130-609: The Downtown Waterbury Historic District is the core of the city of Waterbury , Connecticut, United States. It is a roughly rectangular area centered on West Main Street and Waterbury Green, the remnant of the original town commons, which has been called "one of the most attractive downtown parks in New England ." The Green was the city's first center, with the buildings around it representing all types of uses, from residences to churches to public buildings. Many early buildings were cleared as
260-485: A cast-iron fence sets off the north and west facades from the sidewalks. Both of those facades have an identical treatment, echoing the Chase Building and City Hall. Like them, the first story is finished in rusticated segmented arches. They are set with six-section rounded-arch windows, again creating an arcade effect. The windows' sections are a full window with flanking sidelights and three matching sections in
390-456: A $ 36 million plan for which no referendum was sought. The rebuilt building opened in early 2011. At the time the district was listed on the Register, there were three properties within it that had previously been listed. Another one has been added since. In addition, there are many other contributing properties notable within the context of the district. Some have been nominated to the Register in
520-452: A Georgian Revival design. A decade later, prosperity returned as World War II drove the brass mills into round-the-clock production again. This time it did not continue after the war, as plastics began to displace brass in manufacturing. Downtown also suffered as returning veterans, who were honored with a new, star-shaped monument on the Green, sought to live in more suburban neighborhoods, with
650-659: A News/Talk/Classic Hits music format and is the only radio station broadcasting in Waterbury. Two FM radio stations are also located in Waterbury: WWYZ 92.5, which plays a country music format and WMRQ 104.1, which plays alternative rock. They both transmit from 10 miles away in Meriden and have wide-reaching signals that can be heard clearly as far away as Bridgeport and the Massachusetts state line. WCCT-TV (channel 20)
780-605: A board of education consisting of ten elected members and the city mayor, who acts as chairman ex-officio . Schools include: Two newspapers are operated within Waterbury: the Republican-American , which covers 36 communities throughout Western Connecticut, and the Waterbury Observer . WATR 1320 AM, a radio station under the same family ownership since 1934 and broadcasting on the same frequency since 1939, operates
910-476: A concrete platform adjacent to the old station. There are no ticket agents at Waterbury, which is currently the end of the line for the Waterbury Branch . The two main highways that run through the heart of the city are I-84 (Yankee Expressway) and Route 8 . In the downtown area, I-84 and Route 8 are located on the elevated William W. Deady Bridge, known locally as the "MixMaster" with eastbound traffic on
1040-490: A contest to find its oldest house. Within the district, the oldest structure is an 1835 Greek Revival building at 67–73 South Main Street. Its layout and dimensions remain intact; its exterior has been so extensively altered that it is not considered a contributing property despite its advanced age. Waterbury's growth continued to be steady but slow until it incorporated as a city in 1853. By 1860 its population had doubled to over 10,000. During this period Exchange Place, at
1170-402: A courtyard. It has gardens and benches. Several of those latter are original Gilbert designs. The center door is screened by a bronze grille. It has a full foliate surround and fan, radiating from a central cluster to end in anthemia. On the door itself are grilles of square panels with center medallions that alternate between round and square shapes and rosette bindings. Behind it, there
1300-630: A day between the Waterbury station and Bridgeport , with connections to Grand Central Terminal in New York City . Waterbury's Union Station , built in 1909 for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , is now closed for use as a railway station and part of the building is now the headquarters of the Republican-American newspaper. Passengers traveling to and from Waterbury board and alight on
1430-583: A few having their original panels below and glazed panels of opaque glass in their upper sections and even transoms . At the first floor stair entry are the original bronze directory panel and mail chute . An older building is joined to the bank building's southern elevation, between it and the Lincoln House. It is a two-story structure of brick, painted to match the limestone bank, in Flemish bond . Arched windows with stone keystones and impost blocks relate it to
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#17330935883561560-420: A figure of Mercury with a caduceus , "Force" as a Roman gladiator , and Justice . In the pilaster capitals are two designs, one of which features a prominent eagle. The marble frieze below the roofline has a regular pattern of decorated discs with swags at the pavilion ends. Above it is a modillioned cornice with carved leaves and bead-and-reel moldings . They in turn support a broad balustrade. At
1690-436: A full entablature and arched ceiling. On either end of the hallway are city council chambers. The eastern one was originally built for that purpose; the western one was a courtroom. In the former, the aldermens ' desks are within a semicircular balustrade outlined with paralleling benches for the public. The Roman Doric continues to be used. Fluted pilasters in that mode support a full entablature and modillioned cornice. On
1820-417: A marble water table , all windows are trabeated , with marble surrounds. A stringcourse of header bricks laid vertically creates a springline for the round arches with keystones that enclose the second floor windows. Both they and the first-story windows are six-over-six double-hung sash; the third story has three-over-three. Above them is a narrow dentilled cornice and parapet capped with salt-glazed tile,
1950-459: A member of the Waterbury Hall of Fame, was the city's 40th mayor. He served from 1969 to 1970 during a period of racial tension. The city is known for its hard-nosed political culture compared locally to Cook County, Illinois , close elections, and a number of scandals. Waterbury's scandalous past dates back to 1940, when Mayor T. Frank Hayes and 22 others were convicted of conspiracy to defraud
2080-431: A plain frieze topped by a molded shelf. The kitchen, in the rear, retains much of its original cabinetry. At the rear of the hall the main staircase continues the wainscoting. Made of wood with round oak newel on a square base with neck molding and circular cap, it has a somewhat Victorian feel . It ends in a square room upstairs. Another stair, rising from the rear entrance, was designed to be used by those served by
