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
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Windham Center Green
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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.
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Windham Courthouse (on Windham Green)
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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." |
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1905
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Photo of Windham Inn
taken by Hiram Fenn
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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.
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Windham Center District Schoolhouse
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Jerusalem District Schoolhouse
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Back Road Schoolhouse
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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
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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
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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. |
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WCFD
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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.
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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.
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Frog Pond RT 14 |
Photo courtesy of Joe DeFranco |
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Wetherbee's Pond Lovers Lane
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Hurricane of '38 damage
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Bingham's Mill
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Bingham's Mill
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Camp Kendale |
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Frog Pond Commemorative Tablet |
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