District Overview Inventory List District Map

Historic District Number 16

LHD boundaries as described are approximate and subject to change. Consult the LHD Study Report on file with the relevant local district commission or municipal authority to verify district boundaries and whether a specific property, particularly one in proximity of a boundary line, is within the district. Also note that LHD boundaries may differ from those of State or National Register Districts.

Town:
Salisbury
Year of Establishment:
1992
District Authority:
Salisbury Historic District Commission
Link to Commission or Municipal Website:
District Character:
Industrial Neighborhood
Features:

Buildings, Open space

Architectural Style:

Federal, Vernacular, Queen Anne, Italianate

Era:
18th Century, 19th Century, 20th Century

Though it is set in a bucolic landscape of fields and hills, distant from any major urban center, Salisbury- Connecticut's early history revolved around local history. Indeed, the discovery of iron ore in the region in the eighteenth century, coupled with abundant water-power to drive forges and furnaces, lured many of the first settlers and entrepreneurs. Within just a few decades, several proto-industrial centers appeared. Equally important were the activities which sprouted along Wachoastinook Brook as it flowed down the slopes of Mount Riga towards Salisbury Center, paralleling present Factory Street. For nearly two centuries, forges, gristmills, woolen factories, sawmills, and even a hattery utilized the abundant water power to produce a myriad of products ranging from gun barrels and flour, to bicycles and fabrics. Though the forges are vanished now, and most of the industrial sites long-abandoned, a tremendous legacy of historic buildings remains, documenting the dramatic changes this district has experienced. [2]

The buildings in the district represent the early history of water-powered industry in the area. Salisbury has always recognized the importance of its industrial roots. The factory neighborhood is viewed as an important part of the town character and should be preserved. [2]

[1] District information retrieved from the town website http://salisburyct.us/.
[2] Factory Street Historic District, Report of the Historic District Study Committee, 1991, SHPO Library, Hartford.
[3] Assessors information and Parcel IDs retrieved from the study report, SHPO Library, Hartford.

None

Date of Compilation:
12/31/11
Compiler:
Manjusha Patnaik, CT Trust for Historic Preservation