The Farrington Building, located at 131-141 West Main Street in Waterbury, was constructed in c. 1925-1930 as an addition to the Westerly Apartments, a c. 1890 Queen Anne building. The Farrington Building is a two-story Georgian Revival retail and office structure. In 1935, the First Federal Savings & Loan Association, now known as Webster Bank, opened on the building‘s second floor. Its only employees were the company’s founder, Harold Webster Smith and a clerk. Smith started his new business during the Great Depression under the federal government’s National Housing Act, passed in 1934 to stimulate the economy and make housing construction and home mortgages more affordable. Webster Bank now has thousands of employees and numerous branches.
Did this building also house the Mercy Boyd bookstore?
Yes, it did.
My great grandfather built the Farrington Building. During my youth (1950’s to 70’s) my grandfather Dan Farrington ran his real estate, insurance, and travel business from the building. In its heyday the building was home to Mercy Boyd’s Bookstore, DT Farrington Inc. Farrington Travel (later became Largay Travel) and Harris, Upham stockbroker office. The building also housed several doctor’s offices, Wycoff Photography, and many residential apartments. Waterbury was so safe back then that the rotating doors were never locked and the lobby never vandalized.