Marion is a neighborhood in the
town of
Southington in
Hartford County,
Connecticut,
United States. It is generally the area in the vicinity of the intersection of
Route 322 and Marion Avenue just north of the
Cheshire
Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county t ...
town line.
The neighborhood includes the Marion Historic District, which is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places.
Post office
There is a
post office in Marion, assigned the
ZIP code 06444.
[US Postal Service zip code lookup]
accessed June 23, 2009 When the post office was established in the 19th century, it was given the name "Marion" in reference to
Marion, Alabama, where some children of prominent local residents had settled.
[ The Marion ZIP code refers only to post office box addresses.][ Regular mail in the Marion neighborhood is addressed as Plantsville, Connecticut (06479).
]
History
Marion was first settled as a farming community in the 18th century, beginning in 1739 when land in the Marion area was surveyed and divided. Southington was then part of the town of Farmington
Farmington may refer to:
Places Canada
*Farmington, British Columbia
*Farmington, Nova Scotia (disambiguation)
United States
* Farmington, Arkansas
*Farmington, California
* Farmington, Connecticut
*Farmington, Delaware
* Farmington, Georgia
...
. The area now known as Marion was called "Little Plain" and extended south from the bluff now named French Hill to the Cheshire
Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county t ...
town line, which was south of its current position. Little Plain's location near the foot of a high ridge made its soil desirable for agriculture. The community's 18th-century farms were located along a north–south road from Bristol to New Haven (now Marion Avenue) that passed through the area.[
During the American Revolutionary War, the Marion community was the site of an encampment by ]French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
general Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau and his troops. In June 1781, French troops under Rochambeau's command left Farmington
Farmington may refer to:
Places Canada
*Farmington, British Columbia
*Farmington, Nova Scotia (disambiguation)
United States
* Farmington, Arkansas
*Farmington, California
* Farmington, Connecticut
*Farmington, Delaware
* Farmington, Georgia
...
and marched to Marion, where they made their eighth camp along their route through Connecticut. They remained in the area for four days. Rochambeau and his officers took shelter in Asa Barns Tavern, and the troops set up camp on a hill on the other side of the road. The area of the encampment has since become known as French Hill, and a marker on the east side of Marion Avenue commemorates the French campsite. Rochambeau revisited Asa Barns Tavern again on the return march on October 27, 1782.[H.R. Timlow, ]
Ecclesiastical and Other Sketches of Southington, Conn
', (1875) In 1987, the Asa Barns Tavern (also known as the Levi B. Frost House
The Levi B Frost House, also known as the Asa Barns’ Tavern, is an historic building in the Marion village of Southington, Connecticut. The home represents over two centuries of Southington history. Appearing twice on the National Register of ...
) came under the protection of the National Park Service when it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural and historical significance.[David F. Ransom (1987), , Connecticut Historical Commission] The building is now a private residence.
The Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike, an east–west road, was extended through Marion in 1813, making the community a crossroads. Small-scale industrial activity began in the 19th century, including the manufacture of carriage bolts and nuts in the factory of L.B. Frost and Son, which began operation in Marion in 1842, using the water power of Humiston Brook.
In modern times, Marion has primarily been a suburb
A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...
an community. Suburban development began in 1914, when a trolley line was built between Marion and the city of Waterbury. Suburban growth continued in the subsequent decades. The period from the late 1960s through the late 1980s was one of particularly strong growth.[
]
Historic district designation
The Marion Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 21, 1988, as a result of a nomination submitted by the Connecticut Historical Commission
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...
in July 1988.[ The nomination described the district as being architecturally significant "as a collection of well-preserved buildings dating from the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries which together reflect the historical development of the Marion community of Southington." Contributing properties in the district were described as representing three distinct periods on Marion's history: "early agricultural development" from about 1770 to 1842, "19th-century industrial activity and community growth" from 1842 to 1900, and "early suburban growth" from 1914 to 1938.][
]
Significant properties
The historic district includes 34 primary contributing properties, two of which are across the town line in the town of Cheshire
Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county t ...
.[ Architectural styles in the district include Greek Revival, Italianate and Federal.][ Some of the more significant properties include:
*]Asa Barnes Tavern
The Levi B Frost House, also known as the Asa Barns’ Tavern, is an historic building in the Marion village of Southington, Connecticut. The home represents over two centuries of Southington history. Appearing twice on the National Register of ...
(also known as Levi B. Frost House
The Levi B Frost House, also known as the Asa Barns’ Tavern, is an historic building in the Marion village of Southington, Connecticut. The home represents over two centuries of Southington history. Appearing twice on the National Register of ...
), 1089 Marion Avenue, is now a private residence and in 1987 was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
*Barnes-Frost House
The Barnes-Frost House is a historic house at 1177 Marion Avenue in the Marion section of Southington, Connecticut. Built about 1795, it is a high quality local example of late Colonial architecture, with a history of ownership by members of pr ...
*Miles Upson House, 1316 Marion Avenue, a one-story gable front Colonial
Colonial or The Colonial may refer to:
* Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology)
Architecture
* American colonial architecture
* French Colonial
* Spanish Colonial architecture
Automobiles
* Colonial (1920 a ...
example, "perhaps the oldest house in the district to retain its original form" (See photo #3 in photos accompanying NRHP nomination)[
*The Lester Beecher House, 1166 Marion Avenue, has been termed a Queen Anne style house for its irregular massing and 3 story tower.][
]
See also
*List of historic sites preserved along Rochambeau's route
A series of sites along the Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route have been listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places or otherwise recognized and preserved. Buildings or roadway or other artifacts at these sites have bee ...
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Southington, Connecticut
* National Register of Historic Places listings in New Haven County, Connecticut
References
{{authority control
Geography of Hartford County, Connecticut
Geography of New Haven County, Connecticut
Neighborhoods in Connecticut
Cheshire, Connecticut
Southington, Connecticut
Historic districts in Hartford County, Connecticut
Historic districts in New Haven County, Connecticut
Historic places on the Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route
Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Connecticut
National Register of Historic Places in New Haven County, Connecticut