2
1
1
C o n t r i b u t i o n to
H i s t o r i c and/or
A r c h i t e c t u r a l Themes
M
I d- a p -. No.
1 883-84, C ueen A nne, J o e l F o s t e r , a r c h i t e c t .
Used a s F i r e D e p a r t m e n t H e a d q u a r t e r s 1889-1969.
Two-stories, b r i c k , s l a t e roof.
First floor
w a s used f o r v e h i c l e s t o r a g e , with a one-story
s t a b l e a d d i t i o n t o t h e r e a r , and a second addit i o n b u i l t f o r a b a t t e r y room.
Second f l o o r
originally w e r e parlors f o r volunteer f i r e
companies, l a t e r c o n v e r t e d to s l e e p i n g q u a r t e r s .
C
9
1895, I t a l i a n a t e , J o e l F o s t e r , a r c h i t e c t .
Twos t o r i e s , b r i c k , i r o n c o r n i c e s , brownstone l i n t e l s
and sills; f l a t , composition r o o f .
C
10
NC
11
1 9 4 3 , Modern, s t e e l a n d g l a s s o n c o n c r e t e b l o c k
foundation.
One-story p a i n t warehouse.
Ives a t
Railroad Place
c . 1 9 4 0 , Modern.
One-story,
tion roof.
Tire dealership.
brick;
f l a t composiNC
12
I v e s and
D e l a y S t . 1 9 5 5 , Modern.
Diner with corrugated m e t a l
siding.
One-story, f l a t composition roof.
NC
13
Keeler St.
7-13
1 8 8 2 , 1 8 9 6 , I t a l i a n a t e , J oel F o s t e r , a r c h i t e c t .
C o n n e c t e d w i t h N o s . 1 41-147 Main S t r e e t ( K e e l e r
B l o c k ) by o n e - s t o r y a d d i t i o n , b u t o r i g i n a l l y
free-standing.
Brick, two-stories, corbelled
b r i c k window h o o d s match t h o s e o f N OS. 1 41-147
Main S t r e e t .
F i v e s t o r e s with apartments above.
C
14
�&
NPS Form IQBM)..
Qs2)
U nited States Department of the Interior
N ational Park Service
N ational Register of Historic P laces
Inventory-Nomination Form
Mainstreet H i s t o r i c D i s t r i ct
Continuation sheet D anburv , C o n n e c t i c u t
ltern number 7
S t r e e t and No.
K e e l e r S t r e e t Continued
20
1 940, Modern. One-story b r i c k t i r e
d e a l e r s h i p and l a u n d e r e t t e .
28-32
Page 1 2
Contribution t o
H i s t o r i c and/or
A r c h i t e c t u r a l Themes
Map I d . - No.
NC
i
.
i
C
1 890, Queen Anne.
Three-stories, b r i c k with
s l a t e , g a b l e r o o f , brownstone l i n t e l s , s i l l s a nd
s t r i n g c o u r s e s . C o n i c a l tower o c c u p i e s c e n t e r
bays.
Tenement.
P r o j e c t i n g bays.
40-46
1922, Dutch C o l o n i a l R e v i v a l .
Originally
Moose Lodge H a l l No. 1373: b r i c k w i t h shaped
gable.
Two-story , t h r e e - b a y wide a d d i t i o n t o
east.
C
c . 1 8 9 6 , Queen Anne.
~ h r e e - s t o r i e s , brick with
aluminum s i d i n g ; f l a t , t i n r o o f .
P r o j e c t i n g end
b a y s w i t h g a b l e r o o f s f a c i n g s t r e e t . T enement.
C
Library Place
5-1 5
1 891. V i c t o r i a n Commercial, J o e l F o s t e r ,
architect.
S e i f e r t Armory:
b r i c k w i t h browns t o n e l i n t e l s , s i l l s a nd a r c h e s , i r o n c o r n i c e ;
low p i t c h , c o m p o s i t i o n r o o f . F i v e s t o r e s , w e s t e r n most o f which h a s C a r r a r a g l a s s s t o r e f r o n t .
O r i g i n a l tower p r o j e c t i n g upward above main
T h i r d f l o o r i s a f ormer
e n t r a n c e bay i s m i s s i n g .
armory, now a p a r t m e n t s .
C
1 892, Romanesque R e v i v a l , J o e l F o s t e r , a r c h i t e c t .
T h r e e - s t o r i e s , b r i c k w i t h brownstone l i n t e l s ,
iron cornice.
Three a t t a c h e d apartments, with
f i r s t f l o o r bay window, second s t o r y round a r c h e s ,
bracketed cornice.
C
Main S t r e e t
34
c . 1 7 9 0 , ~ e o r g i a n . T wo-stories, aluminum s i d e d
Gable,
w i t h ground f l o o r b r i c k veneer s t o r e f r o n t
asphalt shingled roof.
C
.
36
c . 1 8 3 0 , Greek R e v i v a l Commercial.
Brick, gable
end-to-street, asphalt-shingled gable roof, r e a r
a d d i t i o n , wood s h i n g l e d .
Fan i n g a b l e .
C
15
�O MB No. 1024-0018
Exp. l0-31-84
United States Department of the Interior
N ational P ark Service
~ a t i o n aRegister of Historic Places
l
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
, Connecticut
Item number 7
Continuation sheet D anbury
Page1
3
Contribution t o
H i s t o r i c and/or
A r c h i t e c t u r a l Themes
S t r e e t a n d No.
Map I d . No.
Main S t r e e t c o n t i n u e d
c . 1 790, G e o r g i a n .
T w o - s t o r i e s , aluminum
40
s i d e d and f a c a d e remodelled.
Asphalt shingled
r o o f , f i e l d s t o n e foundation.
NC
23
42
1 8 3 2 , Greek R e v i v a l .
T w o - s t o r i e s , aluminum
sided, asphalt shingled gable roof.
F u l l pediment w i t h d e n t i l t r i m , f a n i n tympanum, f r o n t
d oorway w i t h r e e d e d columns, f a n l i g h t and
sidelights.
43
1785, G e o r g i a n .
J o h n and Mary R i d e r House:
t w o - s t o r i e s , c l a p b o a r d , wood s h i n g l e d g a b l e
roof.
P a r t o f S c o t t - F a n t o n Museum. R e s t o r e d
interior.
L i s t e d on N a t i o n a l R e g i s t e r .
C
26
1790 G e o r g i a n , J o h n Dodd S hop: o n e and o n e - h a l f
s t o r i e s , wood-shingled g a b l e r o o f , c l a p b o a r d .
E a r l i e s t s h o p b u i l d i n g on Main S t r e e t .
Moved
from o r i g i n a l s i t e . P a r t o f S c o t t - F a n t o n Museum.
C
2'6
c. 1 9 1 2 , C o l o n i a l R e v i v a l .
Two-stories,
h i p , a s p h a l t shingled roof.
C
2.7
c. 1 8 0 5 , G e o r g i a n .
T w o - s t o r i e s , wood s h i n g l e d ,
gable roof with a s p h a l t shingles.
C
28
c. 1 7 8 0 , G e o r g i a n , V i c t o r i a n r e m o d e l l i n g .
Twos t o r i e s , aluminum s i d i n g , g a b l e r o o f , a s p h a l t
shingles.
C
29
c . 1 8 1 5 , F e d e r a l e l e m e n t s . O r i g i n a l l y home a n d
s h o p o f a shoemaker:
two s t o r i e s , wood s h i n g l e s ,
gable roof, asphalt shingles.
Rear a d d i t i o n shop.
C
3 .0
NC
31
C
32
R
43 r e a r
I
46
f
47
48
49
1 9 6 1 , Modern; b r i c k , f l a t r o o f .
stucco;
Office building.
1870, 1928, I t a l i a n a t e , C o l o n i a l Revival.
Two
s t o r i e s , aluminum s i d i n g , g a b l e r o o f , a s p h a l t
shingles.
V i c t o r i a n porch w i t h s c r o l l w o r k t r i m .
1 9 5 9 , Modern, B r i c k , mansard s h i n g l e r o o f .
Restaurant.
�NPS Form 10900-1
F+=)
United States Department of the Interior
N ational P ark Service
National Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
Continuation sheetDanbury, C o n n e c t i c u t
Item number 7
Page 1 4
Contribution t o
H i s t o r i c and/or
A r c h i t e c t u r a l Themes
Map I - o.
dN
-
S t r e e t and No.
Main S t r e e t c o n t i n u e d
c . 1 795, G e o r a i a n , Blackman H ouse:
59
two-s t o r i e s , w ood- s h i n g l e s , g a b l e r o o f ,
asphalt shingles.
F a n l i g h t and s i d e l i g h t s .
C o l o n i a l R e v i v a l f r o n t porch.
C
6fC
63
1949, Ceramic f r o n t g a s s t a t i o n , Modern.
64
34
35
C
36'
1925, C o l o n i a l R e v i v a l .
Two-stories , a luminum
s i d e d b r i c k v e n e e r on f i r s t f l o o r .
Brick s t o r e f r o n t on n o r t h s i d e .
65
67
68
c , 1 804, Georgian,
Two-stories, wood s h i n g l e d ,
g a b l e r o o f , a s p h a l t s h i n g l e s , O r i g i n a l window
f r a m e s , V i c t o r i a n f r o n t and s i d e p o r t i c o e s .
19 26, 1 9 58 a d d i t i o n - s e c o n d s t o r y .
b r i c k w i t h f l a t , composition r o o f .
a n a u t o m o b i l e showroom,
'
37.
NC
TWO-s t o r i e s
C
38
,
Originally
1836, Greek R e v i v a l , Old S a d d l e f a c t o r y :
o r i g i n a l l y a s addle a nd h a r n e s s f a c t o r y , conv e r t e d t o tenement and l a t e r t o o f f i c e s , Twos t o r i e s , wood s h i n g l e , g a b l e r o o f .
1 953, Modern, S t u c c o on b r i c k , o n e - s t o r y ;
composition r o o f ,
C
flat,
1 899, Beaux A r t s , W arren B r i g g s , a r c h i t e c t .
F a i r f i e l d County Courthouse: t w o - s t o r i e s , b u f f
b r i c k w i t h B edford s a n d s t o n e c o p i n g and t r i m ,
C opper dome,
I n t e r i o r oak, o r i g i n a l ,
1 968, Modern, One-s t o r y , cement b l o c k and
plate g l a s s ; used c a r l o t o f f i c e .
1 872, Second Empire, J o e l F o s t e r , a r c h i t e c t .
Former F a i r f i e l d County J a i l : B r i c k , twos t o r i e s , s l a t e m ansard r o o f ,
Tower w i t h c o r b e l l e d ornament, c e l l b l o c k wings p r o j e c t i n g t o
south and w e s t ,
1 881, Modern,
T h r e e - s t o r i e s , s t u c c o on b r i c k ,
f l a t ,c omposi t i o n r o o f , O r i g i n a l l y a w ooden,
g a b l e r o o f e d commercial b u i l d i n g , c o m p l e t e l y
r e m o d e l l e d d u r i n g t h e 19 20s.
NC
C
NC
C
NC
�N PS F m 10-BOO-.
OM6 No. 1024-0018
Exp. W -3-64
Qs2)
United States Department of the Interior
N ational Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
Continuation sheet D anbury , C o n n e c t i c u t
Item number 7
Page' 1 5
Contribution t o
H i s t o r i c and/or
A r c h i t e c t u r a l Themes
Map I d . No.
-
S t r e e t and No.
Main S t r e e t c o n t i n u e d
1 895, R e n a i s s a n c e R e v i v a l , S t . P e t e r ' s
88
C onvent: t h r e e - s t o r i e s , b r i c k w i t h browns t o n e t r i m , g r a n i t e foundation.
Copper h i p
roof.
Wooden p o r c h on s o u t h e l e v a t i o n w i t h
s c r o l l w o r k , round a r c h e d a r c a d e .
C
4
5
1 9 2 9 , Modern, One-story , b r i c k ; f l a t , compos i t i o n r o o f . O r i g i n a l l y automobile d e a l e r s h i p ,
completely remodelled.
NC
46
c. 1 8 4 0 s , 1 9 5 0 s . O l d b u i l d i n g i n c o r p o r a t e d i n t o
new s t r u c t u r e .
Two-stories; Modern, b r i c k , aluminum s i d i n g ; f l a t , composition r o o f .
NC
43
1842, remodelled.
Two-stories, aluminum s i d i n g ;
g a b l e , a s p h a l t s h i n g l e d and f l a t , c o m p o s i t i o n
roof.
Old s t r u c t u r e with f a l s e f r o n t a p p l i e d ,
i n t e r i o r converted t o bakery.
NC
48
1885, I t a l i a n a t e , S t . P e t e r ' s S chool: t h r e e s t o r i e s , b r i c k w i t h g r a n i t e f o u n d a t i o n a n d coping:
f l a t , c o m p o s i t i o n r o o f w i t h wide e a v e s .
Bell
t o w e r p r o j e c t s from s y m m e t r i c a l f a c a d e . Threes t o r y , 1909 a d d i t i o n t o r e a r .
C
1 01-103
104
c. 1 8 3 0 , Greek R e v i v a l , wood s h i n g l e d : g a b l e ,
r o l l a s p h a l t roof. Quarter fans a t gable
c o r n e r s , l u n e t t e with keystone i n gable.
Built
a s d o u b l e h o u s e a n d c o n t i n u e s i n same u s e .
C
1 8 9 1 , R i c h a r d s o n i a n Romanesque, W a l t e r S t i c k e l s ,
architect.
S t . P e t e r ' s R ectory: b r i c k , molded
b r i c k , t h r e e - s t o r i e s , g r a n i t e f o u n d a t i o n and
coping.
Twin o c t a g o n a l towers u n i t e d by m a s s i v e
round a r c h e d f r o n t e n t r y w i t h b a l c o n y above.
mwers h a v e m o d i l l i o n s i n wood, r o o f s a r e s l a t e .
Three-stories
C
.
1 05-107
c . 1 840, F e d e r a l . Double house c o n v e r t e d i n t o
o f f i ces.
Two-s t o r i e s , wood s h i n g l e s , G a b l e ,
a s p h a l t s h i n g l e s , V i c t o r i a n e ra p o r c h ,
C
�NPS Form 10.900.a
C
3
a
.
OM6 NO. 1024-0018
E lp. l0-3-04
United States Department of the Interior
N ational Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
anb bury , C o n n e c t i c u t
Item number 7
-
Continuation sheet
~
Page 1 6
contribution t o
H i s t o r i c and/or
S t r e e t and No.
~ r c ht e c t u r . a i Themes
i
Main S t r e e t Continued
Map 1 d. NO. 1 09
c 1 890, V i c t o r i a n commercial,
One-story
b r i c k building, with high, p r o j e c t i n g i r o n
cornice.
F l a t , composition r o o f .
Facade
C
53.
remodelled.
.
111-113
1890, V i c t o r i a n Commercial, Walter S t i c k e l s ,
a r c h i t e c t . M a r s h a l l Building: t h r e e - s t o r i e s ,
b r i c k w i t h brownstone t r i m .
F l a t , composition
roof.
c . 1 916, C o l o n i a l R e v i v a l .
Two-stories, s t u c c o
on b r i c k , g a b l e roof w i t h c o r n i c e r e t u r n s ,
asphalt shingles.
C
55
1 869-1875, G o t h i c R e v i v a l , S t . P e t e r ' s C hurch:
coarse g r a n i t e , s l a t e roof, gable, stained g l a s s
windows.
C
56
1 970, Contemporary.
concrete.
NC
9.
P o l i c e S t a t i o n : one-s t o r y ,
1 922, Modern. Aluminum f a c a d e o v e r b r i c k , Ones t o r y ; f l a t , composition r o o f .
A utomobile d e a l e r s h i p , s t i l l used f o r auto display.
C
1 929, M o d e r n i s t i c , William E . Lehman, a r c h i t e c t .
S e a r s Department S t o r e : t w o - s t o r i e s , b r i c k ,
c o n c r e t e c o r n i c e and t r i m , l a r g e g l a s s b l o c k
windows s e c o n d s t o r y and i n transoms o v e r s t o r e f r o n t . C o n c r e t e st o r e f r o n t c o r n i c e w i t h lozenge
d e s i g n , O r i g i n a l l y b u i l t a s S e a r s Department
S t o r e a n d s t i l l u s e d f o r o r i g i n a l purpose.
C
1 919, remodelled 1930, 19 50.
brick auto dealership.
NC
B;)
NC
61
NC
62
1 938, C ommercial.
One-story , b r i c k ;
Modern o n e - s t o r y
o r i g i n a l l y a supermarket,
f l a t , composition r o o f ,
1912, r e m o d e l l e d 1949.
brick f u r n i t u r e store,
' 59
Modern.
Two-s t o r y
�NPS Fonn 1O.W-r
OM6 b.lO24-0018
Psg
Exp. 10-31-84
United States Department of the Interior
N ational Park Service
N ational Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
Continuation sheet D anbury , C o n n e c t i c u t
Item number
7
Page 1 7
Contrlbutlon t o
H i s t o r i c and/or
A r c h i t e c t u r a l Themes
S t r e e t a n d N O.
Main S t r e e t c o n t i n u e d
137-139
1 9 3 1 , M o d e r n i s t i c , A r t Deco e l e m e n t s . Ones t o r y , c o n c r e t e , commercial b u i l d i n g : f l a t ,
composition r o o f .
