Pomfret Town House is an historic town hall at 17 Town House Road in
Pomfret, Connecticut
Pomfret is a New England town, town in Windham County, Connecticut, Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 4,266 in 2020 according to the 2020 United States Census. The land was purchased from Native Americans in 1686 (the ...
. Built in 1841, it is one of the state's oldest surviving purpose-built town halls. It served that function for many years, and is now maintained by the local historical society as a museum and society meeting hall. The building 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 1989.
Description and history
The Pomfret Town House is located in the village of Pomfret Center, on the west side of Town House Road. It is a modest single-story wood frame structure with a gable roof and clapboard siding. Its main facade features two entrances, each with simple molded surrounds, and five windows with plain framing. The interior is a large open space, clad in narrow wood flooring that covers original wide board floors. A small ell extends to one side, and there is a 19th-century
privy
Privy is an old-fashioned term for an outdoor toilet, often known as an outhouse and by many other names. Privy may also refer to:
* Privy council, a body that advises the head of state
* Privy mark, a small mark in the design of a coin
* Privy Pur ...
on the grounds.
The town of Pomfret was incorporated in 1713. For many years its town meetings were held in local churches and other buildings. In 1831, calls began to be made for a dedicated town hall for such meetings. Disputes within the community about where to locate the building prompted the town to retain a council composed of members from neighboring towns to decide the issue. The three-man council chose this spot, roughly midway between
Pomfret Center and
Abington, two of the town's larger villages. This building was erected in 1841 and was used for many years as the site of Pomfret's town meetings. It is now owned by the Pomfret Historical Society.
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See also
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References
External links
Pomfret Historical Society
{{National Register of Historic Places
Pomfret, Connecticut
Town halls in Connecticut
Government buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Connecticut
Buildings and structures in Windham County, Connecticut
National Register of Historic Places in Windham County, Connecticut
1841 establishments in Connecticut