Willimantic Armory (1913)

Completed in 1913, the Willimantic Armory is an excellent example of the castellated architectural style, also called the medieval castle revival style, which was typical of armories built in Connecticut during the first fifteen years of the twentieth century. The state legislature granted the community’s request for an armory in 1911, although some felt that military construction at the time already exceeded the state’s needs. The Willimantic request had already been postponed in 1909 due to the large number of requests for armories at the time. The Willimantic Armory, located at 255 Pleasant Street, was designed by Whiton and MacMahon of Hartford (the same firm designed such buildings as the Corning Building and St. Justin Church, both in Hartford). After World War II, Willimantic’s military company, by then designated Company B, 169th Infantry, continued to use the armory until the early 1960s. It was then used by the 248th Engineering company until 1980, when the company was moved to a new facility in Norwich and the Willimantic site was deactivated. The Armory was converted into apartments in the 1980s.

St. James Episcopal Church, Danbury (1867)

The Episcopal Church in Danbury was organized in 1762 and was known as the First Episcopal Church. The original church building was erected in 1763 on South Street, near where the South Street School stands today. It was replaced in 1802 by a second church at the same location. It was officially named St. James’ Church in 1810. According to James M. Bailey’s History of Danbury, compiled with additions by Susan Benedict Hill in 1896:

The second [church building in Danbury] was the Episcopal St. James, which was built in 1763 on South Street. The graveyard on that street was the churchyard of this structure. The building was moved to the west corner of Main and South streets, where it was modernized and converted into a tenement, and is thus occupied to-day.

A new church was erected in 1844 at a new location on West Street. As the congregation grew, a larger church was again required. It was built in 1867 and incorporated parts of the previous church on the same site, 25 West Street. As related in the History of Danbury: “In 1867 the present chapel, the chancel, and first bay of the nave of the new stone church was erected, and in 1872 the nave and tower were completed all save the stone spire.” The Gregory House, next door, became the rectory and was remodeled as a parish house in the early twentieth century, when a new parish house was erected on Terrace Place. In addition to an organ, the church has the 25-bell Ella S. Bulkley Memorial Carillon in its bell tower. It is the oldest carillon in Connecticut and the first carillon made in America (cast in 1928). (more…)

Ansel Bristol House (1810)

The house at 44 Cherry Brook Road in Canton was built c. 1810 by Ansel Bristol, a farmer. It was later home to Anson W. Bristol, Jr. A tradition holds that the carpenters who built the house came from working on the Canton Center Congregational Church, which would date the house to c. 1815. The house is also said to have floors that were reused from one of Canton’s earliest churches, dating to the seventeenth century. There is an ell that may have been added from earlier house, built in the middle of the eighteenth century by Isaac Tuller. The house is also said to have been home to the first telephone in Canton. (more…)