Four s t o r e f r o n t s , s e p a r a t e d
by f l u t e d p i e r s , w i t h g l a s s b r i c k transom
p a n e l s and a f r i e z e f e a t u r i n g a l o z e n g e d e s i g n .
149-151
5
1 53-157
158
161-169
NC
64
1 9 0 7 , I t a l i a n a t e commercial.
Two-stories, b r i c k ;
f l a t , composition roof.
Segmentally a r c h e d
windows, b r i c k w o r k p a n e l below c o r n i c e .
Dedicat i o n stone i n c e n t e r of facade inscribed i n
E n g l i s h and A r a b i c l e t t e r i n g .
I
63
B r i c k , o n e - s t o r y , F l a t , composi19 , Modern.
t i o n roof.
Formerly g a s s t a t i o n now v a c a n t .
143-147
C
C
65
1882, I t a l i a n a t e Commercial, Keeler B lock: b r i c k ,
four stories.
Three s t o r e f r o n t s . C o r n i c e m i s s i n g .
F l a t , composition roof.
C
66
1882, I t a l i a n a t e Commercial.
Brick, three-stories,
w i t h b r a c k e t e d wooden c o r n i c e , eyebrow window hoods .
;
o f c o r b e l l e d b r i c k , F l a t , composition r o o f .
C
67,
1 8 6 4 , I t a l i a n a t e C ommercial, G r i f f i n g B lock:
t h r e e - s t o r i e s , b r i c k w i t h b r a c k e t e d wooden c o r n i c e ,
molded window s u r r o u n d s , F l a t , c o m p o s i t i o n r o o f . C
68
two1958, Colonial.
Danbury S a v i n g s & Loan:
s t o r i e s , f l a t r o o f , b r i c k w i t h marble t r i m .
69
NC
70
1 9 6 9 , Modern.
William Webb S u n d e r l a n d , a r c h i t e c t ,
Danbury L i b r a r y : B r i c k w i t h m arble c olumns, f l a t
roof,
NC
173-175
1926, 1928. G e o r g i a n R e v i v a l , P h i l i p S u n d e r l a n d ,
a r c h i t e c t , Martha A p a r t m e n t s / ~ a l a n c e T h e a t e r :
f i v e - s t o r i e s , b r i c k with concrete cornice,facades,
F l a t , composition roof,
3,000 s e a t t h e a t e r .
C
71
1 8 8 2 , I t a l i a n a t e Commercial, H awley B lock: t h r e e s t o r i e s , b r i c k w i t h wooden c o r n i c e a n d window
hoods, F l a t , composition r o o f ,
72
C
�NPS Form 10800..
OMB NO. 1024-0018
ELP. (0-3-84
O K)
x
U nited States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
Continuation sheetDanbury, C o n n e c t i c u t
Item number 7
Page 1 8
contribution t o
H i s t o r i c and/or
~ r c ht ec t u r a l Themes
i
S t r e e t and N O.
Main S t r e e t C o n t i n u e d
Map I - No.
d. 177-179
1 8 8 4 , I t a l i a n a t e Commercial, J o e l F o s t e r ,
architect.
Bernd Block: t h r e e - s t o r i e s , b r i c k ;
f l a t , composition roof.
Metal c o r n i c e removed
a f t e r s e v e r e f i r e damage, 1 9 8 1
C
73
1 81-185
F
1907, 1908, Beaux A r t s , Meloy & B eckwith,
architect.
H u l l Building: b r i c k , three-s t o r i e s
F l a t , composition roof.
.
C
74.
S o l d i e r s ' 1878, C a r p e n t e r & Raymond, Dayton, Ohio: I t a l i a n
Monument Marble f i g u r e o f C i v i l War s o l d i e r a t o p 1 2 '
g r a n i t e column wreathed w i t h t h e names o f b a t t l e s . C
75
t
1 90-196
1924, Commercial, Neo-Classical e l e m e n t s .
Pershing Building: b r i c k , t h r e e - s t o r i e s r i s i n g t o
a f r i e z e , c o r n i c e and p a r a p e t w i t h p e d i m e n t s a t
c o r n e r s and i n c e n t e r o f s o u t h e l e v a t i o n ; f l a t ,
C
composition roof.
1 91-193
1 8 5 2 , Greek R e v i v a l / ~ t a l i a n a t e , P o l l e y & Raymond,
b u i l d e r s . Benedict & Nichols Building: b r i c k ,
Low p i t c h h i p r o o f , r o l l a s p h a l t .
three-stories.
M o d i l l i o n e d wooden c o r n i c e and f a s c i a removed
d u r i n g r o o f r e p a i r 1981 b u t s a v e d and c o u l d b e
restored.
C
1 95-197
1863, Greek R e v i v a l / ~ t a l i a n a t e , S t u c c o o v e r
brick.
Modernized mid-nineteenth c e n t u r y commercial building.
May n o t be r e s t o r e a b l e .
O r i g i n a l l y h a d two f a c a d e s - No. 1 9 5 matched
n e i g h b o r i n g b u i l d i n g Nos. 191-193, w h i l e No. 197
h a d round a r c h e d windows i n u p p e r s t o r i e s ,
b r a c k e t e d c o r n i c e , was more c l e a r l y I t a l i a n a t e .
Gable r o o f , r o l l a s p h a l t , t h r e e - s t o r i e s
.
198-204
1 99-201
NC
78
1 9 6 2 , C o l o n i a l R e v i v a l , I v e s Manor: f o u r - s t o r i e s ,
O r i g i n a l l y motor
b r i c k . F l a t , composition roof.
NC
i n n , now S e n i o r c i t i z e n s housing.
. .79
1937, Modernistic.
M cCroryls: L imestone f a c a d e
w i t h m a r b l e v e n e e r base.
F l a t , composition r o o f ,
two-s t o r i e s
NC
80 -
.
�N PS Form 10-000..
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
Continuation s heet~anbury C o n n e c t i c u t
,
Item number 7
Page 1 9
Contribution t o
H i s t o r i c and/or
S t r e e t a n d No.
A r c h i t e c t u r a l Themes
Main S t r e e t C o n t i n u e d
Map I d . No.
203-205
1884, I t a l i a n a t e C ommercial o r i g i n a l l y ,
NC
a&
m a r b l e v e n e e r . Remodelled 197 5.
207
1867, o r i g i n a l l y I t a l i a n a t e Commercial.
T h r e e - s t o a r i e s , m arble v e n e e r ,
Totally gutted
and r e m o d e l l e d 1973. Not r e s t o r a b l e .
206-210
1866, 1 9 2 4 , Beaux A r t s , P h i l i p S u n d e r l a n d ,
a r c h i t e c t . Union T r u s t Bank: t h r e e - s t o r i e s ,
limestone: f l a t , composition r o o f .
Incorpor a t e s 1866 bank b u i l d i n g , t o s o u t h .
2 09-211
213
215
2 20-224
221-223
2 26-228
C
8.3
1867, I t a l i a n a t e .
Three-stories, b r i c k with
wooden window hoods.
F l a t , composition r o o f ,
cornice missing.
S t o r e f r o n t remodelled,
C
84
1911, Commercial, P h i l i p S u n d e r l a n d , a r c h i t e c t .
Brick, two-stories; f l a t , composition r o o f .
C
85
1924, N e o - C l a s s i c a l e l e m e n t s , p h i l i p S u n d e r l a n d ,
a r c h i t e c t , Two-story d e p a r t m e n t s t o r e b u i l t f o r
same p u r p o s e ,
Limestone, Greek f r e t w o r k f r i e z e
below c o r n i c e and p a r a p e t , F l a t , c o m p o s i t i o n r o o f . C
86
1908, Beaux A r t s , P h i l i p
S a v i n g s Bank o f Danbury :
f l a t , composition r o o f .
oak f u r n i t u r e , p a n e l l i n g
Sunderland,architect.
t wo-s t o r i e s , l i m e s t o n e :
Bronze d o o r s , o r i g i n a l
and c o u n t e r s .
C
8'7
1868, I t a l i a n a t e Commercial, T h r e e - s t o r i e s ,
b r i c k , F l a t , c o m p o s i t i o n r o o f , Facade c o v e r e d
w i t h g u n n i t e , P a n e l l e d wooden f r i e z e , b r a c k e t e d
cornice.
C
818
1886-1887, S u l l i v a n e s q u e , Union S a v i n g s Bank:
f i v e b a y s w i d e a nd f i v e deep, b r i c k w i t h t e r r a
c o t t a t i l e a nd p r e s s e d b r i c k f acadeii t h r e e Facade r ises t o
s t o r i e s , f l a t , composition r o o f ,
a f r i e z e a n d wide e a v e s , c o r n i c e , Upper s t o r i e s
contain o f f i c e s
C
89
1 965-66, Contemporary. One-story commercial
b u i l d i n g ; f l a t , composition roof.
NC
.
229 1 /2239
,,
9 .O
�NPS FM
10-800..
OM6 NO.1024-0018
Exp. 10-3-84
Osz)
United States Department of t he Interior
~ a t i o n a P ark Service
l
N ational Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
Continuation sheet
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s q i c t
em number
7
Page
20
Contribution t o
H i s t o r i c and/or
S t r e e t and N O.
A r c h i t e c t u r a l Themes
Main S t r e e t c o n t i n u e d
Map 1 ; o
dN .
234
1912-1913,
Neo-classical.
c ity T r u s t Bank:
t h r e e - s t o r i e s , b r i c k s i d e s and G ear, m arble
f a c a d e , bronze d o o r s , F l a t , composition r o o f . '
R emodelled 1929-31, Morgan, French & Co.
C
91
architects
.
1891-1892, V i c t o r i a n Commercial, J o e l F o s t e r ,
architect.
Darragan Building: f o u r - s t o r i e s ,
b r i c k with t e r r a c o t t a t i l e i n a r c h e s , i r o n
c o r n i c e , p r e s s e d b r i c k facade.
S t o r e f r o n t and
i n t e r i o r largely unaltered,
C
240-242
1891-1892, Richardsonian Romanesque Commercial,
Leoni W . R obinson, a r c h i t e c t . L arue B uilding:
f o u r - s t o r i e s , seven bays wide, b r i c k w i t h browns t o n e l i n t e l s and s i l l s , F l a t , composition r o o f . C
241-251
1938, M o d e r n i s t i c . Woolworth Building: twos t o r i e s , f i v e bays wide; b r i c k w i t h p o r c e l a i n
f i n i s h , t e r r a c o t t a t i l e facade, black g r a n i t e
s t o r e f r o n t b a s e and a s h t r i m ; f l a t , composition
r o o f . O u t s t a n d i n g example of A r t Deco d e s i g n i n
d i s t r i c t , largely unaltered,
NC
94
1855, 1891, 1965, Modern f a c a d e , O r i g i n a l
b u i l d i n g c o n t r u c t e d 1855 a s Danbury N a t i o n a l
Bank, Henry A u s t i n , a r c h i t e c t .
Enlarged t o
t h r e e - s t o r i e s and completely remodelled 1891 by
F o s t e r B r o t h e r s , Z oel - 'Foster, a r c h i t e c t . P r e s e n t
m e t a l f a c a d e a p p l i e d c , 1 965. 1891 f a c a d e may
s t i l l e x i s t beneath t h e metal f a c a d e .
Threes t o r i e s , b r i c k w i t h bronzed m e t a l f a c a d e ; f l a t ,
composition r o o f .
NC
9.5
244-246
248
253-255
1887-1888, Richardsonian Romanesque, Warren B r i g g s ,
architect.
Thomas S e t t l e Building: o r i g i n a l l y
t h r e e - s t o r i e s , r u s t i c a t e d brownstone, f l a t , compos i t i o n roof.
I n t e r i o r i s l a r g e l y u n a l t e r e d . Gables
and o r i g i n a l r o o f removed a f t e r e x t e n s i v e damage i n
1973 f i r e , B u i l t a s Danbury N a t i o n a l Bank.
C
1876, I t a l i a n a t e , C r o f u t Block: t h r e e - s t o r i e s ,
b r i c k , w i t h wooden window hoods; t h i r d s t o r y ,
wooden c o r n i c e ,
T h r e e - s t o r i e s , b r i c k , s i x bays
wide; f l a t , c ornpositton r o o f , Corner q u o i n s and
pedimented window hoods, t o g e t h e r with p r e s s e d
96
�NPS Form 10.800a
OM6 NO. 1024-Wl8
E lp. (0-3-84
0a
.
United States Department of the Interior
N ational P ark Service
N ational Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
, Connec t i c u t
Item number
Continuation sheet D anbury
7
Page 2 1
Contrlbutlon t o
S t r e e t and No.
H i s t o r i c and/or
Main S t r e e t Continued
A r c h i t e c t u r a l Themes
,
253-255 c o n t i n u e d :
Map I d . N o .
t i n c e i l i n g i n s t o r e o f No. 255 make t h i s
a g ood s u r v i v i n g example o f
tali an ate
C ommercial i n t h e d i s t r i c t .
Under s e p a r a t e
ownership s i n c e h e i r s o f o r i g i n a l owners
s o l d o u t i n 1890s.
C
97
1 876-1878, High V i c t o r i a n G o t h i c , L orenzo
W heeler, a r c h i t e c t .
Danbury L i b r a r y , f i n a n c e d
by Alexander Moss White, h e i r and p a r t n e r i n
wealthy h a t t e r s 1 f u r p r o c e s s i n g f a m i l y : twos t o r i e s , g a b l e , s l a t e r o o f , f o u r bays wide and
t h r e e deep.
L a n t e r n removed, o t h e r w i s e l a r g e l y
u n a l t e r e d e x t e r i o r and i n t e r i o r .
Pressed b r i c k
with polychromatic sandstone t r i m .
C
1 857, 1981. Modern.
Remodelled o l d e r b u i l d i n g ,
t o t a l l y g u t t e d and remodelled 1981. T h r e e - s t o r i e s ,
b r i c k w a l l s and amber m i r r o r g l a s s f a c a d e .
NC
1 876, I t a l i a n a t e .
B u i l t a s Post Office; threes t o r i e s , b r i c k : f l a t , composition r o o f .
Cornice
C
missing. C o r b e l l e d b r i c k window hoods.
1 915, I t a l i a n a t e , B r i c k , t h r e e - s t o r i e s f i f l a t ,
c o m p o s i t i o n r o o f . C o n s t r u c t e d t o resemble a n
e a r l i e r frame b u i l d i n g on t h e s i t e . I n t e r i o r
largely unaltered.
1 879, I t a l i a n a t e Commercial. " Wildman's H a l l . "
T h r e e - s t o r i e s , b r i c k ; 5 l a t , c omposition r o o f ,
f i v e bays wide, t h r e e bays deep.
Public h a l l
o r i g i a n l l y on t h i r d f l o o r . C o r b e l l e d b r i c k
window hoods.
2 61
264
2 65
C
C
1915, Modern Commercial, P h i l i p Sunderland,
architect.
B r i c k ; f l a t , composition r o o f ,
hollow c l a y t i l e f o u n d a t i o n .
C
1885, I t a l i a n a t e .
Three-story commercial
b u i l d i n g , b r i c k ; t h r e e bays wide; f l a t , composition roof.
I n t e r i o r largely unaltered.
C
1 915-1916, Georgian R e v i v a l , Oscar Wenderoth,
architect,
Post Office: two-stories , b r i c k with
l i m e s t o n e t r i m , m arble and s t a i n e d o a k u s e d i n
interior.
i' C
(
�OMB NO. 1024-0018
Eup. 10-31-84
United States Department of the Interior
N ational Park Service
N ational Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t i c t
+
iernnurnber
-
7
Page 22
Contrlbutlon t o
H i s t o r i c and/or
S t r e e t a n d No.
A r c h i t e c t u r a l Themes
Main S t r e e t c o n t i n u e d
Map I - No.
d .266-268
1 8 8 5 , Romanesque Commercial, T r e a d w e l l
Block; f o u r - s t o r i e s , b r i c k w i t h browns t o n e ,
b l u e s t o n e a n d t e r r a c o t t a t r i m a nd c o r n i c e .
C
1 06
F l a t , composition roof.
Continuation sheet mrv
270
272
274
275-277
276
2 78
2 79-283
1 8 8 5 , I t a l i a n a t e , B a l l Block:
b r i c k ; f l a t , composition r o o f .
wooden c o r n i c e .
three-stories ,
Bracketed
C
1914-1915, C o l o n i a l R e v i v a l i n f l u e n c e ,
C h i a r e l l a B l o c k , commercial b u i l d i n g , Ann
A partments: t h r e e - s t o r i e s , b r i c k w i t h l i m e stone t r i m .
Two s t o r e s w i t h a p a r t m e n t s
above.
F l a t , composition r o o f .
1 07
C
108
1 9 0 8 , Commercial, C h r i s t i a n S c i e n c e Readina
Room: o n e - s t o r y , c i n d e r b l o c k : f l a t , composit i o n roof.
S m a l l commercial b u i l d i n g , o r i g i n a l l y a.ma.rkek, completely remodelled.
NC
1 09
1 8 9 1 , I t a l i a n a t e Commercial.
Three-stories,
b r i c k w i t h r e c e n t v i n y l and aluminum f a c a d e
applied.
F l a t , composition r o o f . O r i g i n a l
facade i n t a c t beneath metal e x t e r i o r .
Built
a s Groveland Hotel.
