Union Station

 The most iconic building in Waterbury is about to enter a new era in its history. The Republican-American newspaper has been sold, and now the building is being sold as well (asking price is just under $5 million). Before the sale was announced, it looked like the building was going to be converted into apartments with restaurants or other types of businesses on the first floor. Whether or not that still happens will depend on the new owner. 

The future of the building is unknown, but I can tell you a bit about its past. Although best known now as the Rep-Am building, it was originally Union Station, constructed as a station on the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad line. Construction was completed in 1909.

Postcard View of Union Station

When Union Station was built, it was the main entrance to Waterbury. Nearly everyone traveled by train, which meant that the train station was one of the most important and busiest buildings in town.

A History of the Miller & Peck Buildings

Two of the oldest buildings in downtown Waterbury are about to be demolished. Previous owners allowed the buildings to decay so badly that they can't be saved and are no longer safe to enter. The buildings have long been called Miller & Peck, since they were home to the Miller & Peck store for decades. I was recently asked about the history of the buildings and found far more than I expected.

The Miller & Peck buildings in 2023: north on the left, south on the right

 

The Miller & Peck buildings stand side-by-side on South Main Street. The building to the north (on the left when facing them) is white, with ornate Greek Revival columns flanking two-story windows. The building to the south (on the right when facing them) is blue and resembles a typical New England Greek Revival house, only bigger, with three floors under the pediment. (For ease of reference, I will call them "north" and "south" in the rest of this article.)

Both buildings were constructed out of wood almost two hundred years ago, with several additions built behind them over the course of a century. The National Historic Register nomination form for the Downtown Historic District lists the two buildings as having been constructed sometime around 1830.

I've spent the past few weeks poring through the Waterbury Land Records and various other sources tracing the history of the two buildings. A precise date of construction for either building has proven to be elusive, but what I have found is fascinating. There is undoubtedly more to find: this is merely a starting point.

My research here is focused on the history of the buildings. The history of Miller & Peck as a business is a story for another day.

Early Jewelers

From the 1670s through the 1830s, Waterbury was primarily a farming community. During the 1840s, Waterbury's industrial entrepreneurs and financial speculators helped transform the rural farm town into a bustling center of commercial activity. A growing middle class and increasing wealth of the upper class helped support the expansion of retail, personal services, and luxury goods.

Completion of the Naugatuck Rail Road in 1849 was essential to Waterbury's transformation. Having an affordable, efficient, and safe way to travel to New York City made Waterbury's economic growth possible. The town's population hovered around 3,000 people during the early 1800s. By the time the train arrived, the population was growing rapidly. By 1850, the town's population was just over 5,000 people and by 1860, it reached 10,000 people.


M. