Mill Record Danbury
RETURN TO ‘FIND MILLS’Disclaimer: Content for these properties was compiled in 2014-2017 from a variety of sources and is subject to change. Updates are occasionally made under Property Information, however the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation (dba Preservation Connecticut) makes no representation or warranty that the information is complete or up-to-date.
- Complex Name (Common)
- Unimation
- Complex Name (Historic)
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- Unimation
- Address or Location
- 22 Shelter Rock Lane, Danbury
- County
- Fairfield
- Historic Designation
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n/a
- Associated Mill Community
- n/a
- Historic Information
Use (Historic)
Largest Documented Workforce
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Historic Narrative
Headquarters of the world's first robotics company, Unimation. In 1954, George Devol obtained a patent for 'Programmed Article Transfer' and partnered with Joseph Engelberger, establishing Unimation in 1956 to develop and manufacture an industrial robot. The company name is a shortening of the concept of Universal Automation. The Unimate robotic arm was patented in 1961 and first used on a General Motors assembly line in New Jersey. It weighed 4000 pounds and moved and welded die castings on auto bodies, doing a job that was otherwise quite dangerous to workers. In 1932, George Devol (1912-2011) created United Cinephone to make recordings for talkies and manufactured photo-electric switches and sensors in a plant in Torrington (see entry https://connecticutmills.org/find/details/united-cinephone-corp). He was considered the grandfather of robotics and is in the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Joseph Engelberger (1925-2015) was a physicist and engineer who published articles on robotics, consulted with NASA on the use of robotics in space exploration, and created the HelpMate robot for hospitals in the 1980s. Recognized as the father of robotics, Engelberger received many awards in the field of robotics and automation, and is the namesake for an annual award presented by the Robotics Industries Association.
- Architectural Information
Number of Existing Buildings
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Dates of Construction
1955 with modern additions
Architect
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Builder
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Building Type
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Architectural Description
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Exterior Material(s)
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Structural System(s)
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Roof Form
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Roof Material
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Power Source
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Condition
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Condition Notes
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- Property Information
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Specific Location
17.15 acre parcel on east side of Shelter Rock Lane
Adjacent To
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Exterior Visible from Public Road?
Yes
Parcel ID / Assessor Record Link
L15/ / 5
Acreage
17.15
Use (Present)
- Industrial
- Other: Shelter Rock Business Center
- Sources
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Form Completed By
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Date
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Bibliography
- Representative View(s)Click on image to view full file
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Photographer
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Photography Date
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