Threadcity Photo Gallery

Windham Center - Page 1

Windham Center Green, 1911It all began here in the 1690s. This is Windham Center Green, pictured in 1911. The building visible at the far side of the green was built in 1839 for the Windham Bank. The organization relocated to the growing borough of Willimantic in 1872, and since then the building has been the home of the Windham Free Library. Also located on the green is a Sheriff's lock-up from the early 18th century -- along with some magnificent houses built before the Revolutionary War. This charming village also served as the summer home of Julian Alden Weir, the famed American impressionist artist.
Zion's Hill, Windham CenterZion’s Hill section of Windham. This is where present day RT 14 takes a left in Windham Center and heads towards Scotland



  
 

  



  




Windham Center Green

   

The Windham Meeting House It was built in 1755 and taken down in 1848. The present building on that site is the Windham Center Congregational Church.



Windham Courthouse (on Windham Green)

 








     





Windham Inn - 1910 Bill Kotrba sent us this photo. He says, "It is a very unusual view picturing route 14 heading in an easterly direction. I have only seen 2 examples of this card in the past. Please note, the Windham Inn has a wrap around porch, and the grade in front of the post office is much higher than it is today. Between 1958 and 1962, our music professor, Elizabeth Fields from Willimantic State Teacher's College, lived in the third building on the left."		  
  

1905
 


Photo of Windham Inn
taken by Hiram Fenn




 






   
 










     



Windham Center Grammar SchoolThis is the original, pre-Civil War Windham Center School. It was located on what is now called Windham Center Road approximately halfway between the firehouse and Mullen Hill Road. It was replaced in 1923 by the school on North Road. Rural Windham had eight school districts, each with its own building. Willimantic had three school districts.



Windham Center District Schoolhouse

  

Jerusalem District Schoolhouse


Back Road Schoolhouse
Bricktop District Schoolhouse circa 1895Children stand outside the Bricktop District Schoolhouse. It was located on present day RT 14 near Lover’s Lane. At that time, there were eight Windham school districts outside of Willimantic.

see the other District Schoolhouses

    

Johnson and Potter Store - Windham Center (today it is the Post Office)This was the Johnson and Potter Store. It was built for Benjamin Dwyer as a store in 1875. Somewhere around 1886, postmaster William Swift purchased the store after his own store (and the Congregational Church) burned to the ground.For much more detail, see Tom Beardsley's three articles on the Windham center Post Office.

Article 1           Article 2         Article 3
  
Unidentified Rag Picker

This picture was taken by Julian Beville who also climbed the 200 foot high smokestack at Windham Mfg. Co. to take photos of Willimantic from the top. It is of a still unidentified rag picker who worked for “Warner’s of Willimantic”. A note on the back of the picture says it could be a, “Mr. Neff where the school buses are parked”. The lettering on the wagon says, “Warners – Willimantic”.
Windham Fire CompaniesThe information on the back of this picture says it is of the Windham Fire Companies in 1900 and was taken on Pearl st. in Willimantic. From left are: Jarrius Smith, William Swift, Rufus Huntington, William Wales, Henry Page, Edward Burnham, Rufus Rood, Andrew Frink, Charles Larrabee, Charles Rood and William Rood.
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The Vino Elderkin house - built by Colonel Elderkin for his son.The photo shows Jerusalem Road as it joined the present day Route 203. The Colonel Elderkin house in on the photo’s right. It was built by Colonel Elderkin for his son Vino just after the Revolutionary War. The bricks were said to be imported from Holland and the nails were hand wrought. It was torn down in 1912. It had fallen into disrepair several years earlier and nothing was done to prevent further damage. The Colonel himself never lived there - his house was in the Windham center village.		    



WCFD

Plaksa's Pond

 For many years this was a favorite swimming area for Windham residents. It was located on RT 203 at the intersection of Jerusalem Road.

Selleck's Service StationThis was the service station run by Sterling Selleck on Route 14 in Windham Center. The pumps and sign are gone but the building is still standing.
Frog Pond   RT 14







Photo courtesy of Joe DeFranco


Wetherbee's Pond   Lovers Lane


Hurricane of '38 damage

Bingham's Mill
 Bingham's Mill
 


  
   

Camp Kendale		  




Frog Pond Commemorative Tablet