C
1 8 8 4 , I t a l i a n a t e , Barnum Block: t h r e e - s t o r i e s ,
t h r e e b a y s wide, b r i c k ; f l a t , c o m p o s i t i o n r o o f .
Pedimented and f l a t wooden window h e a d s , b r a c k e ted wooden c o r n i c e .
C
11
1
1 9 6 1 , Modern,
Two-stories, c i n d e r b l o c k and
b r i c k : f l a t , c omposi t i o n r o o f ,
NC
1 12
d
1 8 5 3 , Greek R e v i v a l , Tudor, Modern.
Commercial
b u i l d i n g i n t h r e e s e c t i o n s s o l d by h e i r s o f
o r i g i n a l owner t o t h r e e d i f f e r e n t p a r t i e s a n d h a s
dTfferent facade treatments.
N O, 279 r a i s e d o n e s t o r y ,
N O, 2 81 a n d No. 279 c o v e r e d by m e t a l a n d s t u c c o
a g g r e g a t e f a c a d e o n ground f l o o r , F l a t , composit i o n r o o f , O r i g i n a l facade b e l i e v e d i n t a c t beneath.
C
No, 283 r e m o d e l l e d i n Tudor s t y l e ,
113
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OMB NO. 1024-0018
Exp. 10-31-84
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United States Department of the Interior
N ational Park Service
~ a t i o n aRegister of Historic Places
l
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t ~ i s t o r i c i s t r i c t
~
, Connecticut
Item number 7
Continuation sheet D anbury
Page 2 3
Contribution t o
H i s t o r i c and/or
S t r e e t and N O.
Main S t r e e t Continued
A r c h i t e c t u r a l Themes282-286
1853, 1882, 1 9 3 0 , M o d e r n i s t i c .
Map 1 d . NO.
Originally a small dwelling, progressively
modernized i n t o a commercial b u i l d i n g i n
1882, M o d e r n i s t i c f a c a d e a d d i t i o n 1930.
Two
and t h r e e - s t o r i e s , b r i c k , c o n c r e t e ; f l a t ,
C
1 14
composition roof.
27 5-287
1859, 1941, 1978. Commercial. One-story ,
b r i c k ; f l a t , composition roof. O r i g i n a l l y f i v e s t o r y I t a l i a n a t e commercial b u i l d i n g , u p p e r
s t o r i e s b u r n e d 1940. Modernized f a c a d e a p p l i e d
NC
1978.
2 88
1873, 1893. Queen Anne Commercial, P h i l i p
S u n d e r l a n d , a r c h i t e c t . Danbury N e w s B u i l d i n g :
t h r e e - s t o r i e s , b r i c k ; f l a t , composition roof.
1 9 7 6 , Modern, One-story, s t u c c o and a g g r e g a t e
on c o n c r e t e block.
F l a t , composition r o o f .
C
NC
1883, V i c t o r i a n Commercial.
Two-stories , t h r e e
b a y s wide, b r i c k w i t h m e t a l c o r n i c e , aluminum
C
s i d e d . F l a t , composition roof.
Post Office Place
3
, 1920, M o d e r n i s t i c , C o l o n i a l R e v i v a l i n f l u e n c e .
Auto r e p a i r shop. One-story, b r i c k ; f l a t , m e t a l
U s e of f a n l i g h t s , suggestion o f cornice
roof.
C
and f r i e z e .
290-292
W e s t Street
2-16
1937, Georgian R e v i v a l . T w o - s t o r i e s , b r i c k ;
f l a t , c o m p o s i t i o n r o o f . Off i c e b u i l d i n g w i t h
thirteen o f f i c e s , four storefronts.
17
1 8-20
1924, Commercial. Two-stories, b r i c k ; f l a t ,
composi t i o n r o o f . Contemporaneous w i t h and
complementary t o i t s n e i g h b o r , t h e P e r s h i n g
B u i l d i n g a t 1 90-196 Main.
RC
C
1911, I t a l i a n a t e , P h i l i p Sunderland,architect.
O r i g i n a l l y Odd F e l l o w s H a l l : t w o - s t o r i e s , s t u c c o
o n frame; f l a t , composition r o o f . I n t e r i o r m i l l
construction
C
.
�NPS Fonn 15-•
os2)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
Continuation sheetDanbury, C o n n e c t i c u t
Item number
7
Page 24:
Contribution t o
H i s t o r i c and/or
~ r c ht e c t u r a l Themes
i
S t r e e t and No.
M ~ DI d . No.
W e s t Street continued
22-24
1907, I t a l i a n a t e , P h i l i p Sunderland, a r c h i t e c t .
Danbury Club: t w o - s t o r i e s , s t u c c o on frame w i t h
wooden c o r n i c e and p o r t i c o ; f l a t , composition
roof.
C
1 23
1867-1872, 1929. G o t h i c Revival. S t . J ames
E p i s c o p a l Church, Rectory and P a r i s h H a l l : Rectory
and p a r i s h h a l l a d d i t i o n , 1929, G o t h i c and Tudor
R e v i v a l . P h i l i p Sunderland, a r c h i t e c t . G r a n i t e .
C
1 24
1908, Dutch C o l o n i a l Revival i n f l u e n c e , Leoni W .
R obinson, a r c h i t e c t . O r i g i n a l l y Southern N e w
E ngland Telephone Co o f f i c e s : two-s t o r i e s , b r i c k :
g a b l e , composition r o o f .
Prominent s t e p p e d g a b l e s ,
modillioned metal cornice.
C
1 25
C
1 26
C
1 27
NC
1 28
C
1 29
.
White S t r e e t
1 6-18
1898, V i c t o r i a n Commercial. One-story , b r i c k :
b u i l t - u p shed r o o f . Cornice m issing,modernized.
20-26
32-34
36-40
42
44- 52
1898, V i c t o r i a n Commercial. One-s t o r y , b r i c k ;
s
f l a t , composition r o o f . ~ o d e r n i z e d t o r e f r o n t s
1974, Modern.
t i o n roof.
Two-stories,
.
b r i c k ; f l a t , composi-
1931, Neo-Classical.
Two-stories, c o n c r e t e : f l a t ,
composition r o o f .
Commercial b u i l d i n g w i t h c o r n i c e
and b a l u s t r a d e - l i k e r e l i e f .
1870, I t a l i a n a t e Commercial.
Three-stories,brick
w i t h wooden c o r n i c e and t r i m ; f l a t , composition
roof. Present signage obscures o r i g i n a l facade,
b e l i e v e d t o be i n t a c t beneath.
C
1883, I t a l i a n a t e Commercial. T h r e e - s t o r i e s , b r i c k
w i t h i r o n c o r n i c e , g r a n i t e t r i m ; f l a t , composition
r o o f . O r i g i n a l l y a m eeting h a l l on t h i r d f l o o r .
Wooster S t .
Cemetery c . 1 700. Tbwn's o l d e s t cemetery, s i t e d d i r e c t l y
t o r ear o f J a i l p r o p e r t y .
C
C
1 30
1 31
1 32
�8. Significance
P eriod
p rehistoric
1400-1499
1500-1599
)<ji 1600-1699
1700-1799
..Y- 1800-1899
! . :1900-
?
Areas of Significance--Check
archeology-prehistoric
archeology-historic
) a griculture
i
architecture
art
X c ommerce
X c ommunications
C r - i t e r i a - A, B , C - ~
s pecific d ates S e e I n v e n t o r y
Item 7
---
)r;
and justify below
community planning
conservation
economics
e ducation
engineering
X
e xploration~settlement
X
industry
invention
B uilderArchitect
landscape architecture X
law
literature
X
military
m usic
p hilosophy
p olitics government
-
See I n v e n t o r y
r eligion
science
sculpture
social:
humanitarian
theater
transportation
,Y- o ther (specify)
1 oca.l h iskoryItem 7.
.~
.
~-
~
S tatement of Significance (in one p aragraph)
The Main S t r e e t f l i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t i s s i g n i f i c a n t h i s t o r i c a l l y a s t h e f o c u s
o f D a n b u r y ' s p u b l i c a n d c o m m e r c i a l l i f e s i n c e i t s f o u n d i n g i n 1 6 8 4 , a n d as
t h e i n s t i t u t i o n a l , commercial, s o c i a l and c u l t u r a l c e n t e r f o r t h e surroundThroughout i t s
i n g r e g i o n o f n o r t h e r n Z a i r f i e l d C ounty ( C r i t e r i o n A )
h i s t o r y , i t s d e v e l o p m e n t h a s been a s s o c i a t e d w i t h l o c a l b u s i n e s s m e n a n d
c i v i c l e a u e r s s i g n i f i c a n t t o t h e h i s t o r y o f Danbury, a n d h a s a l s o b e e n
a s s o c i a t e d w i t h f i g u r e s o f s t a t e and n a t i o n a l p r o m i n e n c e , i n c l u d i n g newsp a p e r p u b l i s h e r James K ontgomery a a i l e y , t h e " u a n b u r y N e w s ; < a n , " w i d e l y
known d u r i n g t h e l a t e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y a s a h u m o r i s t ; and composer
T he M ain S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t i s
C h a r l e s L . l v e s ( C r i t e r i o n b)
s i g n i f i c a n t a r c h i t e c t u r a l l y f o r i t s i n d i v i d u a l b u i l d i n g s which a r e w e l l p r e s e r v e d e x a m p l e s o f t h e i r p e r i o d s , o f t e n t h e work o f l e a d i n g C o n n e c t i c u t
a n d N e w Y ork a r c h i t e c t s , a s w e l l a s f o r i t s u n i f i e d s t r e e t s c a p e s i n which
b u i l d i n g s o f d i f f e r e n t e r a s and s t y l e s blend harmoniously.
Of p a r t i c u l a r
n o t e i s t h e c o n c e n t r a t i o n o f c o m m e r c i a l a r c h i t e c t u r e b u i l t from t h e l a t e
eighteenth century t o the e a r l y twentieth (Criterion C )
.
.
.
HISTORICAL ORIGINS A N T D EVELOFMXNT
M ain S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t c a n be c h a r a c t e r i z e d a s what C a r o l e R i f k i n d
c a l l s "The t h i c k e n e d s p i n e o f a N e w E n g l a n d v i l l a g e . "'
Laid o u t i n 1684
a s "'The Town S t r e e t " when t h e s e t t l e m e n t was f o u n d e d by e i g h t f a m i l i e s
from i qorwalk, K a i n S t r e e t h a s r e m a i n e d t h e f o c u s o f i > a n b u r y l s p u b l i c a n d
commercial l i f e .
The f i r s t f r o n t i e r s e t t l e m e n t i n n o r t h e r n Z a i r f i e l d
C o u n t y , Danbury was f o u n d e d a s a n a g r i c u l t u r a l community.
The Main S t r e e t
a r e a was c h o s e n a s t h e s i t e f o r t h e f i r s t s e t t l e m e n t b e c a u s e o f i t s c e n t r a l
location.
Danbury began t o a ssume t h e r o l e o f r e g i o n a l t r a d i n g c e n t e r a s
new towns s u c h a s N e w M i l f o r d , Newtown a n d R i d g e f i e l d w e r e f o u n d e d o n i t s
borders during the e a r l y eighteenth century.
Its s t r a t e g i c l o c a t i o n i n
the S t i l l River v a l l e y a t t h e i n t e r s e c t i o n o f the east-west road connecting
t h e Hudson R i v e r a r e a w i t h t h e c e n t r a l r e g i o n o f C o n n e c t i c u t a n d t h e n o r t h s o u t h r o u t e f r o m L ong I s l a n d Sound t o L i t c h f i e l d County made i t t h e n a t u r a l
D u r i n g t h e American R e v o l u t i o n , t h e town
focus f o r commerce i n the region.
s e r v e d a s a n i m p o r t a n t d e p o t o n t h e s u p p l y l i n e to C o n t i n e n t a l f o r c e s i n
t h e Middle A t l a n t i c c o l o n i e s , a n d a s t h e s i t e o f a n army h o s p i t a l and t h e
b a s e o f a company o f " a r t i f i c e r s " who m a n u f a c t u r e d n a i l s , wagons, s h o e s ,
harnesses and o t h e r m a t e r i e l .
Most o f t h e e a r l y v i l l a g e was d e s t r o y e d
d u r i n g a B r i t i s h r a i d i n A p r i l , 1 7 7 7 , b u t i n d u s t r i e s which b l o s s o m e d a f t e r
t h e war l a i d t h e groundwork f o r a c o n t i n u i n g g r o w t h .
The m a n u f a c t u r e o f m e n ' s h a t s h a d p r e - e x i s t e d t h e R e v o l u t i o n b u t d u r i n g t h e
1 7 8 0 s a n d 1 7 9 0 s Danbury became o n e o f t h e l e a d i n g n a t i o n a l c e n t e r s f o r t h e
i n d u s t r y , producing 20,000 h a t s i n 1 8 0 0 . ~ S h o r t l y a f t e r t h a t d a t e s e v e r a l
l o c a l manufacturers e s t a b l i s h e d r e t a i l o u t l e t s i n southern p o r t c i t i e s ,
s e t t i n g up a t r a d e t h a t r e m a i n e d l u c r a t i v e u n t i l t h e C i v i l K ar.
�United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
~ a t i o n a R egister of Historic Places
l
+
Inventory-Nomination F orm
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
, C onnec t i c u t
Item number 8
Page k
Continuation sheet D anbur y
1
B o o t s , s h o e s , s a d d l e s a n d h o r n combs were a l s o m a n u f a c t u r e d f or s a l e i n t h e
Southern s t a t e s .
T he o l d S a d d l e F a c t o r y a t No. 6 8 Main S t r e e t i n t h e
d i s t r i c t was b u i l t i n 1836 by o n e o f t h e s e f i r m s , F r y , Gregory & C o .
T he
s u c c e s s o f l o c a l e n t r e p r e n e u r s and t h e employment o f s e v e r a l h u n d r e d s k i l l e d
craftsmen i n t h e s e i n d u s t r i e s provided a ready market f o r t h e s e r v i c e s o f
f qorking i n rooms i n p r i v a t e homes o r i n s m a l l
artisans of a l l descriptions.
s h o p b u i l d i n g s , c r a f t s m e n a n d m e r c h a n t s made t h e l o w e r e n d o f "Town" s t r e e t
o r Main S t r e e t a c e n t e r f o r commercial a c t i v i t y .
Among t h o s e who a d v e r t i s e d
i n e a r l y n e w s p a p e r s were t a i l o r s , g e n e r a l m e r c h a n t s , s i l v e r s m i t h s , b l a c k s m i t h s , a p o t h e c a r i e s , j o i n e r s a n d makers o f c h a i r s , s h o e s , c l o c k s a n d
c a r r i a g e s , P r i c e s f o r commodities o n t h e New York m a r k e t w e r e p r i n t e d i n
t h e F a r m e r ' s J o u r n a l a n d o t h e r e a r l y n e w s p a p e r s , a s Danbury m e r c h a n t s a l s o
T hesmall s h o p b u i l d i n g a n d d w e l l i n g o n
a c t e d a s agents f o r l o c a l farmers.
t h e S c o t t - P a n t o n Museum p r o p e r t y a t N o . 4 3 Main S t r e e t was c o s t r u c t e d i n
1790 by John Dodd, and i s D anbury I s e a r l i e s t known a p o t h e c a r y g a s w e l l a s
i t s e a r l i e s t known commercial b u i l d i n g .
The J o h n a n d Mary R i d e r h o u s e , a l s o
a t No. 4 3 Main S t r e e t , was c o n s t r u c t e d i n 1 7 8 5 by a s u c c e s s f u l c a b i n e t m a k e r
N 3. 4 9
a n d j o i n e r who b u i l t t h e h o u s e and p e r h a p s o t h e r s i n t h e v i c i n i t y .
Main S t r e e t was t h e home a n d shoemaker s h o p o f E l i a s S a n f o r d , c o n s t r u c t e d c .
1 810. No. 59 Main S t r e e t , b u i l t i n 1 8 0 2 , i s t h e w e l l - p r e s e r v e d home o f
s u c c e s s f u l s i l v e r s m i t h a n d j eweler J ohn S. Blackman, a n d l a t e r h i s s o n
F r e d e r i c k S. Blackman, who worked t h e r e u n t i l 1869.
( P h o t o g r a p h 3 ) The
F a r m e r ' s J o u r n a l , e s k a b l i s h e d i n 1 7 9 0 , was t h e f i r s t s u c c e s s f u l newspaper
i n F a i r f i e l d County.
A l a t e r newspaper, t h e R e p u b l i c a n Farmer, was
p r i n t e d i n 1796 i n a r o o m a t N o . 3 4 Main S t r e e t , which was l a t e r t h e home
o f H iram B a r n e s , a s t a g e l i n e o p e r a t o r a n d a f i g u r e i n l o c a l f o l k l o r e
during the nineteenth century.
$
Among t h e e v e n t s t h a t h e l p e d e s t a b l i s h Danbury a s t h e p o l i t i c a l a n d c o m m e r c i a l c e n t e r f o r t h e r e g i o n was i t s d e s i g n a t i o n a s a " h a l f - s h i r e town"
o f F a i r f i e l d County i n 1 7 8 4 , s h a r i n g c o u n t y s e a t d u t i e s w i t h F a i r f i e l d .
The f i r s t c o u r t h o u s e a n d j a i l h a d been c o n s t r u c t e d by 1792 o n t h e s i t e s
o c c u p i e d by t h e i r modern s u c c e s s o r s .
