The Hastings Hill Historic District encompasses a rural crossroads settlement of the early 19th century at the junction of Spruce Street, Hill Street, and Russell Avenue in Suffield, Connecticut. The area includes well-preserved examples of 18th and 18th-century domestic architecture, as well as the 1842 First Baptist Church and a district schoolhouse. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1979.

Description and history

What is now Hill Street in rural central northern Suffield was laid out in 1726 along a north–south ridge, and was historically part of one of the main routes between

Windsor, Connecticut Windsor is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, and was the first English settlement in the state. It lies on the northern border of Connecticut's capital, Hartford. The population of Windsor was 29,492 at the 2020 census. Po ...

and

Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, and the seat of Hampden County. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ...

. The area developed in part over religious differences: Joseph Hastings began opposing Congregationalist teachings and practices as early as 1740, and was ordained a Baptist minister. Their church, built at Hill and Russell where the present 1842 Greek Revival church now stands, was one of the first Baptist congregations to be established in Connecticut. This became the nexus for a small village, in which the Hastings house (still standing next to the church) served as a tavern for travelers, and a blacksmith and shop were located across the triangular green at the street corner. In the early 20th century a local barn was adapted for use as a summer theater venue, lasting until

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. The historic district is centered at the junction of Hill Street and Russell Avenue, and extends north and south along Hill Street. The oldest house in the district, 1061 Hill Street, is estimated to date to 1740, and was an early conservation project of Delphina Clark, the first woman admitted to the

Yale School of Architecture The Yale School of Architecture (YSOA) is one of the constituent professional schools of Yale University, and is generally considered to be one of the best architecture schools in the United States. The School awards the degrees of Master of Arc ...

. That property also includes the tobacco barn that housed the theater, retaining the stage and proscenium arch in its interior. The district's dominant feature is the 1842 Baptist Church, a fine example Greek Revival architecture. Adjacent to it is the much-altered house of the Hastingses, believed to have been built in the 18th century either by Rev. Joseph Hastings or his son.

References

{{National Register of Historic Places Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Connecticut National Register of Historic Places in Hartford County, Connecticut Greek Revival architecture in Connecticut Historic districts in Hartford County, Connecticut Suffield, Connecticut

Description and history

See also

References