St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, Winsted (1916)

The early history of St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Winsted is related in The History of the Diocese of Hartford (1900), by Rev. James H. O’Donnell:

The first Mass said in Winsted, or, as it was then called, Clifton, was offered by the Rev. James Lynch, of Birmingham, in the west district school-house, in 1851, in the presence of about forty persons. An old resident, however, is authority for the statement that the first Mass was said in 1850 by a Father Tucker. One who was present at Father Lynch’s Mass, Mrs. Gabriel Grinnan, is still living, and has vivid recollections of the same. Mr. Peter Dardis came to Winsted in 1849. At that time, he says, there were about twelve Catholic families here. In 1851 land was purchased for a church. In 1852 the Rev. Thomas Quinn entered upon his duties as the first resident pastor of Winsted. Soon after his arrival he began the erection of the church, the corner-stone of which was laid in 1853. Until the church was ready for occupancy, divine services were held in Camp’s Hall. In 1853 Father Quinn was succeeded by the Rev. Philip Gillick, who came from the diocese of New York. He completed the church, in the basement of which he took up his residence.

Two later pastors served as chaplains in the Civil War:

Daniel Mullen was appointed pastor in 1860, but at the outbreak of the Civil War he resigned to accept the office of chaplain of the Ninth Connecticut Volunteers. “Father Mullen was a man of literary culture,” says the Annals of Winchester, “and earnest patriotism, who served at Baton Rouge and Chackaloo Station, La., and Deep Bottom, Va. He was compelled by ill health to resign on the 26th of August, 1862.” Father Mullen’s successor was the Rev. Philip Sheridan, who a few years later was followed by Rev. Father Leo da Saracena, O.S.F., who had taken Father Mullen’s place as chaplain of the Ninth Regiment.

Since that time, the parish has continued in the care of the Franciscan Friars of the Province of the Immaculate Conception, which began with a band of four friars from Italy who arrived in New York City in 1855. A monastery for the friars in Winsted was constructed in 1866. The cornerstone of the current St. Joseph Church was blessed on August 30, 1914 and the completed building, located at 31 Oak Street in Winsted, was dedicated on July 16, 1916. The 1853 church building was converted into a parish hall.

Holmes Block (1800)

The building at 2 Wyassup Road in North Stonington was erected c. 1800-1820 as the village store, although it may date to the eighteenth century, when Williams and Rogers had a store here. It was later used by Augustus L. Babcock, a coffin maker. It became known as the Holmes Block in the 1840s. At that time, Wheeler H. Holmes had a confectionery and bakery in the south section (possibly added around that time and later demolished—see below), while his father, David Holmes, had his furniture and undertaking business in the center and north end. Various grocery and general stores have occupied the building over the years and the center and north section were used as a post office from 1893 to 1897, when J.E. Bennett was postmaster. In more recent years, the north section has been the Village Hardware Store. In 1999, the Watermark Cafe opened in the south section. The building is located right next to the Shunock River and severe flooding in March 2010 damaged the south section and the adjacent stone double arch bridge, the latter dating to the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century. The part of the building housing the Watermark was torn down on April 13, 2010. [Compare before and after images] The bridge was rebuilt and in 2016 a new Village General Store, Hardware and Cafe reopened in the surviving section of the Holmes Block.

Munsill-Bronson House (1857)

A sign next to the Italianate house at 147 Chapel Road in Winchester Center indicates that it was built in 1857 by Miles Samuel Munsill, who later sold it to his cousin, Wilbur Bronson, Winchester Postmaster. Munsill’s aunt Maria married Theron Bronson. Their son was Wilbur Munsill Bronson (1848-1903), who ran the Bronson Supply Company on the village green and a lumber company in Winsted. He was postmaster from 1885 until his death in 1903.

Odd Fellows Hall, East Hartford (1922)

The building at 989-993 Main Street in East Hartford was built c. 1850. It was known as the Garvan Block or the Odd Fellows Building/Odd Fellows Hall, because it was later owned by Crescent Lodge No. 25, International Order of Odd Fellows and Rebekah Lodge (the Daughters of Rebekah began as the female auxiliary of the IOOF). There was also a post office located in the building. The structure was damaged by a fire on May 28, 1922. As reported in the Hartford Courant on July 21, 1922:

The Odd Fellows and Rebekah Building Association have completed plans for the renovation of the Gravan block on Main street, which was gutted by fire last May. The two upper stories of the building will be rebuilt entirely, and the whole frame will be stuccoed. There will be a Spanish tile roof [. . .]. The first floor will be used by various stores now occupying it. The second floor will consist of a lodge room, ante rooms, and a banquet room. The third floor will be used for billiard rooms and robing rooms. [. . .] It is expected that the remodeling will cost about $50,000. George Zunner of Hartford is the architect.

Dr. Jeduthan Eaton House (1790)

The house at 85 Tolland Green in Tolland was built circa 1790. From 1839 to 1878 it was the home of Dr. Jeduthan Eaton, whose medicine shop was located in an attached ell that has since been removed. Between 1850 and 1853, Dr. Eaton was mining for gold in California. His letters home to his family have been published by the Tolland Historical Society. In the early twentieth century, the property was a boarding house known as Squirrel Lodge. In 1964 the house became the rectory of St. Matthew Roman Catholic Church.