The m e e t i n g h o u s e o f t h e F i r s t Congreg a t i o n a l S o c i e t y h a d been t h e f o c u s o f t h e e a r l y s e t t l e m e n t .
The o l d
c e m e t e r y o n Wooster S t r e e t , o r i g i n a l l y p a r t o f i t s c h u r c h y a r d , marks i t s
o r i g i n a l site.
I t r e l o c a t e d t o a new b u i l d i n g o n t h e c o r n e r o f Main and
West S t r e e t i n 1 7 8 5 , d r a w i n g some b u s i n e s s e s and r e s i d e n c e s w i t h i t , b u t
t h e acknowledged c e n t e r r e m a i n e d i n t h e c o u r t h o u s e a r e a .
I n 1 8 0 1 l a n d was
d o n a t e d f o r u s e a s a town common.
T h i s open a r e a i n t h e m i d d l e o f t h e
s t r e e t , c o n v e r t e d i n 1853 t o Elmwood P a r k , was k e p t i n f o r m a l l y a t f i r s t ,
u s e d by l o c a l m i l i t i a companies o n t r a i n i n g d a y s a n d a s t h e s i t e o f e a r l y
f a i r s o f t h e F a i r f i e l d County A g r i c u l t u r a l S o c i e t y .
I n 1829 t h e l a s t
p r o p e r t y of t h e C o n g r e g a t i o n a l S o c i e t y , t h e " p a r s o n a g e l o t " o n t h e e a s t
s i d e o f t h e common, was s u b d i v i d e d a n d s o l d a s b u i l d i n g l o t s t o p ay o f f a n
accornodation w i t h a d e p a r t i n g m i n i s t e r .
During t h e 1830s double houses,
i n c l u d i n g t h o s e a t N os. 101-103 a n d Nos. 105-107 Main S t r e e t , w e r e c onA U n i v e r s a l i s t c h u r c h , no l o n g e r s t a n d i n g , I
s t r u c t e d on t h e p r o p e r t y .
l o c a t e d i n t h e common a rea i n 1833.
I t s p r o p e r t y w a s p u r c h a s e d i n 1851
by S t . P e t e r ' s Roman C a t h o l i c Church a s I r i s h i mmigranps b egan moving i n t o
I
�OM8 NO. 1024-0018
Exp. 10-3l-84
NPS Fonn l Q W a
0
United States Department of the Interior
N ational Park Service
N ational Register of Historic Pla
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
Continuation & e e t ~ a n b u r y , C o n n e c t i c u t
Item numbec
t h e a r e a . ( F i g u r e 1)
I n 1822 t h e C o n n e c t i c u t l e g i s l a t u r e g r a n t e d borough s t a t u s t o Main S t r e e t
a nd i t s i mmediate e n v i r o n s , t o a l l o w f o r t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n o f f i r e companies
and a w a t e r s u p p l y .
E a r l y d e s c r i p t i o n s o f Da b u r y d u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d
a nd P e a s e a n d 7 H i l e s c a l l e d
d e s c r i b e i t a s "one, long, s t r a g g l i n g street,
i t " a l a r g e and f l o u r i s h i n g and i n t e r e s t i n g v i l l a g e .
I t is b u i l t princip a l l y upon o n e s t r e e t , which f o r more t h a n a m i l e e x h i b i t s an a l m o s t
c o n t i n u e d r a n g e o f b u i l d i n g s , c o n s i s t i n g o f Dwelling h o u s e s , M e r c a n t i l e
s t o r e s , H a t F a c t o r i e s , Mechanic Shops and c h u r c h e s . " 6 W hite S t r e e t , W e s t
S t r e e t , L i b e r t y S t r e e t a nd E l m S t r e e t e x i s t e d from t h e e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y ,
b u t w e r e s p a r s e l y d e v e l o p e d . Danbury was s o t h o r o u g h l y i d e n t i f i e d w i t h
~ a i n t r e e t t h a t f a r m e r s from o u t l y i n g d i s t r i c t s r e f e r r e d t o i t a s "Danbury
S
Street."
"'
The p r e s e n t downtown a r e a was c r e a t e d f o l l o w i n g t h e c o m p l e t i o n o f t h e
Danbury and N orwalk R a i l r o a d i n 1852. A r i v a l r y between p r o p e r t y owners
from t h e n o r t h e r n a n d s o u t h e r n s e c t i o n s o f Main S t r e e t was r e s p o n s i b l e f o r
its location.
P r o p e r t y owners i n t h e n o r t h e r n s e c t i o n o f Main S t r e e t ,
above t h e t r a d i t i o n a l c e n t e r i n t h e common a r e a , s o u g h t t o d e v e l o p t h e i r
own p r o p e r t i e s by c h o o s i n g a l o c a t i o n f o r t h e l i n e ' s p a s s e n g e r d e p o t on t h e
site of the present Post Office.
They h e l d a m a j o r i t y o f s h a r e s i n t h e
r a i l w a y ' s s t o c k , and a p r o m i s e t o b u i l d a s e c o n d a r y d e p o t n e a r t h e common
was n e v e r k e p t .
C o n v e r s e l y , a p r o p o s a l t o t r a n s f o r m the common i n t o a
" c e n t r a l p a r k " was d e f e a t e d by t h e p r o p e r t y owners from t h e n o r t h e r n end
o f t h e s t r e e t . R e s i d e n t s from t h e s o u t h e r n end o f t h e s t r e e t r a i s e d t h e i r
own f u n d s and c r e a t e d Elmwood P a r k i n 1 8 5 3 , p l a n t i n g t h e f i r s t e l m t rees
a nd a hay c r o p .
The f i r s t b r i c k commercial b l o c k s and a h o t e l w e r e c o n s t r u c t e d n e a r t h e
Danbury & N orwalk d e p o t d u r i n g t h e e a r l y 1 8 5 0 s by P h i n e a s D . C r o s b y , a
s t a g e l i n e o p e r a t o r and l i v e r y m a n .
C r o s b y ' s Block a t Nos. 225-229 Main
S t r e e t ( P h o t o g r a p h 1 8 ) was t h e f i r s t m u l t i - s t o r y b r i c k commercial b l o c k .
The B e n e d i c t a n d N i c h o l s B u i l d i n g a t Nos.191-193 Main S t r e e t was t h e s e c o n d ,
c o n s t r u c t e d i n 1852.
( P h o t o g r a p h 1 7 ) T h i s f i r m h a d e s t a b l i s h e d Danbury ' s
f i r s t g r o c e r y i n 1838. David P. N i c h o l s l a t e r became a s i g n i f i c a n t s t a t e
H e served several t e r m s i n t h e l e g i s l a t u r e , holding
Republican l e a d e r .
key p o s t s on t h e c o m m i t t e e s on R a i l r o a d s a n d N e w W wns, a nd was S t a t e
T r e a s u r e r from 1 8 6 8 t o 1874 and from 1 8 7 8 u n t i l h i s d e a t h i n 1881.
The improved t r a n s p o r t a t i o n f a c i l i t i e s a l s o e n c o u r a g e d t h e b u i l d i n g o f
l a r g e new steam-powered h a t f a c t o r i e s which employed t h o u s a n d s o f new
workers.
The p o p u l a t i o n o f Danbury ( e x c l u s i v e o f B e t h e l , which became a
s e p a r a t e town i n 1 8 5 5 ) i n c r e a s e d from 4105 i n 1850 t o 7240 i n 1 8 6 0 , most
o f t h e i n f l u x o c c u r r i n g i n t h e borough a r e a .
L a r g e numbers o f I r i s h ,
E n g l i s h and German i m m i g r a n t s a s w e l l a s p e o p l e from n e a r b y r u r a l towns
moved t o Danbury t o t a k e a d v a n t a g e o f employment a n d b u s i n e s s o p p o r t u n i t i e s .
N e w r e s i d e n t i a l s treets w e r e o pened t h r o u g h open l a n d on e i t h e r s i d e o f
Main S t r e e t , a s t h e s t r e e t i t s e l f b ecame i n c r e a s i n g l y c o m m e r c i a l i z e d .
�OMB No. 1024-Oo(8
Exp. lo-3-04
N PS Form I&*
WQ)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
N ational Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s f f i c t
Continuation sheet Danbury , C onnecticut
em number
8
Pane 3
H a t t e r s , well-paid and independent craftsmen i n a s k i l l e d t r a d e , tended
t o l i v e i n one and two-story homes on t h e new r e s i d e n t i a l s t r e e t s r a t h e r
t h a n t o c l u s t e r i n t o tenements.
The h a t f a c t o r i e s themselves were genera l l y c o n s t r u c t e d a l o n g t h e S t i l l R i v e r , many of them n e a r Main S t r e e t .
I n t e n s i v e . c ommercial development u n t i l 1880 tended t o t a k e p l a c e a l o n g
t h e e a s t s i d e o f Main S t r e e t between L i b e r t y and White S t r e e t , w h i l e t h e
west s i d e o f t h e s t r e e t i n t h e same a r e a , s i t u a t e d on h i g h e r ground,
c o n t i n u e d t o b e a d e s i r a b l e r e s i d e n t i a l a r e a , home t o s e v e r a l o l d e r mercant i l e families.
The w ooster S quare a r e a , formed by t h e i n t e r s e c t i o n o f Main
S t r e e t with White and E l m S t r e e t s , became i n c r e a s i n g l y important d u r i n g
t h i s p e r i o d because o f t h e l o c a t i o n of t h e Danbury and Norwalk d epot.
White S t r e e t began t o be developed with lumberyards and frame s t o r e s .
Ives
S t r e e t was o p e n e d ' i n 1856 by e n t r e p r e n e u r I s a a c I v e s , owner of a lumberyard
Following t h e completion o f
and u n c l e o f t h e composer C h a r l e s E . I v e s .
f u r t h e r r a i l f a c i l i t i e s i n 1871 and 1881, when t h e N w York and New England
e
l i n e l i n k i n g Boston with New York C i t y was completed through Danbury, t h e
borough a g a i n e x p e r i e n c e d l a r g e : s p u r t s o f p o p u l a t i o n growth, accompanied by
i n d u s t r i a l and commercial expansion. During t h e 1880s t h r e e and f o u r - s t o r y
commercial b l o c k s began t o be c o n s t r u c t e d on White and E l m S t r e e t s and on
t h e west s i d e o f Main S t r e e t n o r t h of West S t r e e t .
Danbury's growth s p u r r e d c o n s t r u c t i o n o f p u b l i c b u i l d i n g s which were o f a
h i g h e r a r c h i t e c t u r a l o r d e r than t h e v e r n a c u l a r I t a l i a n a t e commercial a r c h i t e c t u r e then prevailing.
I n 1873 a new J a i l was completed, r e p l a c i n g an
i n a d e q u a t e s t r u c t u r e b u i l t i n 1828. The J a i l was comparable with t h e most
The
expensive r e s i d e n t i a l b u i l d i n g s b e i n g e r e c t e d i n Danbury a t t h e t i m e .
High V i c t o r i a n Gothic Danbury L i b r a r y , e r e c t e d i n 1878, was donated t o t h e
Danbury L i b r a r y A s s o c i a t i o n by Alexander M . W hite, p a r t n e r i n t h e l e a d i n g
h a t t e r s ' f u r p r o c e s s i n g f i r m i n Danbury.
The b u i l d i n g i s a f i n e example o f
High V i c t o r i a n Gothic.
The Borough c o n s t r u c t e d a new f i r e h o u s e on I v e s
S t r e e t i n 1883-1884, and a new C i t y H a l l a t t h e c o r n e r o f Main and West
The
S t r e e t s (now t h e s i t e o f t h e p r e s e n t Danbury L i b r a r y ) t h e same y e a r .
C i t y I I a l l , a nd t h e S o l d i e r ' s Monument a t t h e c o r n e r of Main afid'West S t r e e t s ,
e r e c t e d i n 1880, i n a d d i t i o n t o..new c ommercial c o n s t r u c t i o n i n t h e a r e a ,
made t h e i n t e r s e c t i o n c a l l e d C i t y H a l l S quare t h e new c e n t e r of t h e b u s i n e s s
district,
Merchants and bankers followed t h e l e a d o f t h e Borough i n h i r i n g a r c h i t e c t s
I n 1887 t h e
t o d e s i g n b u i l d i n g s t h a t would enhance t h e c i t y ' s image.
Danbury News observed t h a t "more than e i g h t y e a r s ago t h e l i b r a r y b u i l d i n g
was f i n i s h e d .
This was o u r s o l e a t t r a c t i v e b u i l d i n g i n t h e b u s i n e s s p o r t i o n
o
o f o u r v i l l a g e . And i t r emained a l o n e f o r f i v e y e a r s , N w we have t h e
C i t y H a l l , t h e United Bank B u i l d i n g , t h e Danbury N a t i o n a l Bank s t r u t u r e ,
t h e Treadwell and t h e McPhelemy b u i l d i n g s and t h e T b w n C lub House."
7
D uring t h e 1880s Main S t r e e t developed i n t o t h e r e t a i l c e n t e r f o r t h e
surrounding region.
I n an a r t i c l e i n 1881 t h e N e w s n o t e d t h a t t h e ene edict
B r o t h e r s Shoe S t o r e a t No. 225 Main S t r e e t was t h e l a r g e s t r e t a i l shoe s t o r e
I.
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United States Department of the Interior
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.,
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M Bianbury, e& onnec?r c c tD i ~ ~ . j , q & , , , ~8 ,
n Stre
H i s t ri u
~
i n t h e s t a t e , and o t h e r b u s i n e s s e s w e r e p r o v i d i n g s e r v i c e s t h a t townspeople
had p r e v i o u s l y t r a v e l e d t o N e w Y ork o r B r i d g e p o r t f o r O 8 An i m p o r t a n t
a s p e c t o f Danbury ' s g rowth a s a r e g i o n a l c e n t e r was t h e p r o l i f e r a t i o n o f
A b r a n c h o f f i c e o f t h e F a i r f i e l d County Bank was opened i n Danbury
banks.
i n 1826.
T h i s i n s t i t u t i o n e v e n t u a l l y grew i n t o t h e Danbury N a t i o n a l Bank,
a n d , a f t e r s e v e r a l m e r g e r s , i s t h e modern Union T r u s t .
I n 1848 t h e S a v i n g s
Bank o f Danbury was formed by l o c a l m e r c h a n t s and b u s i n e s s m e n , w i t h o f f i c e s
i n t h e home o f t r e a s u r e r George bi. I v e s on Main S t r e e t , g r a n d f a t h e r o f t h e
composer C h a r l e s I v e s .
The S a v i n g s Bank o c c u p i e s i t s own b u i l d i n g a t
Nos. 224-226 Main S t r e e t , a few f e e t from i t s o r i g i n a l l o c a t i o n .
The p r e s e n t
o f f i c e d a t e s from 1908.
The N a t i o n a l Pahquioque Bank, founded by a n o t h e r
g r o u p o f l o c a l b u s i n e s s m e n a n d m a n u f a c t u r e r s , was formed i n 1 8 5 5 , and i s
t o d a y a p a r t o f c i t y T r u s t a t K O. 234 Main S t r e e t .
The Union S a v i n g s Bank
was f o u n d e d by Danbury h a t m a n u f a c t u r e r s and m e r c h a n t s i n 1866 and h a s b e e n
a t i t s p r e s e n t l o c a t i o n a t Nos. 226-228 Main S t r e e t s i n c e t h e b u i l d i n g was
c o n s t r u c t e d i n 1887.
D u r i n g t h e 1 8 8 0 s b r i c k commercial b u i l d i n g s began t o e x t e n d t h e 60wntown
s h o p p i n g a r e a o f f Main S t r e e t o n t o s i d e s t r e e t s , E l m a n d White S t r e e t s ,
I v e s S t r e e t and l a t e r i n t h e e a r l y t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y , W e s t S t r e e t , w e r e
b u i l t up n e a r t h e i r i n t e r s e c t i o n s w i t h Main S t r e e t ,
I n 1887 I s a a c I v e s ,
e n t r e p r e n e u r a n d u n c l e o f composer C h a r l e s I v e s , o p e n e d K e e l e r S t r e e t a s a
secondary business thoroughfare,
Library P l a c e had a s i m i l a r o r i g i n a s
A l e x a n d e r Wildman c o n s t r u c t e d f i r s t a P o s t O f f i c e a n d l a t e r o t h e r commercial
b u i l d i n g s , i n c l u d i n g t h e Armory, o n h i s p r o p e r t y o n t h e n o r t h s i d e o f
L i b r a r y P l a c e , which h a d b e e n opened f o l l o w i n g c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e L i b r a r y
i n 1878,
D u r i n g t h e 1 8 8 0 s f l a g s t o n e s i d e w a l k s w e r e c o n s t r u c t e d o n Main S t r e e t , a l o n g
w i t h a s e w e r s y s t e m , e l e c t r i c a r c l i g h t s , a n d a h o r s e r a i l w a y , and Main
S t r e e t between Elmwood P a r k a n d White S t r e e t was paved w i t h g r a n i t e b l o c k s .
I n 1889 t h e Borough o f Danbury was g r a n t e d a c i t y c h a r t e r - by t h e l e g i s l a t u r e .