2210-767: A public corruption conviction. The successors to Philip Giordano , former acting mayor Sam Caligiuri (2001) and former mayor Michael Jarjura (2001–2011) managed the city without major controversy since 2001. Democrat Neil O'Leary was elected the 46th Mayor of Waterbury on November 9, 2011. In 1939, Pape backed an attempt to install council-manager government and single-transferable-vote elections. The local Republican Party and Connecticut General Assembly also supported this measure. New York Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia helped campaign for its passage, having backed similar reforms in his own city in 1936. A number of presidential candidates have campaigned in Waterbury due to its pivotal role in statewide elections. The most famous
2340-500: A renaissance since 2000 due to efforts by educators and developers to create an affordable alternative to the high cost of living in established Orthodox communities in New York and New Jersey. This renaissance began with the founding of the Yeshiva K'tana of Waterbury in 2000; as of 2014, this full-service elementary and middle school has nearly 400 students. Other educational institutions are
2470-574: A series of segmented arches to give them an arcade appearance. On the east and west elevations only the interior bays are in arches. Within them are large six-over-six double-hung trabeated sash windows . Above them a cornice forms the base for fluted pilasters with Tower of the Winds capitals that divide the windows on the upper two stories. The second story windows are also sash, set in rectangular openings with sills and cornice caps on consoles topped with rosettes or oval patera. The middle bays of
2600-437: A single-family house and a yard, a living option that no longer existed in the center of the city. This created a demand for newer and bigger roads to accommodate the automobile traffic that came to the city from those suburbs, and buildings were demolished to build them. The effect on the district was mixed. While the bus routes that replaced the trolley lines continued to meet at Exchange Place, urban renewal programs later in
2730-459: A walk leads up to balustraded steps at the main entrance. On either end two three-bay–wide wings project four bays to the street. In the central 15-bay section, the middle three bays project forward slightly. The three-story building is faced entirely in Indiana limestone . The first story is, like City Hall's marble, rusticated , with the bays on the inside of the wings and the center pavilion made
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#17330935883562860-432: A whole: the period from settlement in the late 17th century to the beginning of industrialization, the industrial era of the rest of the century, the planned development after the 1902 fire, and the years of industrial decline since World War II. From the time of its settlement in the 1670s, Waterbury had been a lightly populated agricultural community. Its growth was hampered in the early years by flood and plague, and later
2990-519: Is "to encourage intensive development of a diversity of land uses within the area." The only provision unique to it is that any residential use must have a side or rear setback of at least 15 feet (4.6 m). There are no special provisions for historic preservation . In 1998 the city established an Information Technology Zone over a 42- block area including the historic district. The state spent $ 2.2 million installing fiber optic , and set aside money for incentives to encourage businesses to locate in
3120-467: Is a bell-cast gilded roof with bronze weathervane . On the east side, the fire station wing is a nine-by-eleven-bay two-story structure. Like the main block it is stone on the first and brick up top. Five of the six arched bays on the east side are used for fire engine garages, their double doors topped with radiating-sash fanlights . The seventh bay is a regular door, leading to offices. The two stories are separated by another blind balustrade. Above
3250-438: Is a central hallway. Wainscoting along the hall continues to the main staircase in the rear. On the left is the dining room, with the greatest amount of detail of any room in the building. It has a flat baseboard with similar chair rail and picture molding . The brick of the chimney breast projects into the room space, echoing the brick of the hearth below. Above it is a Federal style mantel where flat pilaster rise to
3380-569: Is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut . Waterbury had a population of 114,403 as of the 2020 Census . The city is 33 miles (53 km) southwest of Hartford and 77 miles (124 km) northeast of New York City . Waterbury is the largest city in the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region and second-largest city in New Haven County . Throughout the first half of the 20th century, Waterbury had large industrial interests and
3510-487: Is a simple bronze door. It opens into the former bank lobby. Bronze cashiers railings with grilles atop marble counters lead to where the tellers' cages once stood. There are front and rear mezzanines . From the marble floor square columns with neck moldings rise to the coffered marble ceiling. Iron stairs with bronze railings lead to the upper floors. Some of them have their original terrazzo floors. There are also original dark wood surrounds on some office doors, with
3640-502: Is a small vestibule . Bronze commemorative plaques on the sides honor local World War I veterans. A rear entry with sidelights topped by teardrops and an elliptical arch with fanlight, all of leaded glass , opens into the east-west central hallway. The hallway is sided in Vermont marble with carved panels featuring a fleur de lis pattern at the base, supported on eagle brackets and divided by pilasters with oak and acorn capitals. To
3770-635: Is also home to Post University and the regional campuses of the University of Connecticut , University of Bridgeport , Western Connecticut State University as well as Naugatuck Valley Community College . The land was originally inhabited by the Algonquin bands . According to Samuel Orcutt 's history, some Puritan residents of nearby Farmington "found it expedient to purchase the same lands from different tribes, without attempting to decide between their rival claims." The original settlement of Waterbury in 1674
3900-425: Is also lit from the rear by a six-over-six double-hung sash set with leaded and stained glass , opaque on the bottom but with a cartouche and swag on top. The stair climbs to a Palladian window , also with stained glass. It is decorated with swags and ribbons, corner cartouches and panels topped with eagles in the center and vases and foliation topped with a lit torch on the outer panels. A cartouche-enclosed oval at
4030-451: Is land and 0.42 square miles (1.1 km ), or 1.46%, is water. Waterbury lies in the humid continental climate zone, and normally sees cold, snowy winters and warm, humid summers. Waterbury's neighborhoods are shaped by the history and geography of the city. Ethnic communities distinguish the city's 25 neighborhoods. Clusters of shops at the street corners created villages within the city. For many people, home, work and community life
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4160-557: Is licensed to Waterbury and serves as Hartford's affiliate for The CW ; it is operated out of the Hartford Courant building with sister Tribune Broadcasting Fox affiliate WTIC-TV (channel 61), and carries mainly syndicated content outside of network hours. Waterbury is considered part of the Hartford/New Haven media market, and can thus receive radio and television signals from Hartford and New Haven clearly. Commuting in
4290-535: Is the constant desire and effort to render to every man his due " by the Roman emperor Justinian I on the west, and " Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith let us to the end dare to do our duty as we understand it " attributed to Abraham Lincoln on the east. The third story has a panel (further inscribed with "Reason is the Life of Law" on the west) between two circular bas-reliefs in carved leaf surrounds. On
4420-467: Is the intersection of State and West Main streets. The district boundary follows the middle of West Main for two blocks to Park Place, where it turns north, excluding the Mattatuck Museum Arts and History Center and including Immaculate Conception Church and other properties on the north side of West Main. At North Main Street it turns south again, then east along East Main to the eastern corner of
4550-409: Is the main staircase. At its landing is a multilevel stained glass window, with urns, foliate and architectural motifs flanking a central panel with another quotation from Lincoln: "Go forward without fear and with manly heart." Near the top is "A.D. 1919". Across from the top of the stair is the building's dedication plaque. An iron balustrade with bronze railings runs along the stairs, marble like all
4680-801: The Allies and later the federal government when the United States joined them. Afterward, the prosperity continued into the Roaring Twenties , introducing more significant new buildings to the city. Some were in styles that had already been used downtown, like the Georgian Revival YMCA building on West Main, Gilbert's 1921 Waterbury Savings Bank next to the municipal complex, and the Second Renaissance Revival Waterbury Savings Bank on North Main. Henry Bacon contributed
4810-552: The Art Deco and modernist buildings, came at the end of this period, just before the Great Depression put a halt to most new private construction. The most prominent examples of these styles in the district are the 1930 Brown Building at the corner of East and South Main, and the 1931 Art Deco post office on Grand Street. Further down the street the same year's Telephone Building, by Douglas Orr, uses modernistic brick detailing on
4940-728: The Georgian Revival and Second Renaissance Revival architectural styles , built during the 1910s. In 1978 they were designated as a historic district and listed on the National Register of Historic Places . They are now contributing properties to the Downtown Waterbury Historic District . The complex was financed by the Chase family, owners of the Chase Brass Company, one of Waterbury's major industries at
5070-573: The Italianate style, such as the surviving 1854 Reynolds Block on North Main. After the flames were extinguished, the city set about restoring itself, giving the future district many of its distinctive buildings. The first, the Second Renaissance Revival Howland Hughes department store building on Bank Street, was opened the following year, the first such enterprise in Waterbury; and architect Wilfred E. Griggs followed it with
5200-553: The Naugatuck River and the Waterbury branch campus of the University of Connecticut . It is an intensively developed urban area, with many multi-story mixed-use buildings. There are 130 in total, with six objects and one structure counted among the contributing resources . Seventeen of the buildings are considered non-contributing, either due to construction outside the period of significance or later alterations. The oldest date to
5330-564: The Odd Fellows Hall on North Main, with its rare American use of the Venetian Gothic mode, went up in 1893. It was the first of two buildings he would design for local chapters of international fraternal organizations , reflecting their growing role in the city's social and political life. The 1889 Richardsonian Romanesque St. Patrick's Hall on East Main marked the rise of Irish Americans , not only in its social-service function but in
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5460-410: The brassmaking business. They established mills of their own which drew on British expertise in the area to make the alloy in sheets, beginning the industry the city was to become known for. The industrialists began to change the city. Their first suggestion to the community was the creation of a town green . On Independence Day in 1825, the townspeople gathered to blast some stubborn boulders from
5590-431: The 1805s; there is some modern infill. Among the buildings are large parking lots, and two small parks, Waterbury Green and Library Park, provide open space . The terrain is generally flat, the former flood plain of the river valley. To the south Interstate 84 crosses the city and valley on an elevated viaduct , affording a panoramic view of the skyline to eastbound traffic on the upper level. The northwestern corner
5720-463: The 20th century eliminated some major properties, most notably the McKim, Mead and White Buckingham Block at the corner of Bank and Grand and the neighboring Democrat Building. At West Main and Bank, Baubee's Corner, a brick building inspired by Federal style rowhouses of the early 19th century, also met the wrecking ball . Other historic buildings, such as the 1908 Rietner Building on North Main, home to
5850-661: The Citizen's and Manufacturer's Bank on Leavenworth Street in that style, in 1921, and the following year a third one, the Palace Theater on West Main, gave the city what was to be its premier theater for many years. The later years of the decade brought in newer styles like the Baroque Revival Immaculate Conception Church, a 1928 edifice reflecting the progress of Waterbury's Catholic immigrant communities. The last significant architectural style downtown,
5980-464: The City of Waterbury. Hayes received a 10–15 year sentence and served six years. Ironically, the massive corruption scheme was exposed with the help of then comptroller Sherwood Rowland, grandfather of Gov. John G. Rowland , who was convicted on corruption charges in 2004. What appeared to have been a defeat for Hayes was not really a victory for Pape, and the stage was set for further corruption in Waterbury in
6110-627: The Grand and Meadow corner, facing the station. It was complemented by the Georgian Revival Waterbury City Hall to the east designed by Cass Gilbert and completed in 1917, five years after the original building at Leavenworth and West Main was destroyed by an arsonist . Gilbert complemented it at the same time with the Chase Headquarters Building , for another one of the city's brassmakers. Other large buildings, mainly
