Preston City is a village and the original town center of the
town
A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city.
The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
of
Preston,
Connecticut
Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
, United States. The core of the village around the junction of Old Northwest Road and
Route 164 is designated as the Preston City Historic District, a
historic district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains historic building, older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal p ...
that is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
.
[Note: The historic district does not include all of Preston City. The district is located south of the intersection of Connecticut Route 164 and Connecticut Route 165, an intersection which is labelled as Preston City on U.S.G.S. topographical quadrant map included in the NRHP nomination document. Developed area north of the district appears to be part of Preston City; the district was defined to focus upon a relatively well-preserved area only.] The district is located along Old Shetucket and Amos Roads, which, prior to the 1930s, were major thoroughfares.
[
The historic district was listed on the National Register in 1987. It includes 24 ]contributing building
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing property or contributing resource is any building, object, or structure which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic distr ...
s, one other contributing structure, another contributing site, and three contributing objects. It includes representation of Greek Revival
Greek Revival architecture is a architectural style, style that began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe, the United States, and Canada, ...
, Georgian, and Federal architectural styles.[
Historically, Preston City was one of three distinct settlements in the town, the others being Poquetanuck and Long Society. The first ]Congregational church
Congregationalism (also Congregational Churches or Congregationalist Churches) is a Reformed Christian (Calvinist) tradition of Protestant Christianity in which churches practice congregational government. Each congregation independently a ...
in Preston City was founded in 1698.[About Preston]
, Town of Preston website, accessed September 9, 2009
Preston City prospered in its early years when the town of Preston was an important supplier of agricultural products to the port of Norwich
Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of the county of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. It lies by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. The population of the Norwich ...
on the Thames River
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the ...
, from which local farm goods were shipped to other ports on the east coast. The period of greatest prosperity was between the American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
and ''circa'' 1830, and is reflected in the architecture of the homes built by successful local farmers and merchants.
Historical significance
Preston City was established in 1686 as the town center for the newly designated town of Preston. The town of Preston was initially set up as an agricultural community for the port town of Norwich
Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of the county of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. It lies by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. The population of the Norwich ...
with Preston City as the focus for transporting farm goods to the larger town.
Contributing properties
Contributing properties in the district include a church, a library, a blacksmith shop, a former tavern, and a poorhouse, as well as houses and some barns. All buildings are of wood-frame construction.
The Preston City Baptist Church was built in 1812. The building was turned to a different orientation, and its "three-stage steeple and bell tower with a pyramidal roof" were added later, in 1832.
The James Treat House is the largest residence and is located prominently on Amos Road. The "Mott and Downer House", a five-bay colonial house, are both on Amos Road and were both built before the American Revolutionary War.
The Calvin Barstow House, a Georgian colonial house surrounded by a picket fence, was built during 1786–1800. It includes a meeting room for the St. James Masonic Temple.
The Aron B. Gates House, built c. 1830, on Northwest Corner Road, is a Greek Revival
Greek Revival architecture is a architectural style, style that began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe, the United States, and Canada, ...
building. It has a barn built c.1900.
The Thomas Meech House, built in 1795, on Northwest Corner Road, is Federal/Colonial. It includes a facade overhang that is unique within the district.
The Rev. Augustus Collins House, built c. 1830, on Shetucket Road, is Greek Revival
Greek Revival architecture is a architectural style, style that began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe, the United States, and Canada, ...
.
The "Old Town Pound" on Amos Road is a stone wall enclosure. It served as a pound, a common feature of British medieval villages (where stray livestock might be held).
One house, the Ephraim Jones House, used to be the poorhouse
A poorhouse or workhouse is a government-run (usually by a county or municipality) facility to support and provide housing for the dependent or needy.
Workhouses
In England, Wales and Ireland (but not in Scotland), "workhouse" has been the more ...
of Preston and was originally built in 1733.
Other contributing elements include the Civil War Monument and Mott Memorial, erected in 1898.
Non-contributing elements include a Revolutionary War Monument dating from 1967 and the Downer-Doane Memorial Park, which, as of 1986, is maintained by the Preston Historical Society.
As of 1986, the district's area included only three modern intrusions.[ and ]
See also
* National Register of Historic Places listings in New London County, Connecticut
References
External links
*
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Preston, Connecticut
Villages in Connecticut
Villages in New London County, Connecticut
Historic districts in New London County, Connecticut
National Register of Historic Places in New London County, Connecticut
1686 establishments in Connecticut
Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Connecticut