By t h e t u r n o f t h e t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y , Danbury was c o n s i d e r e d t h e l e a d i n g
p r o d u c e r o f h a t s i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , An e l e c t r i c s i g n o v e r t h e p a s s e n g e r
d e p o t on w h i t e S t r e e t f e a t u r e d t h e o u t l i n e o f a h a t and proclaimed t h a t
"Danbury Crowns Them A l l , "
I n 1899 t h e c i t y was s u c c e s s f u l i n p r o c u r i n g
f u n d s f o r a new c o u r t h o u s e from t h e c o u n t y l e g i s l a t u r e d e s p i t e o p p o s i t i o n
from B r i d g e p o r t ,
3 5 h a t f a c t o r i e s a n d d o z e n s o f machine s h o p s , l a b e l
p r i n t e r s , s i l k works, f u r p r o c e s s o r s and o t h e r r e l a t e d i n d u s t r i e s employed
5 , 0 0 0 w o r k e r s by 1 900. D u r i n g t h e t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y Danbury remained t h e
l e a d e r o f t h e American h a t t i n g i n d u s t r y u n t i l t h e d e c l i n e i n h a t s a s a n
a r t i c l e o f m e n ' s f a s h i o n a f t e r World War 11, Main S t r e e t , White S t r e e t and
W e s t S t r e e t i n t h e c e n t r a l b u s i n e s s d i s t r i c t became p a r t s o f S t a t e Highways
6 , 7 a n d 202, D u r i n g t h e 1 9 2 0 s and 1 9 3 0 s c h a i n s tores, i n c l u d i n g t h e p r e s e n t
Woolworth, McCrory ' s a n d S e a r s s t o r e s , w e r e a t t r a c t e d t o Main S t r e e t l o c a t i o n s by t h e c i t y ' s c o n t i n u i n g v i t a l i t y a s a r e t a i l c e n t e r ,
The f l o o d s o f A u g u s t and O c t o b e r , 1 9 5 5 , b a d l y damaged many b u s i n e s s e s i n
�i
f
OMB Ho.1024-0018
E xp. 10-3-84
NPS F m I&-•
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Item number
8
t h e d i s t r i c t , p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t h e a r e a o f Wooster Square and White S t r e e t .
Danbury p a r t i c i p a t e d i n f e d e r a l l y sponsored f l o o d c o n t r o l and Redevelopment
programs t h a t r e s u l t e d i n t h e r e-channelingr.of t h e S t i l l R i v e r i n t h e downtown a r e a and t h e l e v e l l i n g o f s c o r e s o f o l d e r b u i l d i n g s on t h e n o r t h s i d e
o f White S t r e e t and E l m S t r e e t , on Main S t r e e t above White, and on o t h e r
s treets n o r t h o f t h e Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t b o u n d a r i e s .
A later
p h a s e o f Redevelopment i n t h e 1970s c l e a r e d s i x a c r e s o f p r i m a r i l y wood
frame r e s i d e n t i a l s t r u c t u r e s t o t h e e a s t o f Main S treet a nd on L i b e r t y
S t r e e t i n t h e downtown a r e a , and r e - r o u t e d and expanded L i b e r t y S t r e e t t o
the north.
Beginning i n t h e 1920s Main S t r e e t ' s l o c a t i o n on s t a t e highways
and i t s r o l e a s t h e c i t y ' s b u s i n e s s c e n t e r c o n t r i b u t e d t o s e v e r a l i n t r u s i o n s
on t h e d i s t r i c t a s automobile d e a l e r s h i p s and modern commercial b u i l d i n g s
were c o n s t r u c t e d on i n d i v i d u a l l o t s i n t h e a r e a below Elmwood P a r k , f r e q u e n t l y
resulting i n the destruction of older buildings.
Until recent years, historic
The John and Mary
p r e s e r v a t i o n a c t i v i t i e s w e r e c o n f i n e d t o t h e same a r e a .
R i d e r house o f t h e S c o t t - F a n t o n Museum a t No. 4 3 Main S t r e e t h a s been meticu l o u s l y r e s t o r e d , and i n 1958 t h e John Dodd Shop was saved from d e s t r u c t i o n
when i t was moved from i t s o r i g i n a l s i t e t o t h e museum p r o p e r t y , where i t
was r e s t o r e d and now houses t h e museum's h a t t i n g e x h i b i t s .
I n 1958, t h e
Blackman h ouse a t No. 59 Main S t r e e t was a d a p t e d i n t o o f f i c e s .
The b u i l d i n g ' s
e x t e r i o r was m a i n t a i n e d , w h i l e f i r e p l a c e s and exposed beams i n s i d e t h e house
were p r e s e r v e d a s p a r t o f t h e o f f i c e s .
The f l o o d damage and Redevelopment
programs c a u s e d t h e r e l o c a t i o n o f many Main and White S t r e e t b u s i n e s s e s t o
new l o c a t i o n s on s t a t e highways o u t s i d e t h e c i t y l i m i t s .
On t h o s e same
highways, Routes 6 , 7 and 37, new shopping c e n t e r s began t o b e c o n s t r u c t e d
d u r i n g t h e l a t e 1950s and 1 9 6 0 s , e v e n t u a l l y e q u a l l i n g t h e commercial s p a c e
a v a i l a b l e on Main S t r e e t and o t h e r downtown s t r e e t s . P e r c e i v i n g a t h r e a t i f
t h e y f a i l e d t o keep up w i t h t h e s e new, modern shopping f a c i l i t i e s , many
downtown merchants d u r i n g t h e 1960s and 1970s modernized t h e i r s t o r e f r o n t s ,
and some remodelled t h e i r e n t i r e f a c a d e s .
T h i s was p a r t i c u l a r l y p r e v a l e n t
on t h e o l d e r , e a s t s i d e o f Main S t r e e t between L i b e r t y and White.
Some
h i s t o r i c b u i l d i n g s were e n t i r e l y g u t t e d and new f a c a d e s i n s t a l l e d which
d e s t r o y e d o r permanently a l t e r e d t h e f a b r i c o f t h e b u i l d i n g s .
More common
w e r e s c r e e n - l i k e f i x t u r e s o r s p r a y e d on w a l l c o v e r i n g s which may be r emoved.
(Photograph 34) The C i t y o f Danbury h a s t a k e n a l e a d i n g r o l e i n promoting
t h e p r e s e r v a t i o n and a d a p t i v e re-use o f h i s t o r i c s t r u c t u r e s .
The o l d
Danbury J a i l h a s been r e s t o r e d on t h e o u t s i d e and i t s i n t e r i o r c o n v e r t e d
i n t o a S e n i o r C e n t e r w h i l e m a i n t a i n i n g t h e o r i g i n a l ornamental f e a t u r e s and
The e x t e r i o r o f t h e o l d L i b r a r y B u i l d i n g a t
some o f t h e c e l l s i n o n e wing.
No. 254 Main S t r e e t was c l e a n e d i n 1981, and i s t o be c o n v e r t e d i n t o a
C r e a t i v e A r t s C e n t e r , a g a i n r e t a i n i n g t h e b u i l d i n g ' s r i c h i n t e r i o r woodwork
and s t a i n e d g l a s s .
I n 1982 t h e f a c a d e o f t h e Martha A partments a t Nos, 161169 Main S treet was c l e a n e d and t h e woodwork r e p a i n t e d by owner J o s e p h D aSilva,
who h a s a l s o r e s t o r e d p a r t s o f t h e f a c a d e o f t h e H u l l b u i l d i n g a t N OS, 1 811 9 5 Main S t r e e t , A new n o r t h w a l l i s b e i n g c o n s t r u c t e d on t h a t b u i l d i n g
u s i n g b r i c k t o match t h a t o f t h e f a c a d e , r e p l a c i n g t h e remains o f a p a r t y
w a l l s h a r e d w i t h a b u i l d i n g t h a t burned down i n 1965.
The Danbury Downtown
N
C o u n c i l , working w i t h C o n s ~ l t a n t orman M intz, h a s e s t a b l i s h e d a Sign Review
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
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l
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
continuation sheet D anbury, C o n n e c t i c u t
Item number 8
p rogram t o e n c o u r a g e a p p r o p r i a t e s i g n a g e f o r downtown b u s i n e s s e s .
A pilot
f a c a d e program, j o i n t l y a d m i n i s t e r e d by t h e C i t y P l a n n i n g Department and
t h e Danbury P r e s e r v a t i o n T r u s t , w i l l b e i n s t i t u t e d t h i s y e a r , t o e n c o u r a g e
s e n s i t i v e r e h a b i l i t a t i o n o f commercial f a c a d e s .
.
S C W SIGNIFICANCE
OZ L
I n a d d i t i o n t o i t s r o l e a s p o l i t i c a l and commercial c e n t e r , t h e Main S t r e e t
H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t i s s i g n i f i c a n t a s t h e c e n t r a l l o c a t i o n f o r s o c i a l and
cultural activities.
S e v e r a l b u i l d i n g s w i t h i n t h e d i s t r i c t were c o n s t r u c t e d
by f r a t e r n a l o r g a n i z a t i o n s , w h i l e o t h e r s were d e s i g n e d w i t h s p a c e on u p p e r
f l o o r s t o b e r e n t e d t o many g r o u p s .
The f i r s t downtown commercial b u i l d i n g ,
C rosby ' s B lock a t Nos. 225-229 Main S t r e e t , c o n t a i n e d rooms f o r t h e l o c a l
Odd F e l l o w s C h a p t e r o n i t s t h i r d f l o o r .
The C r o f u t B l o c k r a t Nos. 253-255
Main S t r e e t , b u i l t i n 1 8 7 6 , h a d a Masonic H a l l on t h e t h i r d f l o o r .
Wildman's H a l l a t Nos. 260-262 Main S t r e e t h a d a s i t s p r i m a r y p u r p o s e a
l a r g e t h i r d f l o o r room which was r e n t e d t o many o r g a n i z a t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g t h e
Hebrew B e n e v o l e n t S o c i e t y a n d e a r l y Black s o c i a l o r g a n i z a t i o n s .
The l a r g e
' t h i r d f l o o r o f Henry B. H awley's b u i l d i n g a t Nos. 42 - 52 White S t r e e t was
o c c u p i e d by Union H a l l , a n o n - d e n o m i n a t i o n a l , p r o - t e m p e r a n c e l e c t u r e and
m e e t i n g h a l l t h a t s e a t e d 1 , 0 0 0 and was f r e q u e n t l y u s e d by c h u r c h g r o u p s .
I n 1882 D a n b u r y ' s German s o c i a l a n d f r a t e r n a l g r o u p s w e r e p r o v i d e d f o r i n
t h e u p p e r f l o o r o f t h e b u i l d i n g c o n s t r u c t e d a t Nos. 290-292 Main S t r e e t b y
b o t t l e r J e a n Hornig.
I n 1927 t h e talia an-American A merigo Vespucci Lodge
( p h o t o g r a p h 33)
commissioned t h e l a r g e b u i l d i n g a t Nos. 32-52 E l m S t r e e t .
N e a r l y a l l o f t h e l o d g e h a l l s c o n s t r u c t e d i n Danbury d u r i n g t h e f i r s t
t h r e e d e c a d e s o f t h e t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y w e r e d e s i g n e d by Danbury a r c h i t e c t
P h i l i p N. S u n d e r l a n d .
S t . P e t e r ' s Church, a s w e l l , p e r f o r m e d a n i m p o r t a n t
r o l e d u r i n g t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y i n f o r m i n g a s s o c i a t i o n s among i t s
l a r g e l y I r i s h p a r i s h i o n e r s by s p o n s o r i n g a C a t h o l i c L i b r a r y A s s o c i a t i o n :
t h e Kennedy G u a r d s , a marching group; and S t . P e t e r ' s Band, which p r e s e n t e d
summer c o n c e r t s o n Elmwood P a r k and e v o l v e d i n t o t h e town band d u r i n g t h e
l a t e nineteenth century.
E DUCATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE
S e v e r a l b u i l d i n g s i n t h e Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t h a v e been a s s o c i a t e d
w i t h t h e h i s t o r y o f e d u c a t i o n i n Danbury.
Danbury High S c h o o l d u r i n g t h e
1890s was housed i n t h e t h i r d f l o o r o f t h e Union S a v i n g s Bank a t Nos. 2262 28 Main S t r e e t .
A gymnasium i n t h e t h i r d f l o o r o f t h e H u l l B u i l d i n g a t
Nos. 181-185 Main S t r e e t was u s e d u n t i l 1924 a s t h e h i g h s c h o o l gymnasium.
S t . P e t e r ' s S c h o o l was t h e f i r s t C a t h o l i c p a r o c h i a l s c h o o l i n t h e Danbury
a r e a , founded i n 1885.
RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE
S t . P e t e r ' s Roman C a t h o l i c Church i s s i g n i f i c a n t t o t h e h i s t o r y o f r e l i g i o n
I t was t h e f i r s t
i n t h e Danbury a r e a ,
The p a r i s h w a s e s t a b l i s h e d i n 1853.
p a r i s h a n d S t . P e t e r ' s t h e f i r s t Roman C a t h o l i c Church t o be c o n s t r u c t e d i n
n o r t h e r n F a i r f i e l d County, a n d s e r v e d C a t h o l i c s i n a l l o f t h e s u r r o u n d i n g
towns.
P a r i s h i o n e s w alked t e n m i l e s o r more t o Mass Sunday mornings from
S t . James E p i s c o p a l Church was founded i n 1 7 6 2 , t h e
s u r r o u n d i n g towns
.'
�N PS Form 10-a
Oaz)
OM6 NO. 1024-0018
Exp. WJ-31-84
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
~ a t i o n a R egister of Historic Places
l
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
Continuation sheet D anbury, C o n n e c t i c u t
Item number 8
s econd r e l i g i o u s o r g a n i z a t i o n i n Danbury.
s i t e s i n c e 1845.
I t h a s o c c u p i e d i t s West S t r e e t
COMMUNICATIONS SIGNIFICANCE
The Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t h a s been a s s o c i a t e d w i t h i n d i v i d u a l s o f
s t a t e and n a t i o n a l s i g n i f i c a n c e , a s w e l l a s w i t h many businessmen and c i v i c
l e a d e r s prominent i n l o c a l h i s t o r y .
During t h e 1870s Danbury N e w s e d i t o r
and p u b l i s h e r , James Montgomery B a i l e y , was n a t i o n a l l y known a s " t h e Danbury
News Man" f o r h i s e d i t o r i a l humor and h i s a n e c d o t a l w r i t i n g .
A pioneer i n
j o u r n a l i s t i c humor, B a i l e y p u r c h a s e d t h e Danbury Times i n 1865 w i t h a
p a r t n e r , and changed i t s name t o t h e Danbury News i n 1870. H i s wry comments
i n t h e l o c a l news p a g e s and h i s humorous a n e c d o t e s b a s e d on i n c i d e n t s i n
Danbury and on h i s boyhood i n Rome, N e w Y ork, a t t r a c t e d n a t i o n a l a t t e n t i o n .
I n 1873 h e p u b l i s h e d a n a t i o n a l e d i t i o n o f t h e N e w s w hich f o r a b r i e f t i m e
had a n a t i o n w i d e c i r c u l a t i o n o f 30,000. H e e mbarked on l e c t u r e t o u r s t h a t
t o o k him a s f a r a s San F r a n c i s c o and l a t e r t o London and w r o t e a s e r i e s o f
humorous b o o k s , i n c l u d i n g L i f e i n Danbury, The Danbury Boom, The D a n b u z
N e w s M an's Almanac and o t h e r t i t l e s .
C a p i t a l i z i n g on h i s s u c c e s s , l o c a l
businessmen began p r o d u c i n g Danbury N e w s Man c i g a r s , h a t s and o t h e r p r o d u c t s .
B a i l e y abandoned h i s o u t s i d e a c t i v i t i e s by 1 8 8 0 , b u t h i s fame was l a s t i n g .
is
I n 1882, t h e H a t , Cap and F ur T rade Review o b s e r v e d t h a t "Danbury
c h i e f 1 known f o r i t s h a t m a n u f a c t u r i e s and a s t h e home o f t h e Danbury News
D uring t h e l a t e 1870s B a i l e y began c o l l e c t i n g l o c a l h i s t o r i c a l
man.
i n f o r m a t i o n which was p u b l i s h e d a f t e r h i s d e a t h i n 1894 a s The H i s t o r y o f
Danbury, 1684-1896.
He c o n s t r u c t e d t h e f i r s t newspaper o f f i c e b u i l d i n g i n
Danbury a t No. 288 Main S t r e e t i n 1873. I t was e n l a r g e d and r e m o d e l l e d i n
1893 i n t o i t s p r e s e n t a p p e a r a n c e .
....
"18
MUSIC SIGNIFICANCE
Composer C h a r l e s Edward I v e s was b o r n i n 1874 i n t h e f a m i l y homestead a t
No. 210 Main S t r e e t .
That b u i l d i n g h a s been moved t o a new l o c a t i o n i n
Rogers Park.
I v e s grew up i n s e v e r a l h o u s e s n e a r Main S t r e e t . Acknowledged
a s " t h e f i r s t t r u l y o r i g i n a l and i n d e p e n d e n t American composer, "11 I v e s
music was d e e p l y i n f l u e n c e d by t h e p a r a d e s , c o n c e r t s and s e r e n a d e s o n Main
S t r e e t i n which h i s f a t h e r , George E . I v e s , was t h e band and o r c h e s t r a
leader.