6240-649: The Greater Waterbury area consists of multiple public transportation options. CT Transit through Northeast Transportation Company , operates a significant number of city buses running from Waterbury's city center at Exchange Place to various neighborhoods in the city. In 2014 the Hartford-New Britain Busway was opened, a local bus runs to Waterbury, Cheshire , Southington and New Britain an express bus to run between Waterbury and Hartford . Metro-North Railroad runs commuter trains multiple times
6370-477: The Masonic temple that shared a common elevator tower, were also built on the periphery of downtown. As it had when creating Waterbury Green, an early urban renewal program was undertaken to create the new Library Park at the intersection of Grand and Meadow streets. Old commercial buildings and tenements in the area were demolished, and the streets realigned and straightened to create an appropriate neighborhood for
6500-532: The Silas Bronson library moved from the Green to its current location on Grand Street, the first such move of a major public building. By the turn of the century Waterbury was producing 48 percent of all American brass. The strength of the city's industries, many of whom were building newer and larger facilities anyway, left it in a good position to recover from the 1902 fire which destroyed 42 buildings on three acres (1.2 ha) downtown, many newer construction in
6630-509: The Town Plot, Brooklyn, and North End neighborhoods. Additionally, the city is home to thriving Albanian , Cape Verdean , Brazilian , Portuguese , and Lithuanian communities. Waterbury also has a large Irish community, especially in the Washington Hill section which is home to the city's annual St. Patrick Day's Parade, which, oddly enough, is rarely held on St. Patrick's Day itself. At
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#17330935883566760-564: The Yeshiva Gedolah of Waterbury, which includes a mesivta high school and beit medrash (undergraduate) program for approximately 230 students, a Bais Yaakov school for girls, and a kolel . As of the end of 2014, the Waterbury Orthodox community numbers 180 families and includes a mikveh , eruv , and community services such as Hatzalah and Chaverim . There were 42,622 households, out of which 31.2% had children under
6890-419: The age of 18 living with them, 34.7% were married couples living together, 28.4% had a single householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.11. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.6% under
7020-410: The age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males. According to the 2014 5-year American Community Survey (conducted 2010–2014, data released December 3, 2015), the median income for a household in
7150-401: The arched second story windows, set with six-over-six trabeated sash, is a plain cornice and marble-topped parapet . The police wing, on the east, is mostly identical. A rear wing houses the jail. It has eleven bays at street level, and the main entrance is in the center of the west facade. Its rear bays have trabeated openings with bronze grilles. Inside the wall between the two wings is
7280-411: The area was recognized as a historic district and listed on the National Register of Historic Places . At that time, there were three listings on the Register within the district, including the municipal complex and a pair of houses listed together. Another old hotel has since been listed as well as a contributing property . The district is a 75-acre (30 ha) area between the railroad tracks along
7410-419: The beginning of the 21st century, Waterbury had a growing Orthodox Jewish population. Waterbury had a significant Jewish population beginning in the late 1800s, initially as a result of German immigration. The first synagogue in Waterbury opened in 1872. In the early 20th century, almost 9,000 Jews immigrated from Eastern Europe, with many fleeing persecution. The Orthodox Jewish community has experienced
7540-419: The building's flooring. The ceilings are enameled , and the door and window surrounds dark wood. The former Waterbury National Bank Building, now headquarters for Junior Achievement of Southwestern New England, is located on the southeast corner of Field and Grand. It is a four-story five-by-seven- bay structure faced, like the Chase Building on the far corner, in limestone. All four facades are finished;
7670-478: The buildings are primarily institutional, dominated by the row of buildings forming part of the Waterbury Municipal Center Complex , with large setbacks from the street and each other. There are some commercial buildings among them, and one major institutional building, the post office, is located in the eastern half. Downtown Waterbury's history has four distinct eras, the same as the city as
7800-485: The ceiling are octagonal panels with rosettes at the center. From it hangs a bronze chandelier with two levels of electric candles. The wall sconces , corner lights and door clock are original. A 1934 map of Waterbury has been substituted for an original decoration behind the mayor's chair. Due to the change in use, there is less original detail in the west chamber. The balustrade, wall clock and light fixtures are among those aspects that do. The ceiling, also original, has
7930-460: The central pavilion. The windows they divide are identical to those in the middle bays of the wing end second stories, with the third stories likewise fenestrated with shorter six-over-six. Two bronze lanterns flank the main entrance, with grille-covered four-over-four sash in the outside bays. The simple bronze door leads, as in City Hall, into a vestibule . Opposite it, across the central hallway,
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#17330935883568060-471: The city are: Waterbury has about 52,000 registered voters, of whom about 24,000 are Democrats. There are about 7,800 registered Republicans and the balance are largely unaffiliated, with a smattering belonging to minor parties. John S. Monagan , who was a prolific author in addition to his political responsibilities, served as Waterbury's mayor from 1943 to 1948. He also served as its district's congressional representative from 1959 to 1973. George Harlamon ,
8190-467: The city expanded and grew with them. Merchants moved into bigger buildings, such as the 1888 Romanesque Revival Platt Block and 1890 Queen Anne Hanlon Block on East Main Street. The 1894 Apothecaries' Hall, a seven-story flatiron -shaped building at Bank and South Main, has remained the focal point of Exchange Place ever since. Local architects who would make their mark on the district began to do at this time. Wilfred E. Griggs ' first building of note,
8320-529: The city grew and industrialized. Nearby Exchange Place, the junction of the city's streetcar lines, later emerged as a center for retailing . A devastating 1902 fire in that area led to more clearing and rebuilding. In its wake the city's government buildings were moved to a new municipal complex on Grand Street designed by Cass Gilbert , in accordance with the principles of the City Beautiful movement . Most of its buildings, large commercial blocks, date to
