Date of Construction

Not Yet Established

Ownership

Private

County

Windham

Location Integrity

Unknown

Date Compiled

12/30/2009

Compiled By

T. Levine and S. Lessard, reviewed by CT Trust

Subsequent Field Evaluations

The Chaplin Historic District is an entire village built between 1815 and 1840, standing today in complete integrity, free of intrusions. The church, tavern, Town Hall, store and nineteen houses in late Federal and early Greek Revival styles provide a unique example of the architecture and ambience of a New England village - entirely constructed in a compressed period of time a century and a half ago, and unaltered since that time. Connecticut has many villages which are older than Chaplin and many towns founded earlier than Chaplin in which can be traced continuing architectural and community developments from a century or more before through a century or more after the fabric demonstrated by Chaplin. Chaplin is unique because it was created on site where before there had been no settlement, was created complete in a brief span of time, and subsequently has experienced no development or changes. Chaplin provides a unique record of the architecture and community planning of the 1820's and 1830's (Ransom, p. 7).

Approximate Dimensions

30' x 19'

Sources

Photographs by Hill Bullard, Catheirne Lynch, Charlotte Hitchcock and Stephanie Lessard. Field notes by Hill Bullard and Catherine Lynch- 12/30/2009.

Ransom, David, Chaplin National Register Historic District Nomination, # 78002856, National Park Service, 10/11/1978.

Visser, Thomas D.,Field Guide to New England Barns and Farm Buildings, University Press of New England,1997.

Works Progress Administration Writers' Project, Architectural Survey, Census of Old Buildings, Reference Group 33, Box 226 "Bolton-Chaplin," Hartford: Connecticut State Library Archives.