Harwinton Historic District- A is a north-south linear area anchored by the intersection of the two highways at a crossroads known as Catlin's Corners. Most of the houses in the historic district are on Harmony Hill Road, north of the main intersection. Like those near the four corners, they are relatively close to the road while being well-spaced from one another. The parcels vary in size up to about 20 acres, with the houses sited at the front, near the road. The district was a focal point in the agricultural settlement pattern of the Town of Harwinton and continues to maintain its generally rural character, but as a settlement rather than as a series of widely separated farmsteads. Stone walls along the roads at the building lines and large shade trees help impart a sense of community to the district.

The Catlin Corners historic district displays a typical New England setting of buildings and spaces between the buildings. A prevalence of trees and fences visually integrates the external features of buildings and voids. Views and vistas provide walls of space for the setting. The ambiance prevails without crowding or intrusions in the historic low density environment. [NR]

Architecture:Harwinton Historic District -A has historical significance because the area it embraces has served as an important residential, commercial, and educational focus for the Town of Harwinton from the time it was settled as an agricultural community early in the 18th century. An academy and a store were located at the crossroads, known as Catlin's Corners, which was and is the activity center of the district.

The district is significant architecturally because it contains six well-preserved buildings which are good examples of historic 18th-century architectural styles. The six houses, dating from the time of settlement, are representative of post-medieval English building practices in the Colonial and Georgian styles. Overall, the stable relationship of the buildings to one another has been maintained, giving stability to the Burlington-Harmony Hill Roads Historic District's characteristic rural ambience. [NR]

[1] District information retrieved from the town website http://harwinton.us/.
[2] Historic District A, Harwinton, Report of the Historic District Study Committee, 1989, SHPO Library, Hartford.
[3] Assessors information and Parcel IDs retrieved from the website www.visionappraisal.com.
[NR] Ransom David F., Burlington-Harmony Hill Roads Historic District, National Register Nomination Number- 96001364 NRIS, National Park Service, 1996 - http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/96001364.pdf; http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Photos/96001364.pdf.

For the most part, the boundary of the Burlington-Harmony Hill Roads National Register Historic District coincides with that of local Harwinton Historic District A, located about a mile east of Harwinton center. Several non-contributing properties included in the local district are excluded, and historic houses north of the local district are added. [NR]