C h a r l e s I v e s ' e a r l i e s t c o m p o s i t i o n s w e r e p erformed on Main S t r e e t
by l o c a l b ands.12
S e v e r a l o f h i s major c o m p o s i t i o n s d e a l w i t h Main S t r e e t
e v e n t s , p a r t i c u l a r l y s u c h works a s "The H o l i d a y Symphonies."
The
" D e c o r a t i o n Day" segment o f t h i s work i s a b o u t a p a r a d e from Elmwood P a r k
t o Wooster Cemetery, while. "The F o u r t h o f J u l y " i s c omposed o f I v e s '
b oyhood r e m i n i s c e n c e s o f t h a t h o l i d a y o n Main S t r e e t .
Ives described these
works a s " a t t e m p t s t o make p i c t u r e s i n music o f common e v e n t s i n t h e l i v e s
o f common p eople. " l 3 One o f I v e s ' c o m p o s i t i o n s , "Tone Roads, " was i n s p i r e d
by Main S t r e e t ' s e r r a t i c s t r e e t p a t t e r n .
I n h i s n o t e s t o t h e work, h e
compares t h e d i v e r g e n t p a t h s o f s e v e r a l i n s t r u m e n t s away from and back t o
a s i n g l e theme t o t h e way d i f f e r e n t r o a d s a r o u n d D anbury a l l l e a d i n t h e i r
own way back t o Main s treet.14
�NPS Form 1OWO-I
OM6 NO. 1024-0010
Exp. 10-3-84
psz)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
~ a d o n a Register of Historic Places
l
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
, Connecticut
Item number 8
Continuation sheet D anbury
Page 8
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
W i t h i n t h e Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c ~ i s t r i c a r e s e v e r a l i n d i v i d u a l b u i l d i n g s
t
o f a r c h i t e c t u r a l s i g n i f i c a n c e a s good, w e l l - p r e s e r v e d examples o f p a r t i c u l a r
styles.
The e a r l i e s t o f t h e s e b u i l d i n g s c h r o n o l o g i c a l l y i s t h e o l d Danbury
J a i l a t N O. 8 0 Main S t r e e t . C o n s i s t i n g o f a mansard-roofed j a i l e r ' s r esid e n c e w i t h c e l l b l o c k wings t o t h e w e s t a nd s o u t h , t h e b u i l d i n g h a s been
s u b s t a n t i a l l y r e s t o r e d during i t s conversion t o a Senior Center.
~t i s
t h e b est s u r v i v i n g example o f t h e Second Empire s t y l e i n downtown Danbury.
'The f o r m e r L i b r a r y a t No. 254 Main S t r e e t i s t h e o n l y e x t a n t example o f
Wigh V i c t o r i a n G o t h i c s t y l e i n Danbury o r t h e s u r r o u n d i n g towns.
I t w as
t h e f i r s t commission o f Lorenzo Wheeler, a n a r c h i t e c t r a i s e d i n U anbury who
went o n t o d e s i g n m a j o r o f f i c e b u i l d i n g s a n d a p a r t m e n t h o u s e s i n s o u t h e r n
I t i s b u i l t on t h e c r u c i f o r m p l a n w i t h a n e x t e r i o r o f
and w e s t e r n c i t i e s .
o r a n g e - r e d p r e s s e d b r i c k on a r u s t i c a t e d g r a n i t e c o p i n g .
I n i t s broken
r o o f l i n e s a n d m a s s i n g , p o l y c h r o m a t i c b a n d i n g i n t h e window and d o o r a r c h e s ,
t h e h e a v y , s t r u c t u r a l q u a l i t y o f t h e e x t e r i o r woodwork, and i n t h e p o l i s h e d
g r a y m a r b l e p i l l a r s a t t h e main doorway which s t a n d o u t a g a i n s t t h e o r a n g e r e d b r i c k behind i t , t h e b u i l d i n g i n c o r p o r a t e s major c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f t h e
style.
(Photograph 28, F i g u r e 4 )
C o n s t r u c t e d i n 1886 a n d 1 8 8 7 , t h e Union S a v i n g s Bank a t Nos. 226-228 Main
S t r e e t was b u i l t t o s e r v e two b a n k s , t h e Union S a v i n g s Bank and t h e
N a t i o n a l Pahquioque Bank.
The b u i l d i n g ' s d e s i g n , by t h e N e w Y ork f i r m o f
Berg a n d C l a r k , was i n n o v a t i v e f o r i t s t i m e a n d i s u n u s u a l l y a v a n t - g a r d e i n
c o n c e p t f o r a t own t h e s i z e o f Danbury a t t h e t i m e ( a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1 8 , 0 0 0
I n t h e enrichment of t h e facade with a wealth o f d e c o r a t i v e
inhabitants)
t e r r a c o t t a t i l e s i n many p a t t e r n s , t h e d i v i s i o n o f t h e f a c a d e by t h e u s e
o f m u l t i - s t o r y r o u n d a r c h e s , t h e b o l d l y p r o j e c t i n g m o d i l l i o n e d c o r n i c e , and
window s p a n d r e l s r ecessed b e h i n d t h e p l a n e o f t h e p i e r s t h a t r i s e t o t h e
c o r n i c e , i t i s o f a kindred s p i r i t with such Sullivanesque b u i l d i n g s a s t h e
G u a r a n t y B u i l d i n g i n B u f f a l o , N . Y . a nd c o u l d be c o n s i d e r e d a n e a r l y example o f t h a t s t y l e . O t h e r e l e m e n t s o f t h e b u i l d i n g , s u c h a s t h e t u r n i n g
back o f t h e c o r n e r bays t o c r e a t e an octagonal f e e l i n g t o t h e upper s t o r i e s
o f t h e f a c a d e , appeared i n l a t e r b u i l d i n g s a l s o , p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t h e Phoenix
Mutual I n s u r a n c e Co. B u i l d i n g i n B o s t o n , by Cady, Berg a n d S e e , c o n s t r u c t e d
i n 1897.
The t h i r d f l o o r o f t h e b u i l d i n g , a h a l l t h a t c o u l d s e a t 5 00, was
The
u t i l i z e d a t f i r s t by t h e YMCA a n d l a t e r by t h e Danbury High S c h o o l .
b a n k ' s i n t e r i o r w a s remodelled i n 1971 f o l l o w i n g a s p e c t a c u l a r robbery i n
which t h e o f f i c e was blown u p .
(Photograph 25)
.
S t . P e t e r ' s R e c t o r y , c o n s t r u c t e d i n 1891, i s t h e most s i g n i f i c a n t example
I t is a
w i t h i n t h e d i s t r i c t o f t h e i n f l u e n c e o f R i c h a r d s o n i a n Romanesque.
well-preserved b u i l d i n g , with a l l o f its e x t e r i o r and i n t e r i o r elements
intact.
The b u i l d i n g ' s t w i n o c t a g o n a l t o w e r s a r e u n i t e d a t t h e ground
Windows a re r o u n d a r c h e d
f l o o r by a s t r i k i n g e n t r y a r c h o f molded b r i c k .
t h r o u g h o u t , t h e i r a r c h e s o c c u p i e d by s t a i n e d g l a s s , p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t h e
f a c a d e and on t h e s o u t h s i d e , l i g h t i n g a s t a i r c a s e t o t h e s e c o n d f l o o r .
�NPS Form 1GsOO.r
Qa2)
U nited States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
N ational Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
Continuation sheet Danbll v
r
pr +
+
Item number
8
Page 9
The b u i l d i n g ' s m a n t e l s , p a r q u e t f l o o r s and p l a s t e r work a r e i n t a c t .
( P hotograph 8 )
The Courthouse, c o n s t r u c t e d i n 1899 and d e s i g n e d by Warren B r i g g s , i s a
w e l l - p r e s e r v e d example o f i t s t y p e and i s t h e major example o f Beaux A r t s
N e o -Classicism within t h e d i s t r i c t .
I t f e a t u r e s a balanced facade with
a c e n t r a l p r o j e c t i n g p a v i l i o n and a green copper dome.
The b u i l d i n q ' s
i n t e r i o r i s o r i g i n a l , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e main courtroom. ( Photograghs 5,. 6 )
A nother s i g n i f i c a n t , w e l l - p r e s e r v e d example o f Beaux A r t s C l a s s i c i s m w i t h i n
The
t h e d i s t r i c t i s t h e Savings Bank o f Danbury a t No. 2 2 4 Main S t r e e t .
l i m e s t o n e b u i l d i n g a l s o i n c l u d e s some C o l o n i a l R e v i v a l f e a t u r e s , such a s
t h e s w a n ' s neck pediment o v e r t h e f r o n t doorway.
The doorway, which
f e a t u r e s bronze d o o r s e n r i c h e d by engraved c l a s s i c a l m o t i f s such a s cornuc o p i a e , r a m ' s heads and lamps, i s f l a n k e d by f l u t e d C o r i n t h i a n p i l a s t e r s
Above i s a
and i s s urmounted by a l a r g e round a r c h , l i g h t i n g t h e lobby.
f r i e z e , m o d i l l i o n e d c o r n i c e and c r e s t b e a r i n g t h e b a n k ' s name, and a b a l u s trade.
The bays on e i t h e r s i d e o f t h e doorway above t h e f i r s t f l o o r
' rhe o v e r a l l symwindows have i n s e t p a n e l s w i t h c a r v e d , f o l i a t e d r e l i e f .
metry and s i m p l i c i t y o f t h e d e s i g n a r e enhanced by t h e l a n d s c a p i n g .
The
b u i l d i n g i s s e t a t o p a s l i g h t eminence and i s r e a c h e d by a f l i g h t o f t e n
g r a n i t e s t e p s from t h e Main S t r e e t s i d e w a l k .
To e i t h e r s i d e i s a lawn
a r e a , e n c l o s e d on t h e s o u t h s i d e f a c i n g Chapel P l a c e by a l i m e s t o n e b a l u s t r a d e , t h e members o f which match t h e b a l u s t r a d e a t t h e p a r a p e t .
( P hotograph 2 5 )
The P o s t O f f i c e , a t No. 265 Main S t r e e t , i s t h e most s i g n i f i c a n t example o f
I t i s d i s t i n g u i s h e d by i t s w e l l Georgian R e v i v a l w i t h i n t h e d i s t r i c t .
p r e s e r v e d e x t e r i o r , and i t s i n t a c t i n t e r i o r woodwork. ( P hotograph 20)
The P a l a c e T h e a t e r , c o n s t r u c t e d i n 1928, i s s i g n i f i c a n t f o r i t s w e l l p r e s e r v e d Amadesque i n t e r i o r , which i s e s s e n t i a l l y i n t a c t d e s p i t e t h e
c o n v e r s i o n o f i t s s e a t i n g a r e a i n t o a t r i p l e x i n 1979.
The l obby and f o y e r
have n o t been a l t e r e d .
S e v e r a l b u i l d i n g s achieved a r c h i t e c t u r a l s i g n i f i c a n c e following e x t e n s i v e
enlargements.
The e a r l i e s t o f t h e s e i s S t . James Church, o r i g i n a l l y b u i l t
from 1867 t o 1872. The G o t h i c R e v i v a l church i s o f l o c a l l y q u a r r i e d r u s t i c a t e d g r a n i t e w i t h c a s t e l l a t e d tower and s l a t e r o o f w i t h " s t r e a k y bacon"
pattern.
Its i n t e r i o r i s o r i g i n a l .
I n 1929, t h e p r e s e n t p a r i s h h a l l was
c o n s t r u c t e d t o t h e west
W ithout overwhelming t h e o r i g i n a l s t r u c t u r e t h e
b u i l d i n g r e p e a t s t h e r u s t i c a t e d g r a n i t e t e x t u r e and p o i n t e d a r c h windows o f
t h e o r i g i n a l b u i l d i n g , a d d i n g h a l f - t i m b e r i n g and a g a b l e - a t t h e west end
f a c i n g West S t r e e t w i t h a l a r g e p o i n t e d a r c h window o f s t a i n e d g l a s s w i t h
Gothic t r a c e r y .
I t was d e s i g n e d by P h i l i p S u n d e r l a n d , Danbury's major
a r c h i t e c t from 1893 u n t i l 1933.
(photograph 1 5 )
.
The Danbury News o r News-Times b u i l d i n g a t No. 288 Main S t r e e t was a twos t o r y I t a l i a n a t e b l o c k when i t was c o n s t r u c t e d a s tha n ewspaper's o f f i c e
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United States Department of the Interior
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National Register of Historic Places
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, Connecticut
kern number 8
Continuation sheet D anbury
Page 1 0
i n 1873.
I n 1893 i t s s u c c e s s f u l p u b l i s h e r a n d e d i t o r , James Montgomery
I t w as t h e f i r s t comB a i l e y , had t h e b u i l d i n g e x t e n s i v e l y remodelled.
m i s s i o n o f P h i l i p S u n d e r l a n d , who a d d e d a t o w e r b a s e d o n t h e d e s i g n o f a
b u i l d i n g h e h a d p a s s e d o n h i s way t o c l a s s e s a t t h e I n s t i t u t e f o r A rtists
a n d A r t i s a n s i n N e w Y ork C i t y . A t h i r d s t o r y was a d d e d a n d t h e b u i l d i n g
was e x t e n d e d t o t h e r e a r .
k l a r g e r o u n d a r c h e d window o f molded b r i c k was
added i n t h e n o r t h bay o f t h e f i r s t f l o o r .
Located a t t h e i n t e r s e c t i o n o f
Main a n d White a n d E l m S t r e e t s , known a s Wooster S q u a r e , o p p o s i t e w h i t e
S t r e e t , t h e m a i n - s o u r c e o f i n c o m i n g t r a f f i c , t h e b u i l d i n g became a p r o m i n e n t
l a n d m a r k , a n d was w i d e l y i d e n t i f i e d w i t h Danbury.
(Photograph 31) I t
a p p e a r e d o n t h e c o v e r o f t h e N e w Y o r k e r m a g a z i n e i n 1949.
The p r e s e n t C i t y t r u s t b a n k was o r i g i n a l l y c o n s t r u c t e d a s a t w o - s t o r y NeoC l a s s i c a l s t r u c t u r e i n 1 9 1 2 . Dwarfed by t h e n e i g h b o r i n g Union S a v i n g s Bank,
t h e C i t y N a t i o n a l Bank i n 1929 e n l a r g e d t h e b u i l d i n g o n d e s i g n s by Morgan,
C ompleted i n 1 9 3 1 , t h e r e m o d e l l i n g a d d e d a s u i t e
T r e n c h & C o . o f N e w Y ork.
o f o f f i c e s o n a new t h i r d f l o o r a n d a new m a r b l e f a c a d e b a s e d o n a Roman
t r i u m p h a l a r c h . A b r o n z e r e l i e f o f a n I n d i a n r e c l i n i n g on a h i l l s i d e o v e r l o o k i n g t h e P l a i n o f P a h q u i o q u e was t a k e n from o n e o f t h e K a t i o n a l P a h y u i o q u e
Bank's e a r l y n o t e s .
(Photograph 25)
T h e r e a r e s e v e r a l good e x a m p l e s o f m u l t i - f a m i l y b u i l d i n g s w i t h i n t h e Main
Street Historic D i s t r i c t .
N o s . 28-32 K e e l e r S t r e e t i s a w e l l - p r e s e r v e d
G ueen A n n e - s t y l e t e n e m e n t w i t h most o f i t s f e a t u r e s , i n c l u d i n g i t s s l a t e
mansard r o o f , o c t a g o n a l p r o j e c t i n g b a y s w i t h c o n i c a l r o o f s a n d r u s t i c a t e d
Nos. 1 7 - 2 1 L i b r a r y P l a c e , c o m p l e t e d i n
brownstone l i n t e l s and s i l l s i n t a c t .
1 8 9 2 , r e p r e s e n t e d a good example o f Romanesque R e v i v a l i n f l u e n c e i n a n
e c l e c t i c , vernacular building.
D e s i g n e d by J o e l F o s t e r , t h e b u i l d i n g makes
u s e o f o c t a g o n a l bay windows o n t h e q r o u n d f l o o r s , j o i n e d r o u n d a r c h e s o f
'The
molded b r i c k o n t h e s e c o n d , a n d h a s d & ~ t e d , m o d i l l i o n e d c o r n i c e s ,
b u i l d i n g ' s s c a l e a n d f e n e s t r a t i o n r e l a t e t o t h e Armory b u i l d i n g which
b o r d e r s i t to t h e e a s t .
The two b u i l d i n g s w e r e d e s i g n e d t o g e t h e r by t h e
same a r c h i t e c t .
( p h o t o g r a p h s 1 1 , 29 )
P a r t s o f t h e d i s t r i c t a r e d i s t i n g u i s h e d by s t r e e t s c a p e s which f e a t u r e
b u i l d i n g s which r e l a t e t o e a c h o t h e r i n s t y l e , f e n e s t r a t i o n a n d m a t e r i a l s .
The e a r l i e s t example i s t h e K e e l e r B lock a t N o s . 1 43-147 a n d t h e G r i f f i n g
Block e x t e n s i o n a t N o s . 1 49-151 Main S t r e e t .
These t w o b u i l d i n g s , d e s i g n e d
b yDanbury b u i l d e r L a r c h i t e c t J o e l F o s t e r a n d b u i l t i n 1882 o n t h e s i t e o f a
h o t e l t h a t h a d b u r n e d , r e l a t e i n s t y l e , f e n e s t r a t i o n a n d s cale t o t h e
o l d e r G r i f f i n g B l o c k t o t h e n o r t h , a t N o s . 1 53-157 Main S t r e e t .
