Terry's Plain Historic District
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Terry's Plain Historic District is a historic district in the town of Simsbury, Connecticut that 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 ...
in 1993. The district is significant as a preserved rural landscape. It included 27 contributing buildings of various architectural styles, including
Greek Revival The Greek Revival was an architectural movement which began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe and the United States and Canada, but a ...
, Federal and
Late Victorian Victorian architecture is a series of architectural revival styles in the mid-to-late 19th century. ''Victorian'' refers to the reign of Queen Victoria (1837–1901), called the Victorian era, during which period the styles known as Victorian we ...
architecture, and 17 non-contributing buildings. Thirteen houses that were parts of farm complexes and 14 agricultural outbuildings ranging from sheds to large tobacco barns. Contributing sites include: * A field where the militia drilled in 1683 (or 1685) * 24 Ferry Lane, barn from , house non-contributing (see #2 in photos accompanying NRHP nomination) * Lucius D. Goodrich House, 36 Ferry Lane, , Federal/Greek Revival * 64 Terry's Plain Road, Late Victorian


Traine Band (Militia)

Simsbury was founded as a town in 1670. Not long thereafter, the town established a militia, then known as a "traine band". The date of establishment of the militia is not known, but records of assemblies date to 1673. The Grand Committee of the Militia met in Hartford on August 11, 1673 to organize militia against a potential attack by the enemy. The Committee ordered the raising of 500 "dragoones" from the state, of which 160 were to come from Hartford County. At that meeting, Simon Wolcott and John Griffin of Simsbury were appointed to command the Simsbury Traine Band, which at that time numbered seven "dragoones". The Committee included the following order: Two years later, John Griffin was confirmed as sergeant of the Traine Band and placed in command.


First home and first ferry

The first home in Simsbury was located in the Terry's Plain area. The land where the house would be built was granted in 1653 to Thomas Ford, although a house would not be built until approximately 1660, when Captain Aaron Cook, the son-in-law of Thomas Ford, built the first home in Simsbury. In the same general area, a ferry was established to facilitate crossing of the Farmington River. The exact date of the origin of the Pent Street Ferry is not known, but a road to the ferry was commissioned in 1668. File:First Home and first Ferry sign.JPG, Plaque noting first home and ferry in Simsbury


First school

The first school in Simsbury was located in Terry's Plain. The town agreed, at a town meeting on December 17, 1701, to "agree with and appoint a school master". The first day of school commenced on the first day of January 1702. The town discussed whether the school should be located on the east or west side of the river, and chose both, with the first three months to be held at a location in Terry's Plain, and then at a location in "Weatoug" on the west side. File:Terrys Plain site of first school sign.JPG, Plaque noting first school site in Simsbury


See also

*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Hartford County, Connecticut __NOTOC__ This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places designations in Hartford County, Connecticut. This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Hartford Coun ...


Notes

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