Immaculate Conception Church, New Hartford (1870)

The first Catholic Mass in New Hartford was celebrated in 1849 in a private home. Masses continued to be offered in various residences and rented halls, as well as the Brick Machine Shop, for the next two decades. During that time, the Catholic population of New Hartford grew as Irish and French–Canadians immigrants came to work in local cotton mills. Immaculate Conception Church, designed by noted architect Patrick C. Keely of New York, was dedicated on March 27, 1870. Immaculate Conception became a parish in 1881. Recently, Immaculate Conception Church, at 3 Church Street in New Hartford, was merged with Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, at 78 Litchfield Road in Harwinton, to form Our Lady of Hope Parish.

Benjamin Hall House (1790)

The house at 405 Maple Avenue in Cheshire was built c. 1790, but has been much altered from its original appearance. The book Old Historic Homes of Cheshire (1895), complied by Edwin R. Brown, states that “built by Col. Benjamin Hall for his son Benjamin, about 100 years ago,” but then notes

Benjamin Hall. Jr., for whom this house was erected, married Mary Ives in 1752. He graduated from Yale College in 1754. He was highly honored and esteemed as a citizen. He died in the year 1786, aged 50 years, at the very zenith of his usefulness.

The book also mentions later owners:

Here, also, William Law, the grandfather of Dr. William Law, resided for many years. He was a prominent official of the town, was selectman several years. and representative from this town in the years 1786, 1802, 1806, 1808 and 1809. A meeting of the Consociation of New Haven County was held at his house, November 14, 1786, he being one of those who were disaffected by the pastorate of the Rev. John Foote.

Chas. K. Brown, Wm, Spencer, Selden Spencer, and Franklin Howard have been owners of these premises, and have resided here with their families during these later years. Elizur P. Atwater purchased this property in the year 1873, and since that time has resided here. The farm connected with this place is considered one of the best in the town.

The Cheshire Grange was organized at the Atwater House in 1885 and its meetings were held there until a Grange Hall was erected in 1891. In 1957, the house was used at a convent for nuns who taught at St. Bridgid School. Today the building is home to Guardian Angels Homecare.

Capt. Pardon T. Brown House (1840)

The nomination for the Noank Historic District in Groton gives two names for the house at 45 Front Street: Capt. Pardon T. Brown and Luther Rathbun. The latter may be Captain Luther Morgan Rathbun (1805-1889), a fisherman. The sign on the house, built c. 1840, only gives the name Captain Pardon Brown, who was also a fisherman. A petition from 1845 concerning the Town of Groton’s purchase of an old church on Fort Hill for use as a town house was signed by Pardon T. Brown and other prominent men of Mystic and Noank. He was also one of the complainants in a claim for damages from the Court of Commissioners of Alabama Claims relating to an incident from the Civil War: the fishing smack L.A. Macomber was lying at anchor off Nantucket shoals on June 17, 1863 when she was captured and burned by the Confederate Bark Tacony.

Choate Rosemary Hall: Paul Mellon Arts Center (1972)

A dramatic example of Modern architecture on the campus of Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford is the private school’s Paul Mellon Arts Center, also called the PMAC. Designed by I. M. Pei, it was completed in 1972. The western section of the building contains a 770-seat theater, while the eastern portion has fine arts studios, music classrooms, music practice rooms and a 100-seat recital hall. Connecting the two sections underground is the Chase-Bear Experimental Theater, known as the “Black Box.” In 2015, the School received a $10 million gift to renovate building, primarily the main stage theater, which was renamed the William T. Little ’49 and Frances A. Little Theater in honor of the donors.