The newer
b u i l d i n g s e c h o t h e o l d e r o n e ' s r o u n d a r c h e d windows a n d t h e b u i l d i n g a t
(Photograph 12)
Nos. 149-151 M a i n ' i s a v i s u a l t r a n s i t i o n b e t w e e n t h e t w o .
I n 1 8 9 1 t h e D a r r a g a n a n d L a r u e B u i l d i n g s , a t No. 238 a n d N o s . 2 40-242 Main
The f o r m e r b u i l d i n g
S t r e e t r e s p e c t i v e l y , w e r e constructed simultaneously.
was d e s i g n e d b y l o c a l a r c h i t e c t J o e l F o s t e r , t h e l a t t e r by L e o n i W. R o b i n s o n
Though d i f f e r i n g i n h e i g h t , t h e b u i l d i n g s a r e complementary
o f N e w H aven.
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Continuation sheet D anbury, Connecticut
h em number 8
Page 1
1
r ound a r c h e s o n t h e t h i r d , and r e c t a n g u l a r windows on t h e f o u r t h .
Window
ornament i s o f t e r r a c o t t a t i l e i n No. 238, a n d o f r u s t i c a t e d brownstone
i n Nos. 240-242.
(Photograph 27)
The c o n v e n t , s c h o o l a n d r e c t o r y o f S t . P e t e r ' s Roman C a t h o l i c p a r i s h on t h e
w e s t s i d e o f Elmwood P a r k ( F i g u r e 3 ) r e l a t e t o e a c h o t h e r i n t h e i r r e d b r i c k
e x t e r i o r s , r u s t i c a t e d g r a n i t e c o p i n g s and s c a l e , d e s p i t e b e i n g o f d i f f e r i n g
styles
.
A number o f b u i l d i n g s d e s i g n e d by Danbury a r c h i t e c t P h i l i p S u n d e r l a n d
complemented t h e e x i s t i n g s t r e e t s c a p e .
Nos. 18-20 and Nos. 22-24 w e s t
S t r e e t , a p a i r o f s t u c c o I t a l i a n a t e Lodge i Xalls, r e l a t e t o e a c h o t h e r i n
s t y l e , s c a l e and m a s s i n g .
( P h o t o g r a p h 1 4 ) No. 261 > lain S t r e e t , b u i l t a t
t h e same t i m e a s t h e P o s t O f f i c e which a d j o i n s i t t o t h e n o r t h a s a c l o t h i n g s t o r e , c a r r i e s o u t t h e b r i c k f a c a d e and b u i l d i n g h e i g h t o f t h e l a r g e r
( Fho t o g r a p h 2 0)
Two s t o r e s d e s i g n e d by P h i l i p S u n d e r l a n d
Post Office
f o r m e m b e r s o f t h e m e r c a n t i l e McLean f a m i l y a l s o r e l a t e t o e a c h o t h e r and
t o o l d e r b u i l d i n g s a r o u n d them.
No. 213 Main S t r e e t was c o n s t r u c t e d i n
1 9 1 1 , No. 215 Main S t r e e t i n 1924.
T h e i r s c a l e , b u i l d i n g h e i g h t s and
c o r n i c e s f i t them i n t o t h e e x i s t i n g commercial s t r e e t s c a p e on t h e e a s t s i d e
o f Main n o r t h o f L i b e r t y ,
( P h o t o g r a p h 1 3 ) The s t r o n g e s t example o f new
c o n s t r u c t i o n d e s i g n e d by S u n d e r l a n d r e l a t i n g t o a n e x i s t i n g s t r e e t s c a p e i s
tke M artha A p a r t m e n t s , b u i l t i n 1926. Designed t o be a m odern, f i v e - s t o r y
a p a r t m e n t b u i l d i n g w i t h s t o r e s a t s t r e e t l e v e l , i t was c o n s t r u c t e d i n t h e
m i d d l e o f a b l o c k o f o l d e r b u i l d i n g s between L i b e r t y a n d K e e l e r S t r e e t s on
t h e e a s t s i d e o f Main S t r e e t .
Sunderland's design achieves a C l a s s i c a l
balance.
Viewed a s a whole t h e b l o c k h a s t h e t a l l , U-shaped Martha b u i l d i n g i n ' t h e c e n t e r , f l a n k e d by a p a i r o f low, t h r e e - s t o r y b u i l d i n g s t o e i t h e r
s i d e , a n d w i t h t a l l e r , f o u r - s t o r y , more m a s s i v e b u i l d i n g s a t e a c h end.
The a r c h e d wooden l o g g i a i n t h e m i d d l e s t o r i e s o f t h e two wings o f t h e
Martha B u i l d i n g p i c k s u p t h e s e g m e n t a l l y - a r c h e d windows o f t h e I t a l i a n a t e
b u i l d i n s s o n e i t h e r s i d e o f i t . The b l o c k i s v i s u a l l y c o h e s i v e and u n i f i e d .
.
I
!
The d i s t r i c t - i s p a r t i c u l a r l y s i g n i f i c a n t a r c h i t e c t u r a l l y f o r i t s w ide r a n g e
o f commercial a r c h i t e c t u r e ,
Most o f t h e m a j o r s t y l e s a n d methods o f cons t r u c t i o n t h a t e v o l v e d i n commercial a r c h i t e c t u r e between t h e l a t e e i g h t e e n t h
century and t h e mid-twentieth a r e represented i n t h e s t r e e t s c a p e s of t h e
The e a r l i e s t example i n t h e d i s t r i c t o f a b u i l d i n g d e s i g n e d
district.
p r i n c i p a l l y f o r commercial u s e i s t h e 1790 J o h n Dodd Shop on t h e p r o p e r t y
o f t h e S c o t t - F a n t o n Museum a t No. 43 Main S t r e e t .
The g a b l e r o o f e d o n e
and a h a l f - s t o r y c l a p b o a r d b u i l d i n g h a s a c e n t r a l e n t r y and a s i n g l e l a r g e
room on t h e f i r s t f l o o r , w i t h s t a i r s l e a d i n g t o bedrooms on t h e s e c o n d
story.
The l a r g e i n t e r i o r s p a c e , h e a t e d by a f i r e p l a c e o n t h e e a s t s i d e ,
w a s o r i g i n a l l y a n a p o t h e c a r y s h o p w i t h t h e o w n e r ' s l i v i n g q u a r t e r s on t h e
second f l o o r .
The b u i l d i n g i s 1 8 ' x 3 0 1 , t h r e e b a y s wide and two b a y s
( P h o t o g r a p h 2 ) N e a r l y a c r o s s t h e s t r e e t f rom
d e e p w i t h 1 2 x 1 2 w indows.
t h e Dodd Shop, a t No. 36 Main S t r e e t , i s a t w o - s t o r y b r i c k , Greek R e v i v a l
The b u i l d i n g i s s i m p l e i n d e s i g n , w i t h
b u i l d i n g c o n s t r u c t e d c . 1 830.
6 x 6 w indows, t h r e e b a y s wide and a f 4 n i n t h e g a b l e , which f a c e s Main
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National Register of Historic Places
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Main S t r e e t ~ i s t o r i c i s t r i c t
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Item number 8
Page 1 2
Street.
Again t h e s t o r e was o n t h e ground f l o o r a n d l i v i n g q u a r t e r s . : f o r t h e
owner o n t h e s e c o n d f l o o r .
(Photograph 3 ) F u r t h e r development o f t h e
Greek R e v i v a l c o m m e r c i a l b u i l d i n g i s s e e n i n t h e B e n e d i c t a n d N i c h o l s
I t i s s q u a r e w i t h a moderate h i p
B u i l d i n g a t Nos. 191-193 Main S t r e e t .
r o o f , c h a r a c t e r i z e d by t r a b e a t e d l i n t e l s a n d s i l l s o f l i m e s t o n e a n d g r a n i t e
and a m o d i l l i o n e d c o r n i c e .
One o f t h e f i r s t c o m m e r c i a l b l o c k s o n Main
S t r e e t , t h e b u i l d i n g h a d two s t o r e s o r i g i n a l l y o n t h e g r o u n d f l o o r , rooms
f o r s m a l l b u s i n e s s e s and s e r v i c e s l i k e b a r b e r s , t a i l o r s and m i l l i n e r s on
t h e s e c o n d , and a m e e t i n g h a l l o n t h e t h i r d .
The I t a l i a n a t e b l o c k b e g a n t o a p p e a r a f t e r t h e P a n i c o f 1857.
I t w as
i n c r e a s i n g l y l a r g e r i n s c a l e a n d more o r n a t e , b u t i t s o r g a n i z a t i o n was
s i m i l a r t o Nos; 191-193 Main S t r e e t , o c c a s i o n a l l y w i t h l i v i n g q u a r t e r s o n
t h e u p p e r f l o o r s , b u t g e n e r a l l y commercial s p a c e . Nos. 153-157 Main S t r e e t ,
t h e G r i f f i n g B l o c k , i s a g ood example o f t h e i n c r e a s i n g l y o r n a t e c h a r a c t e r
and l a r g e r s c a l e o f t h e I t a l i a n a t e b l o c k s .
'The b u i l d i n g h e l d t h r e e s t o r e s .
I t f e a t u r e s molded window s u r r o u n d s o n t h e u p p e r s t o r i e s , q u o i n s a n d a n
i n t a c t b r a c k e t e d wooden c o r n i c e w i t h t e a r d r o p - l i k e r e t u r n s a n d b u l b o u s
A g ood e x a m p l e o f a l a t e r d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h i s t y p e o f b l o c k i s
pendants.
t h e H awley B l o c k a t Nos. 171-173 Main S t r e e t , which i s s i m i l a r i n s t y l e t o
several other buildings i n the d i s t r i c t .
The H awley B l o c k f e a t u r e s p e d i mented window h e a d s a n d a b r a c k e t e d wooden c o r n i c e c h a r a c t e r i z e d b y d e l i c a t e
i n c i s e d ornament.
T he b u i l d i n g r e t a i n s a n e a r l y , p r e s s e d m e t a l s t o r e f r o n t
cornice.
(Photographs 12, 1 3 )
A R omanesque i n f l u e n c e b e g a n t o a p p e a r , a s w e l l a s a more m a s s i v e s t r u c t u r a l
q u a l i t y , w i t h t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e T r e a d w e l l B l o c k a t Nos. 266-268 Main
S t r e e t i n 1885. B u i l t i n t h e m i d d l e o f a b l o c k o f s m a l l e r I t a l i a n a t e
b u i l d i n g s , i t s t a n d s o u t v i s u a l l y a s t h e most d o m i n a n t o n t h e w e s t s i d e o f
I t s f a c a d e i s d i v i d e d by t h r e e
Main b e t w e e n L i b r a r y P l a c e a n d E l m S t r e e t .
The s e c o n d s t o r y
r o u n d a r c h e s t h a t r i s e t o t h e c o r n i c e , d i v i d e d by p i e r s .
i s made u p o f p a i r e d r o u n d - a r c h e d windows.
The c o r n i c e i s o r n a m e n t e d by
(Photograph 30)
terra cotta tiles.
f in o r i g i n a l v e r n a c u l a r e x a m p l e o f Romanesque i n f l u e n c e i s t h e m e a t w a r e h o u s e
a t 1 I v e s S t r e e t , b u i l t f o r t h e S w i f t Co. i n 1 8 9 3 a n d p r e s e n t l y u s e d f o r
i t s o r i g i n a l p u r p o s e by Omaha B e e f .
The f a c a d e i s d i v i d e d i n t o a c e n t r a l
s e c t i o n a n d two s i n g l e b a y w i n g s by a t h r e e s t o r y r o u n d a r c h f l a n k e d by
piers.
A t s t r e e t l e v e l t h e d i v i s i o n h a s a c o r n i c e o f r u s t i c a t e d brownstone.
A t t h e s e c o n d s t o r y i s a s i n g l e l a r g e s e g r n e n t a l l y - a r c h e d window
spanning t h e p i e r s .
A t t h e t h i r d s t o r y i s a n a r c a d e o f round a r c h e s w i t h
A p o i n t e d g a b l e p e a k i s s u p p o r t e d from t h e r e a r by a
c o r b e l l e d heads.
metal support.
(photograph 22)
The Beaux A r t s s t y l e i s e v i d e n c e d i n t h e H u l l B u i l d i n g , c o n s t r u c t e d by
F r e d e r i c k H u l l o n t h e s i t e o f two o f h i s f i r m ' s e a r l i e r b u i l d i n g s which
h a d b e e n d e s t r o y e d by f i r e . F o l l o w i n g t h e d e s t r u c t i o n o f t h e f a m i l y ' s
hardware s t o r e i n 1906 H u l l , d e t e r m i n e d t o e l i m i n a t e t h e r i s k o f f i r e ,
commissioned t h e B r i d g e p o r t a r c h i t e c t s Meloy a n d Beckwi t h , who d e s i g n e d a
�NPS Fonn l&00Qa
W E NO.1024-0018
W)
E rp. X)-3-04
U nited States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
N ational Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
M ain S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t
Continuation sheet Dar.urv
j
Item number
,
8
b u i l d i n g o f b r i c k and r e i n f o r c e d concrete.
The b u i l d i n g ' s o r n a m e n t i s
N e o - C l a s s i c a l , w i t h a d €ntiari&d c o r n i c e a b o v e t h e s e c o n d s t o r y , o r n a m e n t e d
I t s p i e r s a r e s u r m o u n t e d by t r i p l e i r o n
with egg and d a r t moldings.
b r a c k e t s o f a n e l a b o r a t e openwork d e s i g n .
Above t h e t h i r d s t o r y c o r n i c e
i s a b a l u s t r a d e - l i k e r e l i e f a n d c e n t r a l p e d i m e n t e d c rest.
T he b u i l d i n g ' s
d e s i g n a l s o makes u s e o f p o l y c h r o m a t i c b r i c k work a t t h e t h i r d s t o r y ,
w i t h r e d b r i c k d i a p e r w o r k i n a diamond p a t t e r n .
The H u l l E u i l d i n g i s
a r c h i t e c t u r a l l y s i g n i f i c a n t a l s o f o r i t s r e i n f o r c e d c o n c r e t e a n d s t ee1
c o n s t r u c t i o n , t h e e a r l i e s t example i n t h e d i s t r i c t .
' There a r e no wooden
s t r u c t u r a l m e m b e r s used i n its construction.
'The b u i l d i n g h a s b e e n
c l e a n e d i n 1982, t h e i r o n b r a c k e t s r e s t o r e d , and an exposed former p a r t y
w a l l on t h e n o r t h s i d e i s being covered with b r i c k matching t h a t used i n
( P h o t o g r a p h 1 3)
t h e facade.
T he M o d e r n i s t i c s t y l e o f t h e 1 9 2 0 s a n d 1 9 3 0 s i s r e p r e s e n t e d i n t h e d i s t r i c t
by f e a t u r e s i n s e v e r a l b u i l d i n g s .
' rhe m ost s i g n i f i c a n t and b est p r e s e r v e d
Its porcee x a m p l e i s t h e b ;oolworth B u i l d i n g a t K os. 2 39-249 Main S t r e e t .
l a i n f i n i s h and t e r r a c o t t a f a c a d e i s s t e p p e d i n t y p i c a l " z i g g u r a t " f a s h i o n ,
with a s t o r e f r o n t f r i e z e o f chevron design.
The s t o r e ' s w a l n u t p a n e l l i n g
i s e n t i r e l y i n t a c t , and a b s t r a c t , s t r e a m l i n e d g r i l l - l i k e c a p i t o l s remain
A black g l a s s
on t h e supporting p o s t s , along with t h e marble bases.
m i r r o r with geometric d e s i g n i s a t t h e former r e a r e n t r y .
(Photograph 1 9 )
The Main S t r e e t d i s t r i c t i s u n i q u e f o r i n l a n d i n d u s t r i a l c i t i e s o f D a n b u r y ' s
s i z e i n Connecticut.
Most o t h e r c i t i e s g rew up a r o u n d w a t e r power s i t e s i n
t h e e a r l y t o m i d - n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y o r a s ports. D a n b u r y ' s i n s t i t u t i o n a l
a n d c o m m e r c i a l c e n t e r h a s b e e n c o n c e n t r a t e d i n t h e same a r e a s i n c e i t s
f o u n d i n g , a n d t h e e v o l u t i o n o f t h e community i s e v i d e n t i n t h e a r c h i t e c t u r e
represented i n the d i s t r i c t .
The c h a r a c t e r o f the d i s t r i c t i s d e f i n e d by
t h e v i s u a l impact o f t h e m a j o r i t y of i t s b u i l d i n g s .
The d i s t r i c t h a s a
d i s t i n c t l y e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y c h a r a c t e r s o u t h o f Elmwood P a r k a n d a n i n e t e e n t h a n d e a r l y t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y c h a r a c t e r n o r t h o f Elmwood P a r k .
The
d i s t r i c t i s t h e major c o n c e n t r a t i o n o f commercial and i n s t i t u t i o n a l a r c h i t e c t u r e i n Danbury, a n d i s i n c l u s i v e o f a l l o f t h e m a j o r e x t e n s i o n s o f
Main S t r e e t a r c h i t e c t u r e a n d f u n c t i o n s o n a d j a c e n t s i d e s treets.