8450-418: The city was $ 41,136, compared to $ 69,899 statewide. In Waterbury, 24.2% of the population, or 26,122 residents of the city, lived below the poverty line, compared to 10.5% statewide. In Waterbury, 36.8% of the child population age 0–17, or 9,984 children in the city, lived below the poverty line, compared to 14% statewide. Waterbury's economic decline in the 1970s and 1980s resulted in it being ranked as having
8580-415: The city was 58.8% White , 20.1% Black or African American , 0.6% Native American , 1.8% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 14.2% from other races , and 4.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 31.2% of the population. Waterbury has a large Italian-American population with 21.46% of its residents claiming Italian heritage. The Italian influence is especially strong in
8710-406: The city's Chamber of Commerce , were modernized to an extent that their historic character was lost. Newer construction continued in the district, with the new UConn campus taking up much of the cleared land in the east, obliterating Spring and School streets in the process. A new Bronson Library was built in 1963, followed by a new state courthouse nine years later, in 1974. Downtown has remained
8840-633: The city. Waterbury produced silverware starting in 1858 by Rogers & Brother, and in 1886 by Rogers & Hamilton. In 1893, Rogers & Brother exhibited wares at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. In 1898, both companies became part of the International Silver Company , headquartered in nearby Meriden. Production continued at the R&;B site until 1938. Designs of the two companies are in
8970-747: The city. Rowland began work in February that year receiving an annual salary of $ 95,000 as the city's economic development coordinator funded in conjunction with the Greater Waterbury Chamber of Commerce. In 2011, the Board of Aldermen voted to eliminate funding the city's portion of his salary and in November 2011 Rowland stated he would give up his position when his contract expired thus ending his quasi-city employment. Later that year, following his victory over then Mayor Jarjura, new mayor Neil O'Leary created
9100-415: The closest commercial airports to Waterbury. The Waterbury Police Department was founded in 1853. The department has a police academy. Waterbury Fire Department is a full-time, paid fire department, which operates eight engine companies, three truck companies, one squad company, and one rescue company out of nine fire stations, divided into 2 battalions. One battalion is commanded by a Battalion Chief, and
9230-757: The collections of the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, the Brooklyn Museum in New York, the Yale University Art Gallery in New Haven, and in many historical societies and museums across the United States. In June 1920, labor unrest occurred, with striking workers fighting with police on the street. Over 30 were arrested, mostly Lithuanians , Russians , Poles , and Italians . The strikers numbered some 15,000, with most being employed at Scovill, Chase Rolling Mill, and Chase Metal Works. One striker
9360-624: The decade (themselves replaces with the current curved concrete paths in 1873). In 1884, to honor local veterans of the Civil War the Soldiers' Monument by George Edwin Bissell , was added. Four years later, the Welton Fountain, memorializing its donor's favorite horse, joined it at the opposite end of the park. Industry, at first located in that core, began moving to larger spaces further away from it as
9490-502: The deterioration of the building, and it was condemned by the city's building department. A bond issue was later passed to raise money for its restoration. The five buildings in the complex cover a 4.4-acre (1.8 ha) area of Grand and Field streets on the south edge of downtown Waterbury, just north of the Interstate 84 viaduct. City Hall and the Chase Building are on opposite sides of Grand between Church, Field and Leavenworth streets;
9620-536: The difficulty of farming the land. Several decades after the Revolution , its population was not much larger than it had been a century earlier. Industrialization began in the early 1820s, with makers of carriages, buttons and clocks attracted to the water power offered by the many streams draining into the Naugatuck in the area, the feature which had given the town its name. To serve them, some local businessmen went into
9750-429: The district, the open square at the junction of that street and North and South Elm streets. From there it follows a diagonal course along property lines, crossing Scovill and South Main streets to the junction of Bank and Grand streets. There it follows Grand westward, including the properties on the south side west of Cottage Place. It detours down Field Street in order to include the armory, then all of Library Park and
9880-504: The early 19th century when the city began to manufacture brass , harnessing the waters of the Mad River and Naugatuck River to power the early factories. The new brass industry attracted many immigrant laborers from all over the world, leading to an influx of diverse nationalities. Waterbury was incorporated as a city in 1853 and, as the "Brass Capital of the World", it gained a reputation for
10010-508: The east side they depict "Truth" as a woman contemplating a skull and "Prudence" as a woman gazing into a mirror; on the west are "Wisdom" as an aged man holding a lamp and "Order" as a female with a mace . The tower's lowest stage has corner pilasters and louvered flat-topped openings in all four sides. Above it is a blind balustrade with corner posts and swags. Pilasters frame arched openings. Another blind balustrade, its corners topped with urns, has clocks in all four faces. The final stage
10140-466: The economic center of the city and its surrounding region of the Naugatuck Valley , with many local banks still clustering their offices around the Green. In the early 2000s neglect of City Hall led to the city's own building department citing it as unsafe. In 2006 a $ 48 million bond issue for renovations was rejected by voters in a referendum . The next year the city's Board of Aldermen put together
10270-405: The end of the vestibule is a door with elliptical fanlight, leaded sidelights and Adamesque detailing. Off to the right is an office and waiting room. It has another tribute to Lincoln, a shield-shaped marble plaque with the entire Gettysburg Address on it above a facsimile of Lincoln's signature. At the top is a bas-relief of Lincoln below an eagle in flight. Behind the vestibule door
10400-423: The end sets, and the pavilion bays, have bronze geometric balconies with center medallions. A thin terra cotta belt course with gougework and geometric shapes sets off the third story. The pavilion has trabeated six-over-six sash flanked by blind bays at its end, and the end bays have circular bas-reliefs , depicting, from east to west, "Industry" as a workman amid gears and cogs, the city seal, "Commerce", as
10530-428: The fan. Beneath them are wooden panels decorated with the same wave pattern used in City Hall's parapet panels. The corners are emphasized with slight recess and pilasters . As with the other two buildings, pilasters , here with Corinthian capitals, spring from a stringcourse above the first story to divide the bays of the second and third stories, forming a balustrade. Six-over-six trabeated double-hung sash on
