The Town Hall at 9 Devotion Road across from the Green in Scotland was built in 1896 as the Scotland Consolidated School on the site of the former Center District School. At that time the building provided space for the town hall and library on the second floor. (more…)
At 3 Devotion Road, at the intersection of routes 14 and 97 across from Scotland Green in Scotland, stands the Tracey-Watson House. Once used as a tavern, it was built for Lemuel Pettengill circa 1760. The house is currently home to the editorial offices of Tea A Magazine. There is also an historic barn on the property.
The town of Scotland began as a parish within the town of Windham in 1732, incorporating as a separate town in 1857. As described in the 1889 History of Windham County:
The new society met to organize June 22d, 1732, at the house of Nathaniel Huntington. […] After settling some disputes as to the law in regard to electing officers, the society unanimously set to work to locate and build a meeting house. The site decided upon was ” a knoll, east side of Merrick’s brook, south side of the road from Windham to Canterbury.” Nathaniel Huntington, who owned the land, promptly made over a quarter of an acre for that purpose. June 25th, 1733, it was voted to build a house 43 by 33 feet and twenty feet high, the roof and sides to be, covered with chestnut sawed shingles and clapboards. The work went bravely forward and by November 20th a society meeting was held in the house. Then the windows were glazed, and rough board seats provided, as well as a ” conveniency for a minister to stand by to preach.” […]
[In 1772], it was voted to build a new meeting house, the vote calling out 98 “yeas” and 20 “nays.” It was agreed to give Mr. Elisha Lillie £750 for building the house. It was several years in course of construction. It was completed enough to be seated in December, 1778, and in the following May the work was formally accepted from the hands of Mr. Lillie, the contractor. The old building then being offered for sale at auction, brought seventeen pounds.
The third and current meeting house on the Scotland Green was built in 1842 and, again quoting from the History of Windham County, “A neat and convenient chapel was purchased and fitted up adjoining the church in 1867.” The Chapel had been built in 1842 and had been the Town Hall. (more…)
The Shetucket Grange Hall in Scotland was built around 1840 as the Union Church. The building was moved from Pudding Hill to the center of town in 1900 to become a Grange Hall. As described in Vol. I of the History of Windham County, Connecticut (1889), by Richard M. Bayles,
[In Scotland,] The principal attention of the people is directed toward agriculture, and some improvement may be seen in that direction in recent years. Among such improvements may be noticed the organization of a Grange. Shetucket Grange, as it is named, was organized with twenty-four charter members, June 10th, 1887. The ceremonies of organization and installation of officers, which took place on the same evening, were conducted by D. M. Master Tucker of Lebanon, assisted by D. K. Bowen of Woodstock and members of Little River Grange of Hampton.
The Edward Waldo Homestead is a vernacular saltbox house on Waldo Road in Scotland. It was built in 1715 by Edward Waldo, on land along the Shetucket River he had purchased in 1702. The house, which later had two wings added, remained in the Waldo family until 1971. Daniel Waldo, who was born in the house in 1762, served as Chaplain of the House of Representatives from 1856 until his death in 1864. Also born in the house was Samuel Lovett Waldo (1783-1861), portraitist, art critic and a founder member of the National Academy of Design. When its last owner, Ruth Waldo, died in 1975, she bequeathed the house to the Antiquarian & Landmarks Society and the surrounding fields to the Connecticut Forest and Park Association. The house is now a museum operated by the Scotland Historical Society. Each year, the surrounding fields host the Scotland Connecticut Highland Games.
Built sometime in the period 1700-1722, the Huntington Homestead in Scotland was the birthplace and childhood home of Samuel Huntington, who went on to become a Signer of the Declaration of Independence, President of the Continental Congress from 1779 to 1781 and Governor of Connecticut. Huntington later lived in a house in Norwich. The Homestead was later owned by the Kimball family, who sold it to the Town of Scotland in 1994. The house was then acquired by The Governor Samuel Huntington Trust to be opened as a museum.
Also, Historic Buildings of Massachusetts now has a new blog theme!!!
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