Robert W. Hill (20 September 1828 – 16 July 1909) was an American architect from Waterbury, Connecticut. He was one of Connecticut's most important 19th century architects.

Life and career

Robert Wakeman Hill was born in Waterbury of September 20, 1828, to Samuel and Polly (Brackett) Hill. He attended the public schools, after which he went to New Haven to study architecture. He first attended the Young Men's Institute, where he learned architectural drawing. He obtained a position in the office of Henry Austin, during which he also taught at the YMI.''The Town and City of Waterbury, Connecticut''. Ed. Joseph Anderson. 1896. At one point he was also employed by Sidney Mason Stone. He then worked in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for

Albert C. Nash Albert C. Nash (1825-1890) was an American architect best known for his work in Milwaukee and Cincinnati. Life and career Albert Cone Nash was born December 10, 1825, in New York City to Burr Nash and Mary (Oatman) Nash. In 1832 the family move ...

, a former Connecticut architect. In 1858 he returned to Connecticut, establishing himself as an architect in the town of Naugatuck. In 1863 he relocated to Waterbury, where he would quickly become the city's most prominent architect, a position he retained for the rest of his career.

Legacy

Hill trained several other Waterbury architects, including

Joseph A. Jackson Joseph A. Jackson (1861–1940) was an American architect who designed many buildings for Roman Catholic clients in the Eastern United States, especially Connecticut. Early life and education Jackson was born 1861 in Waterbury, Connecticut and ...

Wilfred E. Griggs Wilfred Elizur Griggs (1866–1918) was an American architect from Waterbury, Connecticut. Griggs was born in Waterbury on May 2, 1866, to Bank Street Historic District (Waterbury, Connecticut)#Griggs Building, Henry C. and Mary Bassett (Foote ...

and Theodore B. Peck. At least five buildings designed by him have been placed on the National Register of Historic Places, and many others contribute to listed historic districts.

Works

* 1865 - St. Margaret's School, 88 Cooke St, Waterbury, Connecticut ** Demolished. * 1866 - John Kendrick House, 119 W Main St, Waterbury, Connecticut ** Often attributed to Hill or his teacher, Henry Austin. * 1866 - Warren House, 110 Woodbury Rd, Watertown, Connecticut ** Later the Taft School's main building. Demolished. * 1869 - Christ Episcopal Church (Bethlehem, Connecticut) (remodeling), Main St S, Bethlehem, ConnecticutBethlehem Green Historic District NRHP Nomination. 1982. * 1869 - Opera House Block, 100 Main St, Ansonia, Connecticut * 1869 - Waterbury City Hall (former), 55 W Main St, Waterbury, Connecticut ** Burned in 1912. * 1870 - Post Office Block, 1 W Main St,

New Britain, Connecticut New Britain is a city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is located approximately southwest of Hartford. According to 2020 Census, the population of the city is 74,135. Among the southernmost of the communities encompassed wit ...

* 1871 - Edward M. Chapin House, 25 Church St,

New Hartford, Connecticut New Hartford is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,658 at the 2020 census. The town center is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as the New Hartford Center census-designated place (CDP). The town is ma ...

* 1871 - Soldiers' Monument, Woodbury Common, Woodbury, Connecticut * 1874 - First Congregational Church Centennial Chapel, 251 Main St, East Haven, Connecticut * 1878 - Albert C. Peck House, 8 Mountain Rd, Woodbury, Connecticut * 1879 -

Bronson B. Tuttle House The Bronson B. Tuttle House is a historic house at 380 Church Street in Naugatuck, Connecticut. Built in 1879 for a prominent local industrialist, it is a fine example of Queen Anne architecture in brick, and a well-preserved reminder of its 19 ...

, 380 Church St, Naugatuck, Connecticut *1879 - William H. Anderson House, Andover Street, owell, Massachusetts** Demolished. * 1880 - New Britain Opera House, 466-468 Main St, New Britain, Connecticut ** Demolished. * 1880 - Winsted Real Estate Building, 13-17 Park Pl W, Winsted, Connecticut * 1881 - Coe Brass Office Building, 179 Water St, Torrington, Connecticut * 1882 - Welton Street School (former), 36 Welton St, Waterbury, Connecticut * 1882 - Thomaston Fire Station, Main St, Thomaston, Connecticut * 1883 - Hall Memorial Chapel, Riverside Cemetery, Waterbury, Connecticut * 1883 - Thomaston Town Hall and Opera House, 153 Main St, Thomaston, Connecticut * 1883 - Waterbury Armory, Phoenix Ave, Waterbury, Connecticut ** Demolished. * 1883 - Watertown Library (former), 50 DeForest St, Watertown, Connecticut ** Now owned by the Taft School. * 1884 - Griggs Building, 221-227 Bank St, Waterbury, Connecticut * 1885 - Bridgeport Armory, 1494 Main St,

Bridgeport, Connecticut Bridgeport is the List of municipalities in Connecticut, most populous city and a major port in the U.S. state of Connecticut. With a population of 148,654 in 2020, it is also the List of cities by population in New England, fifth-most populous ...

** Highly altered. * 1885 - Rectory for St. John's Episcopal Church, 21 Church St, Waterbury, Connecticut * 1886 - Ansonia Station, 40 W Main St, Ansonia, Connecticut ** Demolished. * 1886 - New Britain Armory (former), 10 Grand St, New Britain, Connecticut * 1886 - Norwalk Armory, Connecticut Ave,

Norwalk, Connecticut , image_map = Fairfield County Connecticut incorporated and unincorporated areas Norwalk highlighted.svg , mapsize = 230px , map_caption = Location in Fairfield County, Connecticut, Fairfield County and ...

** Demolished. * 1887 - Congregational Parish House, Division St, Naugatuck, Connecticut * 1888 - Litchfield County Courthouse, 15 West St, Litchfield, Connecticut ** Altered. * 1889 - Police Department Headquarters, Leavenworth St, Waterbury, Connecticut ** Demolished. * 1890 - Soldiers' Memorial Tower, Memorial Park, Winsted, Connecticut ** With George Edwin Bissell, sculptor. * 1891 - Berlin Free Library (former), Worthington Ridge, Berlin, Connecticut ** Demolished in 1955. * 1891 - Conway (Yankee Pedlar) Inn, 95 Main St, Torrington, ConnecticutSterner, Daniel
"The Yankee Pedlar Inn (1891)"
''http://historicbuildingsct.com/''. 15 Feb. 2012. * 1891 - Litchfield Fire Station (former), 40 West St, Litchfield, Connecticut

Gallery

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hill, Robert W. 1828 births 1909 deaths Architects from Waterbury, Connecticut 19th-century American architects Burials at Riverside Cemetery (Waterbury, Connecticut)