The Uncasville School is a historic school building at 310 Norwich-New London Turnpike in the
Uncasville
Uncasville is an area in the town of Montville, Connecticut, United States. It is a village in southeastern Montville, at the mouth of the Oxoboxo River where it flows into the Thames River. The name is now applied more generally to all of the ...
section of
Montville, Connecticut
Montville is a town in New London County, Connecticut in the United States. The population was 18,387 at the 2020 census.
The villages of Chesterfield, Mohegan, Oakdale, and Uncasville are located within the town; the latter two have their own ...
. Designed by architect
Wilson Potter, it was built during 1917-1918 by local contractor H. R. Douglas. In 1925 it was expanded by a major addition. A fine local example of Renaissance Revival architecture, its construction was funded by Grace Palmer Melcer, the daughter of a local industrialist.
[ and ] The building was added to 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 2001.
[ The building now houses town offices.
]
Description and history
The former Uncasville School building is located in the village of Uncasville, on the west side of Norwich-New London Turnpike (Connecticut Route 32
Route 32 is a primary north–south state highway in the U.S. state of Connecticut, beginning in New London and continuing via Willimantic to the Massachusetts state line, where it continues as Route 32 in that state.
Route des ...
) south of Maple Avenue. It is a two-story brick building, its original core at the center of a U, whose flanking wings are additions. The historic main entrance is in the center of the U, framed by cast stone Doric columns supporting an entablature and pedimented gable. Windows are set in keystoned openings, and the building corners exhibit brick quoining. Stone stringcourses run above the basement and below the first-floor windows, and the building cornice is studded with modillion blocks.[
The school was built in 1917-18 to a design by architect Wilson Potter, a regionally well-known specialist in school buildings. Potter is also believed to have executed the designs for the wings, which are stylistically virtually indistinguishable from the original main block. Grace Palmer Melcer, whose family owned local mills, funded its construction and retained ownership of the building until 1925, when it was enlarged to address overcrowding. The school was a focal center of the community, hosting meetings and events of community groups, including evening adult education classes for immigrants.]
See also
*
References
{{National Register of Historic Places
School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Connecticut
Renaissance Revival architecture in Connecticut
Schools in New London County, Connecticut
Montville, Connecticut
National Register of Historic Places in New London County, Connecticut
Town halls in Connecticut