10660-440: The former American Brass Company headquarters. After following Meadow Street back to Grand, it follows State Street back to the northwest corner. Leavenworth Street, in the middle of the district, divides the two major uses of the district. To its east are more commercial blocks, with buildings packed densely, covering most of their lots, centered on Exchange Place, the blocks between East Main, Leavenworth, Bank and Grand. West,
10790-403: The headquarters of local banks, filled out Grand Street. These were all part of a conscious attempt, following the contemporary City Beautiful movement , to provide impressive vistas both approaching and leaving the commercial center at Exchange Place, now the hub of the city's trolley lines. During World War I the city's brass mills were in constant operation for military contracts, first from
10920-442: The junction of the main east–west and north–south routes of the city, established itself as the central business hub of the city. The Greek Revival buildings on those blocks reflect that era. Waterbury Green continued to develop, surrounded by a mix of public and private buildings, including City Hall, the library, and some private houses. The first monument, a flagpole, was added in 1851, joined by rectilinear dirt pathways later in
11050-411: The latter of which runs around the entire building. All the other three facades are similarly treated. On the east (rear) the entrance is at ground level, and the windows are correspondingly dropped to provide better lighting at that level. The south side has a centrally located basement entry, matched by a smaller sash in the center of the north facade. Marble steps lead up to the main entrance, in
11180-422: The middle 11 bays project slightly to form a small pavilion . Atop the first story of that pavilion is a blind paneled balustrade. Large fluted composite pilasters divide each bay, set with recessed nine-over-nine double-hung sash and projecting cornice caps in the pavilion and full round-arched windows on the ends. At the end of the pavilion are narrow sash windows with bronze grilles. The center bays of
11310-537: The middle of the west elevation. Its ornate surround has engaged columns on marble bases topped by a plain frieze and open pediment . Inside that pediment is the entrance fanlight , with a molded surround of its own topped by a keystone. The door itself has deep panels, six horizontal ones atop two vertical. It opens into a small vestibule . Originally on the walls were marble plaques with more Lincoln quotes, including " With malice toward none, and with charity towards all ..." from his second inaugural address . At
11440-464: The middle stories. The two largest, City Hall and the Chase Building, have an opposite configuration. Many of the same decorative patterns are used on all the buildings. One in particular is the use of quotations from Abraham Lincoln . This is interesting since Lincoln never visited Waterbury nor had any particular connection with the city. It is possible that they reflect a renewed interest in Lincoln in
11570-496: The new Waterbury Union Station , which opened in 1909. Although outside the district, its 240-foot (73 m) clock tower , modeled on the Torre del Mangia in Siena , Italy, has since become the city's distinguishing landmark owing to its dominance of the skyline. Within the future district, American Brass, the city's largest employer, built its Renaissance Revival headquarters in 1913 at
11700-478: The north side of the city was devastated by a high-end F3 tornado that caused widespread damage, destroyed numerous neighborhoods, and left one dead and 50 injured. Damage from the storm was estimated to be at least $ 5 million. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 29.0 square miles (75.0 km ), of which 28.5 square miles (73.9 km )
11830-596: The other a Deputy Chief, who serves as the Tour Commander each shift. * Consolidated borough and town Waterbury Municipal Center Complex The Waterbury Municipal Center Complex , also known as the Cass Gilbert National Register District , is a group of five buildings, including City Hall, on Field and Grand streets in Waterbury, Connecticut , United States. They are large stone and brick structures, all designed by Cass Gilbert in
11960-399: The other buildings in the area. It also has brick quoins and a flat roof. It is likely the only remaining structure in the neighborhood that predates the construction of the buildings, built around 1900. Originally it was used as a power station. Gilbert, who hoped to make it part of a theater that would have been the complex's sixth building, called it the "Power House" on those plans. It
12090-448: The other four are on the east side of Field. Immediately adjacent are some other public buildings: a National Guard facility to the south; the city's post office and a federal court building on the east along the south side of Grand (across from a row of commercial buildings), a state courthouse and the Silas Bronson library and its park to the west. Located on the south side of Grand, City Hall has three sections. A large main block faces
12220-401: The past, and may be listed themselves in the future. The two-acre (8,000 m) park between North, East and West Main and Leavenworth streets, the symbolic center of the city, links Waterbury to its early years, as a renovated fragment of the original town common . Over the course of the 19th century it assumed its current configuration with curved concrete walkways. Since its creation it has been
12350-428: The pavilion ends and above the three center bays are panels with vertical gougework in a wave pattern. The center is further decorated with the inscription Quid Aere Perennius , Latin for "more lasting than brass." On the east and west sides are a central entrance with steps on either side. Above it is an arched tablet with an inscription: " Impartiality is the life of Justice as Justice is of all government. Justice
12480-537: The peak years of the city's industrial prosperity, the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A few earlier buildings survived a devastating 1902 fire. Among them works by locally and nationally prominent architects, the latter group including Henry Bacon and Henry Dudley in addition to Gilbert. They include a variety of contemporary architectural styles , particularly the Second Renaissance Revival , Georgian Revival and Romanesque Revival modes. In 1983
12610-511: The person of its architect, Joseph A. Jackson , himself the son of an Irish immigrant builder. Wealthier residents built grand homes on West Main Street, like the John Kendrick House , as the expansion of the commercial district began pushing residential use out of that area. Houses of worship such as Henry C. Dudley 's 1873 St. John's Episcopal Church, and Henry Congden's Trinity Episcopal Church, ten years later, followed them. In 1894
