Prospect Street Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Prospect Street Historic District
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Prospect Street
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly bounded by Bulkeley Place, Huntington, Federal, and Hempstead Streets, New London, Connecticut |
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| Area | 5.5 acres (2.2 ha) |
| Built | 1840 |
| Architect | Crandall, Lewis; Et al. |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Italianate, Gothic Revival;Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 86002114 |
| Added to NRHP | July 31, 1986 |
The Prospect Street Historic District encompasses a residential area northeast located in New London, Connecticut. The district consists of two city blocks on either side of Prospect Street, and includes 24 buildings, most of which are Greek Revival or Italianate houses built between 1838 and 1859. The area was developed in response to local demand for increased middle-class housing, and the dense development and modest scale of the buildings is reflective of this objective. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 31, 1986.
Description and history
Prospect Street was developed in the 1830s in response to increased demand for middle-class housing occasioned by New London's economic success as a whaling center. Two real estate developers, Hezekiah Goddard and Sabin Smith, purchased the Hallam family estate, bounded by Hempstead, Federal, and Huntington Streets, and Bulkeley Place, in 1836. The northern half was developed by Smith, who laid out Prospect Street, and sold off parcels to others, who either further subdivided or built on the properties. These subsidiary developers were typically involved directly or indirectly in the whaling business, as suppliers or workers in firms doing business with whaling ships.
The district consists of two city blocks, bisected by Prospect Street and bounded by Federal, Huntington, and Hempstead Streets, and Bulkeley Place. Most of the 24 houses in the district are Greek Revival in style, reflecting their construction relatively early in the subdivision. There are four Italianate houses, two each on Huntington and Federal Streets, one of which is brick. Of the Greek Revival houses, that at 17 Prospect Street is particularly notable, for its four-column temple front, with details copied from a builder's guide published by Minard Lafever.
Images for kids
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The Italianate 191 Hempstead Street was built in 1841
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The house at 26 Prospect Street at the corner of Bulkeley Place was built in 1844 in the Gothic Revival style
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The 1851 brick house at 138 Huntington Street at the corner of Federal Street is a combination of the Greek Revival and Italianate styles
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10 Prospect Street, built in 1889 in the Queen Anne style
