Historic Mills of Connecticut

Use (Historic)

• Transportation
• Other: Power generation

Largest Documented Workforce

n/a

Historic Narrative

This power house was built in 1901 during completion of the trolley link between Hartford and Springfield on the east side of the Connecticut River, and was planned with sufficient capacity to serve the then projected line on the west side of the river. The trolley company went bankrupt in 1919 and the power house was decommissioned in 1924. The operating equipment was removed at that time. The adjacent office building and car barn have been demolished. (Roth)

Number of Existing Buildings

One (1) block.

Dates of Construction

1901

Architect

E. F. Kitsfield, Boston

Builder

J. W. Bishop Co., Worcester

Building Type

• Powerhouse

Architectural Description

Designed by E. F. Kitsfield of Boston and built in 1901 by J. W. Bishop Co. of Worcester, the 2-story power house has a flat roof, corbelled cornice and round-arched windows with brownstone sills. A fire wall divided the plant into two large bays. The south bay, 88' x 51', contained two cross-compound steam engines made by Robert Weatherall Co. of Chester, PA, and two General Electric direct-current generators. The north bay, 88' x 49', held the Babcock and Wilcox boilers. The chimney, now gone, rose from this room. The building is mostly intact except that garage doors have been added and the coal opening in the northeast corner has been bricked up. The adjacent office building and car barn have been demolished. (Roth)

Exterior Material(s)

• Brick

Structural System(s)

n/a

Roof Form

• Flat

Roof Material

n/a

Power Source

• Steam

Condition

n/a

Condition Notes

n/a

Specific Location

One 3.8 acre parcel on the west side of Old Depot Hill Road, east of the Connecticut River

Adjacent To

n/a

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Parcel ID / Assessor Record Link

• 013/ / 0001 / Link →

Acreage

3.8

Use (Present)

n/a

Form Completed By

n/a

Date

n/a

Bibliography

1. Roth, Matthew, et al, Connecticut: An Inventory of Historic Engineering and Industrial Sites (Washington DC: SIA, 1981).