F oo t n o t est1/
R i f k i n d , C a r o l e , Main S t r e e t : The F a c e o f Urban America.
N e w Y o r k , H a r p e r a n d Row, 1977.
2/
B a i l e y , J a m e s M . , comp. T he H i s t o r y o f D a n b u r y , 1 684-1896.
N e w Y o r k , B u r r P r i n t i n g House, 1 8 9 6 ,
3/
D anbury N e w s , Nov.
4/
B a i l e y , o p. c i t . p . 2 6 5
1 6 , 1881.
I.
�OMB No. 1024-0018
Exp. 10-31-84
NPS Form 1&WOm
0a
-
United States Department of the Interior
N ational Park Service
~ a t i o n aR egister of Historic Places
l
Inventory-Nomination Form
Main S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s r i c t
sheet D anburv , C o n n e c t i c u t
hem number
8
Page 1 4
.
5/
A ndrews , W atson, " E a r l y R e c o l l e c t i o n s o f Danbury "
6/
P e a s e a n d N i l e s , G a z e t t e e r o f C o n n e c t i c u t a n d Rhode I s l a n d .
7/
D anbury Z v e n i n g News, Nov.
8/
Ibid.,
9/
I n t e r v i e w w i t h Stephen A.
10/
D anbury News, J u n e 9 , 1 8 7 8
11/
1 -Iinley, G o d f r e y , e d . L a r o u s s e E n c y c l o p e d i a o f Music
N e w Y o r k , E x c a l i b u r Books, 1981.
12/
K i r k p a t r i c k , J o h n , e d . C h a r l e s E , I v e s Memos
N e w Y ork, W. W , N o r t o n a n d Co., 1 9 7 2 , p p . 325-326
13/
I b i d . p . 97
14/
I b i d . p p , 63-64
1 5 , 1837
A p r i l 2 0 , 1881
C o l l i n s , A p r i l , 1982
�9 M ajor Bibliographical References
;
S ee c o n t i n u a t i o n s h e e t
1 0. Geographical Data
Acreage of nominated property
s
p
-
Danburl
Quadrangle name
:
Quadrangle scale 1 2 4 0 0 0
-
UT M References
A i l l ! 3 / / 6 b f 3 ( 3 1 1 1 0 11 4 5 1 8 0
Zone
Easting
Northing
clll81
B M 1213 ~
b
Zone
Easting
l8@10l
I
( 6 1 2 ~ 1 3 ~ 2 P Jp p ( 3 1 8 1 6 , 0 j
4
u
u
GW
uII r
IIl l
l
-
-
-
B
1612 19b
1
o
B
1
ljl~~21s~
Northing
0 1 01 ( 46 189 1 616101
F wu
w
u
H
uI
-
--
-
--
-
---
-
-
-
--
-
-
V e r b a l b oundary d e s c r i p t i o n a n d j u s t i f i c a t i o n
B oundary l i n e s a s shown on accompanying U anbury r ax > s s e s s o r l s map.
:lor b oundary j u s t i f i c a t i o n s e e I tern 7 , c o v e r p a g e .
--
- ,,- . . ...
-
-
--
L i s t a l l s t a t e s a n d c o u n t i e s for p r o p e r t i e s o verlapping s t a t e or c o u n t y boundaries
state
h/A
code
state
N/n
code i < / ~
county
h/h
county
code
- --
-
N/A
code
N/II
?.i/~-i
N/A
1 1. Form Prepared By
. Devlin
-
William E
organization
D anburv p r e s e r v a t i o n T r u s t
street 8 number
city or town
c oordinator
e d i t e d bv J ohn
nameltitle
date
3 6 8 c u r t i s R oad
May, 1 9 8 3
telephone
B ridgewa t e r
,tate
Ct.
( 2 03 ) 3 5 4 - 1 3 7 0
06752
12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification
-
The evaluated significance of this property within the state is:
national
x - state
local
-
As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 8%
665). 1 hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated
a ccordlng t o the criteria and procedures set
State Historic Preservation Officer signature
t itle
D i r e c t o r , Connecticut ~ i s t o L a Commission
l
date
For NPS use onty
Ihereby certify that this property is included I n the National Register
date
Keeper of the National Register
Attest :
Chief of Registration
date
O ctober 2 1 , 1 983
�NPS Form 10900.1
Dl
s)
United States.Department of the Interior
N ational Park Service
N ational Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
M ain S t r e e t H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t ,
D anbury, C o n n e c t i c u t
Continuation sheet
Item number
9
1
Page
M ajor B i b l i o g r a p h i c a l R e f e r e n c e s
.
1. k n d r e w s , Y a t s o n , " Z a r l y R e c o l l e c t i o n s o f Danbury "
f a i l e y , J ames r 4.. c omp., ist tory o f Danbury. Conn.,
hew Y o r k , B u r r P r i n t i n g House, 1 8 9 6 .
1 634-1896.
3 . Danbury X e w s , 1 8 7 0 - p r e s e n t .
4.
?
.
D anbury l limes, 1 837-1370.
5 . E .A.
k i u l l & S o n , a a n b u r y , C onn.,
H i s t o r i c a l S k e t c h , 1343-1907.
6 . Farmer ' s J o u r n a l , 1 730-1793.
7 . ! -iinley , G o d f r e y , e d . , L a r o u s s e E n c y c l o p e d i a o f r .lusic, K e w Y o r k ,
E x c a l i b u r U ooks, 1 9C1.
8. K i r k p a t r i c k , J o h n , ed.,.-'Eharles E.
& C o., 1 9 7 2 .
9 . N i c h o l s , James TJ.,
Danbury, Conn.
I v e s Memos, i C e w ' r'ork,
D i a r i e s , 1828-1869,
Mss.
!:;i.~,
Korton
a t S c o t t - F a n t o n Museum,
1 0 . P e a s e a n d N i l e s , G a z e t t e e r o f C o n n e c t i c u t a n d Rhode I s l a n d , 1819.
11. F e r l i s , V i v i a n , C h a r l e s I v e s Remembered, N e w I iaven, Y a l e U n i v e r s i t y
P r e s s , 1974.
1 2 . R i f k i n d , C a r o l e , P lain
H a r p e r & Row, 1 9 7 7 .
treet ti' The F a c e o f Urban A m e r i c a , N e w Y ork,
1 3 . S a v i n g s S ank o f Danbury, One C e n t u r y 1 849-1949.
1 4 . Union S a v i n g s Bank, One h u n d r e d Y e a r s i n D a n b u r y , 1866-1966.
Interviews:
S t e p h e n A . C o l l i n s , E d i t o r i a l D i r e c t o r , Danbury News-Times,
P h i l i p N,
Sunderland, A r c h i t e c t .
I n t e r v i e w e d by S t e p h e n A .
A p r i l , . 1982,
C o l l i n s , 1970.
���������
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Danbury Preservation Trust Records, MS 039
Abstract
A summary of the resource.
summary: The Danbury Preservation Trust had its beginnings in 1978 during a faculty developed summer course entitled Living History, Reading the Connecticut Landscape, taught by Dr. Herbert F. Janick, Professor of History at Western Connecticut State College. After formal incorporation in January 1979, he became the Trust’s first president. The records of the Danbury Preservation Trust span the years 1978-1997. The collection includes surveys to identify structures that might be included on the National Register. The bulk of this collection consists of Architectural and Historic Resources Inventories that were conducted by the Trust between 1979 and 1986. The majority of the surveys contain a small black and white photograph of the structure.
Has Version
A related resource that is a version, edition, or adaptation of the described resource.
<a href="https://archives.library.wcsu.edu/findingaids/ctdbn_ms039_dpt.xml">Link to finding aid.</a>
IIIF Collection Metadata
UUID
cbbc59b4-ab23-48c2-8fed-30100c2e4b06
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form
Subject
The topic of the resource
Danbury (Conn.)--History
Description
An account of the resource
53 pgs
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1983
IIIF Item Metadata
UUID
8f0c47df-34b6-4681-9ea4-2b7faa8ab217
Main Street - Danbury
Preservation
-
https://archives.library.wcsu.edu/omeka/files/original/Warner_Postcards/2729/MS026_44_postcards_001.jpg
301792dec3206edfcca5ba5f73e3fd48
https://archives.library.wcsu.edu/omeka/files/original/Warner_Postcards/2729/MS026_44_postcards_001_back.jpg
2b6c68d2120d55af31adcc8d627c2ec6
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Warner Postcards
Relation
A related resource
<a href="http://archives.library.wcsu.edu/findingaids/warner.xml#subseries36_1" target="_blank">Link to finding aid</a>
IIIF Collection Metadata
UUID
81acf2b0-9036-43e9-861c-a159afe97371
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Main Street, looking north, Danbury
Description
An account of the resource
3.5" x 5.5"
Abstract
A summary of the resource.
View of Main Street Danbury looking north; note on back to Flara Tanner regarding coming home.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1911
Subject
The topic of the resource
Danbury (Conn.)
IIIF Item Metadata
UUID
7d75e53b-4431-42f9-b6a4-81474e1fd1cb
Danbury
Danbury postcards
Main Street - Danbury
Postcards
Walking Tour
-
https://archives.library.wcsu.edu/omeka/files/original/Warner_Postcards/2734/MS026_44_postcards_005.jpg
0ad1a4dd2e7aa5a41ef14e3c0b882238
https://archives.library.wcsu.edu/omeka/files/original/Warner_Postcards/2734/MS026_44_postcards_005_back.jpg
d80bd2fa750a956ca311587c6f8c391e
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Warner Postcards
Relation
A related resource
<a href="http://archives.library.wcsu.edu/findingaids/warner.xml#subseries36_1" target="_blank">Link to finding aid</a>
IIIF Collection Metadata
UUID
81acf2b0-9036-43e9-861c-a159afe97371
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
David Taylor House, Danbury
Description
An account of the resource
3.5" x 5.5"
Abstract
A summary of the resource.
View of the David Taylor homestead on Main Street in Danbury. The Taylor homestead was built in 1750 and eventually became a museum.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1960
Subject
The topic of the resource
Danbury (Conn.)--Pictorial works.
IIIF Item Metadata
UUID
95364449-35d2-4e84-8b46-f9920024d308
Danbury
Danbury postcards
David Taylor
Main Street - Danbury
Postcards
-
https://archives.library.wcsu.edu/omeka/files/original/Warner_Postcards/2735/MS026_44_postcards_006.jpg
8a30324672e9d689977d732a08ea0db7
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Warner Postcards
Relation
A related resource
<a href="http://archives.library.wcsu.edu/findingaids/warner.xml#subseries36_1" target="_blank">Link to finding aid</a>
IIIF Collection Metadata
UUID
81acf2b0-9036-43e9-861c-a159afe97371
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Danbury High School, Main Street
Description
An account of the resource
3.5" x 5.5"
Abstract
A summary of the resource.
View of Danbury High School
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1920s
Subject
The topic of the resource
Danbury (Conn.)
IIIF Item Metadata
UUID
84e245ed-02eb-4bcc-a87e-60ea2e1a7158
Danbury
Danbury High School
Danbury postcards
Main Street - Danbury
Postcards
Schools
Walking Tour
-
https://archives.library.wcsu.edu/omeka/files/original/Warner_Postcards/2737/MS026_44_postcards_008.jpg
ff8ef16f38a1efeab678ebabc297ad54
https://archives.library.wcsu.edu/omeka/files/original/Warner_Postcards/2737/MS026_44_postcards_008_back.jpg
cceb58c1b31bf1c481213f713f314aba
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Warner Postcards
Relation
A related resource
<a href="http://archives.library.wcsu.edu/findingaids/warner.xml#subseries36_1" target="_blank">Link to finding aid</a>
IIIF Collection Metadata
UUID
81acf2b0-9036-43e9-861c-a159afe97371
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
David Taylor House, Danbury
Description
An account of the resource
3.5 x 5.5"; postcard
Abstract
A summary of the resource.
View of the kitchen of the David Taylor House in Danbury. The Taylor house, located at 43 Main Street, was constructed around 1750 and eventually became the Danbury Historical Society.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1950s
IIIF Item Metadata
UUID
02cb7d36-be15-4e74-afed-03c15a11689b
Danbury
Danbury postcards
David Taylor
Main Street - Danbury
Postcards
-
https://archives.library.wcsu.edu/omeka/files/original/Warner_Postcards/2738/MS026_44_postcards_009.jpg
036b95b3b65494898b6dab1e3bacb86d
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Warner Postcards
Relation
A related resource
<a href="http://archives.library.wcsu.edu/findingaids/warner.xml#subseries36_1" target="_blank">Link to finding aid</a>
IIIF Collection Metadata
UUID
81acf2b0-9036-43e9-861c-a159afe97371
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Hotel Green, with garage and City Hall visible, Danbury
Description
An account of the resource
3.5 x 5.5", colorized postcard
Abstract
A summary of the resource.
Main Street view of Hotel Greene in Danbury, CT
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
ca. 1920
Subject
The topic of the resource
Danbury (Conn.)
Postcards
IIIF Item Metadata
UUID
1cf1b655-b961-4df0-85b2-fa7172914114
Danbury
Danbury postcards
Hotel Green
Main Street - Danbury
Postcards
Walking Tour
-
https://archives.library.wcsu.edu/omeka/files/original/Warner_Postcards/2742/MS026_44_postcards_014.jpg
9d5f1e3db8a8789734677fe77e83682d
https://archives.library.wcsu.edu/omeka/files/original/Warner_Postcards/2742/MS026_44_postcards_014_back.jpg
8ba77ae562ae7c141b9318511b5aaaff
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Warner Postcards
Relation
A related resource
<a href="http://archives.library.wcsu.edu/findingaids/warner.xml#subseries36_1" target="_blank">Link to finding aid</a>
IIIF Collection Metadata
UUID
81acf2b0-9036-43e9-861c-a159afe97371
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Wooster Square, Danbury News Building
Subject
The topic of the resource
Postcards
Description
An account of the resource
3.5" x 5.5"
Abstract
A summary of the resource.
View of Wooster Square in Danbury, CT
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1915
IIIF Item Metadata
UUID
6e31e25e-795e-4ef0-951e-36f9258e707a
Danbury
Danbury News-Times
Danbury postcards
Main Street - Danbury
Postcards
Walking Tour
Wooster Square
-
https://archives.library.wcsu.edu/omeka/files/original/Warner_Postcards/2746/MS026_44_postcards_018.jpg
3add6834e60de7ee5b2ebd7b33bc3dbb
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Warner Postcards
Relation
A related resource
<a href="http://archives.library.wcsu.edu/findingaids/warner.xml#subseries36_1" target="_blank">Link to finding aid</a>
IIIF Collection Metadata
UUID
81acf2b0-9036-43e9-861c-a159afe97371
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Fairfield County Courthouse, Main Street, Danbury
Subject
The topic of the resource
Postcards
Danbury (Conn.)
Description
An account of the resource
3.5 x 5.5", colorized postcard
Abstract
A summary of the resource.
View of the Fairfield County Courthouse in Danbury, CT
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1905
IIIF Item Metadata
UUID
44b1de1a-396f-4454-88f3-f0e9b12d274c
Danbury postcards
Main Street - Danbury
Postcards
Walking Tour
-
https://archives.library.wcsu.edu/omeka/files/original/Warner_Postcards/2747/MS026_44_postcards_019.jpg
7bea34e07c1365cba3c1c29f928da5ed
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Warner Postcards
Relation
A related resource
<a href="http://archives.library.wcsu.edu/findingaids/warner.xml#subseries36_1" target="_blank">Link to finding aid</a>
IIIF Collection Metadata
UUID
81acf2b0-9036-43e9-861c-a159afe97371
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
City Hall, Pershing Building and the Hotel Green, Danbury
Subject
The topic of the resource
Postcards
Danbury (Conn.)
Description
An account of the resource
3.5 x 5.5", colorized postcard
Abstract
A summary of the resource.
View of the City Hall Pershing Building and the Hotel Green on Main Street, Danbury, CT
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1930s
IIIF Item Metadata
UUID
946f15dd-a05d-4df1-80f7-503b4a4ae6d3
City Hall
Danbury
Danbury postcards
Hotel Green
Main Street - Danbury
Pershing Building
Postcards
Walking Tour
-
https://archives.library.wcsu.edu/omeka/files/original/Warner_Postcards/2752/MS026_44_postcards_024.jpg
9ab94ad1af0275f95ca8414d5d23abe5
https://archives.library.wcsu.edu/omeka/files/original/Warner_Postcards/2752/MS026_44_postcards_024_back.jpg
53e98f6757f6b99842b13cde3c60d293
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Warner Postcards
Relation
A related resource
<a href="http://archives.library.wcsu.edu/findingaids/warner.xml#subseries36_1" target="_blank">Link to finding aid</a>
IIIF Collection Metadata
UUID
81acf2b0-9036-43e9-861c-a159afe97371
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
City Hall, Danbury
Subject
The topic of the resource
Postcards
Danbury (Conn.)
Description
An account of the resource
3.5 x 5.5", colorized postcard
Abstract
A summary of the resource.
View of Old City Hall on Main Street in Danbury, CT; note on back to Truman Warner from his father.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1940s
IIIF Item Metadata
UUID
8c07ed67-e529-419d-9020-c582c01a21dd
City Hall
Danbury
Danbury postcards
Main Street - Danbury
Postcards
Walking Tour