District Overview Inventory List District Map

Stanwich Historic District

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:
Greenwich
Year of Establishment:
2008
Notes on Establishment:
CCT approved in 2007 but passed by RTM in 2008.
District Authority:
Historic District Commission
Link to Commission or Municipal Website:
District Character:
Village Center
Features:

Buildings, Cemetery, Open Spaces, Others- Aquarian Water Company

Architectural Style:

Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Gothic Revival.

Era:
19th Century, 20th Century

Early Greenwich hugged the coast, taking advantage of good grazing and easy access to Long Island Sound for transportation. Like its coastal neighbors, as Greenwich's population grew, it slowly moved inland. In 1687, nearly fifty years after the community was founded, the first division of public lands in the area that would become known as Stanwich took place. By 1732 the area had a large enough population that the residents petitioned the General Assembly for permission to establish a new parish. This petition was just one of three submitted by groups in Stamford and adjacent communities. In case of Stanwich, the Stamford residents were joined in their request by residents of Greenwich. The other two petitions were submitted by groups from what would become New Canaan and Darien. The petition was approved and over the ensuing years Stanwich grew and diversified. Today, while the religious, public and commercial activities along this stretch of Taconic Road have changed over the past two centuries, the historic buildings along the street serve as a reminder of the area's past. [2]

Architecture:The buildings in Stanwich Historic District reflect the area's growth from a rural parish in the 18th century, to a village center with schools, shops and a post office in the 19th century and finally, into a residential area in the 20th century. Each of these eras is represented by buildings in the district. In addition, the limited number of infill building, and the number of structures that are harmonious with the previous styles, helps to preserve the district's visual identity. [2]

[1] District information retrieved from the town website http://www.greenwichct.org/.
[2] Stanwich Historic District, Report of the Historic District Study Committee, 2007, SHPO Library, Hartford.
[3] Assessors information and Parcel IDs retrieved from the online Real Estate property Taxes, accessed from the town website [https://greenwichct.munisselfservice.com/citizens/RealEstate/Default.aspx?mode=new].

None

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