Russell Library, Middletown (1834)

Middletown’s Russell Library, at the corner of Broad and Court Streets, was originally built in 1834 as Christ Episcopal Church, a Greek Revival building designed by Barzallai D. Sage. The church later constructed a new building in 1874 on Main Street and was renamed the Church of the Holy Trinity. In 1873, the original church building was sold to Frances Ann Russell, widow of Samuel Russell, who had it completely remodeled in the Gothic style and donated it as a public library. Originally opened in 1876, the Library has had a number of additions over the years: the Hubbard wing in 1930; a new Children’s Library in 1973 in what had been the First Federal Saving and Loan Association of Meriden; and a major expansion in 1983, which connected the various library buildings and created the inner courtyard.

Fisk Hall (1904)

One of Wesleyan University‘s most impressive buildings is Fisk Hall, built in 1904. Named for Willbur Fisk, Wesleyan’s first president, Fisk Hall was designed by Cady, Berg and See of New York in the Romanesque style and is constucted of Portland brownstone. On February 21, 1969, Fisk Hall was the location of a takover by African-American students challenging the University’s administration. In addition to classrooms and offices, Fisk Hall housed the campus store and post office from 1974 to 1984. Today, it contains most of Wesleyan’s foreign language departments.

The Jarvis-Hotchkiss House (1838)

The Jarvis-Hotchkiss House, at 138-140 Washington Street in Middletown, is a late Greek Revival building constructed around 1838. The house is also known as the Elijah Hubbard Roberts House. Roberts (1795-1871), who married Emily Matilda Pratt in 1823, became a successful merchant in New York and returned to live in Middletown in 1856. The house was acquired by Rev. William Jarvis, rector of Christ Church, in 1853. On June 6, 1856, the wedding reception of Elizabeth Jarvis and Samuel Colt took place here. The cast-iron railing above the porch was added to the house by Emily Stedman, who bought the property in 1861. The house is now used as a commercial building.

Old Middletown High School (1894)

The old Middletown High School was built in 1894-1896 on the southwest corner of Court and Pearl Streets. The Romanesque Revival-style building was designed by the Hartford architectural firm of Curtis and Johnson. Additional wings were added in 1912 and 1931. The 1912 addition matches well with the original structure, but the 1931 addition stands out more as a newer separate construction. The building served as a school until 1972, when a new high school was built. In 1979, the old school was sold to a developer and converted into apartments for elderly housing.

Olin Memorial Library (1928)

Rich Hall, dedicated in 1868, served as Wesleyan University‘s library until Olin Memorial Library was built in 1928. Henry Bacon, who was serving as Wesleyan’s advisory architect, made preliminary sketches for the new library in 1923, less than a year after the dedication of his most famous building, the Lincoln Memorial. Bacon died in 1924 and his ideas were passed on to the firm of McKim, Mead & White. The Library was built in 1925-1927 and dedicated in 1928. The following year, the street just south of Olin Library was moved further south to make room for a large front lawn. In anticipation of the need for future expansion of the Library, the north facade of the building, facing Andrus Field, was left unadorned and had a wall that could be easily removed. The anticipated rear expansion of the library stack area occurred in 1938. Another expansion was constructed in 1983-1986, with a modern addition cleverly designed by the firm of Perry, Dean, Rogers & Partners of Boston to wrap around and enclose the earlier expansion of 1938.

Crescent Street Row Houses, Middletown (1867)

Urban-style row houses are not so common in Connecticut, but a notable example can be found at 71-83 Crescent Street in Middletown. These Mansard-roofed houses were built in 1866-1867 by Julius Hotchkiss, an entrepreneur and politician, who had been mayor of Waterbury and began serving in the United States House of Representatives the year the original houses were completed. The house at #71 was built in 1895 by his daughter, M. Amelia Vinal, who had married the lawyer, Charles Green Rich Vinal.