12740-478: The police and fire departments, courts and jails. In keeping with the contemporary City Beautiful movement , the complex included other large-scaled buildings in its "court of honor", such as Chase's headquarters , a building named Lincoln House for the city's charitable organizations and a dispensary . Similar architectural characteristics and motifs unite the buildings thematically. They have flat roofs, rusticated ground levels, and pilasters dividing bays in
12870-461: The position of Economic Development Director as part of his new administration, removing the duties from the Chamber of Commerce and bringing them directly into City Hall, making Economic Development a cornerstone of his administration. Ron Pugliese was hired as the first director to hold the position. Public schools are operated by Waterbury Public Schools , under the leadership of a superintendent and
13000-575: The quality and durability of its goods. Brass and copper supplied by Waterbury were used in Nevada 's Boulder Dam among myriad applications across the United States. A famous Waterbury product of the late-19th century was Robert H. Ingersoll's one-dollar pocket watch , five million of which were sold. After this, the clock industry became as important as Waterbury's brass industry. Evidence of these industries can still be seen in Waterbury, as numerous clocktowers and old brass factories have become landmarks of
13130-405: The roof cornice has rosettes or patera atop each pilaster. In the middle of the wings, and above the central pavilion, is a solid panel. That above the pavilion has "CHASE" carved in it. The north (rear) facade is less ornate but also well-delineated. A balustrade runs along the flat roof; there is a penthouse in the center. Four fluted Tower of the Winds columns rise from the balcony level of
13260-401: The same center rosettes as its eastern counterpart but with square panels on the outer portions. Facing city hall from the other side of the street, the Chase building's 21-bay south (front) facade is 243 feet (74 m) in length, making the Chase building wider than city hall which it complements by reversing the facade planes. An iron fence with small trees runs along the sidewalk; from it
13390-523: The same location. In July 2006 former president Bill Clinton made a campaign appearance at the Palace Theatre for Senator Joe Lieberman during his campaign for re-election to the U.S. Senate . Shortly after the Democratic primary, Tom Swan, campaign manager for Lieberman's opponent Ned Lamont , described Waterbury as a place where "the forces of slime meet the forces of evil," after a large majority of
13520-423: The second floor are topped with cap cornices. Above them the third level windows are plainer and shorter trabeated six-over-six. Above the third story is a full entablature with gouge work and medallions topped by a broad dentilled and modillioned cornice . The fourth-story windows are the same as the ones below. Above them is a slightly less broad dentilled cornice supporting a small parapet . The entrance
13650-462: The second half of the 20th century. Waterbury was in serious financial straits due to years of mismanagement, resulting in the city's finances being taken over by the State of Connecticut. The State Oversight Board oversaw city business for several years and have since left following consecutive years of balanced budgets. In 1992 former Mayor Joseph Santopietro was sentenced to nine years in prison following
13780-475: The settlement was admitted as the 28th town in the Connecticut Colony in 1686, the name was changed to Waterbury in reference to the numerous streams that emptied into the Naugatuck River from the hills on either side of the valley. At that time, it included all or parts of what later became the towns of Watertown , Plymouth , Wolcott , Prospect , Naugatuck , Thomaston , and Middlebury . Growth
13910-504: The similarly styled Elton Hotel on West Main across from the Green the next year and the Masonic Temple further down the street in 1912. Such large-scale buildings ensured downtown remained the city's economic center, at the cost of driving all remaining residential use out. Residential buildings that remained were converted to institutional use; large apartment blocks like the 1910 Jacobethan Hitchcock and Northrop, two buildings next to
14040-461: The steps leading from the street. On either side of the entourage are large flagpoles on bronze bases inside grass parterres bordered by small hedges. At the rear of the parterres are marble urns with fountains flanking the balustraded entrance steps. On the north (front) facade , the first-story marble is rusticated . Trabeated six-over-six double-hung sash windows are slightly recessed in arched surrounds. The corners are slightly recessed;
14170-422: The street, with two projecting rear wings on the south housing the police and fire departments. They are connected by a rear section to form a courtyard . A garage has been added to the fire station since construction. The main block is a three-story, 17-by-3- bay (203 feet (62 m) long by 46 feet (14 m) high) Georgian Revival structure, faced in marble on its first story and brick with marble trim on
14300-452: The swampy, neglected two-acre (8,000 m) remnant of the town common around which many of the original settlers had built their homes. In the following years the town drained and graded the area, realigned streets around it and moved the meeting house off the land. In 1842 it was fenced off, ending its use as pasture , and seven years later it was officially named Center Square, although the original name of Waterbury Green has prevailed over
14430-490: The time. In the wake of a 1902 fire that had destroyed a portion of downtown, the Chases and other local businessmen saw an opportunity for urban renewal . Cass Gilbert won the competition to design a new complex a few blocks from the old city hall building (since demolished) on West Main Street. Unusual for the time, the complex would house not just the mayor and city council but the public safety functions of city government such
14560-408: The top has the date "1915" carved within. At the landing next to this window the stairs divide. They are girded by an iron balustrade with bronze railing. The stairwell is further balustraded with a stylized compass in the center and a wave beneath the rail. In the second floor hallway, decoration is more restrained. It has marble floors, wainscoting , door and window surrounds and pilasters but
14690-515: The town's voters backed Lieberman. Swan claimed he was referring to former mayor Philip A. Giordano and former governor John G. Rowland . Governor John G. Rowland served ten months in a federal prison until February 10, 2006. He was released from federal prison with the stipulation that he serve four months house arrest with an electronic ankle bracelet monitor until June 2006. In January 2008 Waterbury Mayor Michael Jarjura announced that he would hire Rowland as an economic development advisor for
14820-630: The upper deck and westbound traffic on the lower deck. The interchange is ranked as one of the most heavily congested traffic areas in the New York/Connecticut region. Waterbury–Oxford Airport is the primary airport serving the city. The smaller Waterbury Airport is about 4 miles (6.4 km) from the city's central business district. Bradley International Airport ( BDL ) in Windsor Locks and Tweed New Haven Airport ( HVN ) in East Haven are
14950-461: The upper two. Atop its flat roof is a small penthouse , from which a four-stage tower rises. It is set back 80 feet (24 m) from the street to allow for a fountain plaza Gilbert referred to as the entourage. The entourage is a rectangular area, reached by steps from the street, with a paved oval at the center. In the middle of the oval is a round marble fountain within a round catch basin . Six carved light standards, each with two lamps, flank
15080-479: The venue for many public events such as troop musters during wartime, demonstrations against those wars and economic hardship during the Panic of 1893 and Great Depression , and speeches by John , Robert and Ted Kennedy . It has four monuments, all but one of which are contributing objects to the district: Waterbury's zoning code recognizes the downtown area as its Central Business District (CBD). Its purpose
15210-419: The wake of the centenary of his birth or the 50th anniversary of his death , both recent occurrences at the time of the complex's construction. The headquarters building and Lincoln House have since been converted to other uses, mainly private office space and additional city offices. City government continues to occupy City Hall. By the end of the 20th century the decline of the city's industries had led to
15340-412: The walls themselves are plaster. The pilasters are topped with Roman Doric capitals that support a decorated frieze and dentilled cornice. In the metopes are painted vases and medallions. The ceilings are plain. The original mayor's office is directly opposite the top of the stairs. It has freestanding fluted Roman Doric columns in the entrance. Fluted wall pilasters and marble wainscoting supporting
15470-486: The west of the vestibule is a panel with gilded letters both serving as a building directory and dedication plaque. Entrances are set in arcaded surrounds with medallions; the stairway and vestibule arches have eagle keystones . Atop the wall is a frieze with a center lamp between griffins holding ribbons and garlands . The coffered ceiling is painted with triangles and rosettes. Round hanging bronze glazed lanterns with clustered bulbs provide light. The front lobby
15600-419: The wings are six-over-six in a slightly recessed arch with pedimented lintel on consoles. They have a small balcony with iron guardrails. A stringcourse around the building sets off the third story and forms its window sills. The central section has six-over-six with a plain surround. On both second and third stories of the wings' south face they are flanked by narrower four-over-four sash. The frieze below
15730-500: The worst quality of life of 300 U.S. metropolitan areas by Money Magazine in 1992. Waterbury was also rated as one of the "Worst Places for Businesses and Careers in America" by Forbes Magazine in April 2008. Regardless, the city was named on the 100 Best Places to Raise a Family list in the same year. According to the city's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in
15860-403: The years. Few buildings remain anywhere in Waterbury from the city's early years, due to the extensive rebuilding that followed. The dearth, in a region where many communities have 18th- and sometimes 17th-century buildings extant, is such that the local historical society has printed a brochure explaining the lack of such structure in Waterbury to visitors, and the city's daily newspaper once ran
15990-586: The zone. These include tax abatements and financing for eligible businesses, those which use modern technology to conduct their business. Private businesses, landowners, residents and city officials have also joined to create Main Street Waterbury. Its goal is "to increase the political, physical, and economic value of Downtown Waterbury [through cooperative efforts]." It promotes the cultural and business opportunities available downtown for residents and visitors alike. Waterbury, Connecticut Waterbury
16120-442: Was contained within their neighborhood. Downtown, a short walk away, was "the city", offering live theater, fancy stores, parades and spectacles. As of the census of 2010, there were 110,366 people, 42,761 households, and 26,996 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,866 inhabitants per square mile (1,493/km ). There were 42,761 housing units at an average density of 1,492.0 per square mile. The racial makeup of
16250-544: Was in the area now known as the Town Plot section. In 1675, the turbulence of King Philip's War caused the new settlement to be vacated until the resumption of peace in 1677. A new permanent location was found across the river to the east along the Mad River. The original Native American inhabitants called the area "Matetacoke" meaning "the interval lands." Thus, the settlement's name was Anglicised to "Mattatuck" in 1673. When
16380-487: Was later renovated and annexed to the bank building. On the east side of Field Street, south of the bank building, is Lincoln House. It is a three-story five-bay square Georgian Revival structure of brick laid in Flemish bond with marble trim. A flat roof is pierced by a brick chimney near the center of the north side. The west (front) facade has a slightly exposed basement with revetted four-pane sash windows . Above
16510-467: Was shot to death by police. At its peak during World War II , 10,000 people worked at the Scovill Manufacturing Co, later sold to Century Brass. The city's metal manufacturing mills (Scovill Manufacturing, Anaconda American Brass, and Chase Brass & Copper were the largest) occupied more than 2 million square feet (180,000 m ) and more than 90 buildings. On May 24, 1962,
16640-408: Was slow during Waterbury's first hundred years, the lack of arable land due to the constant flooding of the Naugatuck River in particular, discouraged many potential settlers. Furthermore, the residents suffered through a great flood in 1691 and an outbreak of disease in 1712. After a century, Waterbury's population numbered just 5,000. Waterbury emerged as an early American industrial power in
16770-514: Was the election eve visit on the Green by John F. Kennedy in 1960. Forty thousand people waited until 3am on the Green to greet Kennedy on Sunday, November 6, 1960. Sen. Kennedy spoke to them from the balcony of the Roger Smith Hotel (now called the Elton). Pierre Salinger later said it was the greatest night of the campaign. In September 1984 Ronald Reagan held a huge noontime election rally at
16900-487: Was the leading center in the United States for the manufacture of brassware (including castings and finishings), as reflected in the nickname the " Brass City" and the city's motto Quid Aere Perennius? ("What Is More Lasting Than Brass?"). It was also noted for the manufacture of watches and clocks ( Timex ). The city is alongside Interstate 84 (Yankee Expressway) and Route 8 and has a Metro-North railroad station with connections to Grand Central Terminal . Waterbury
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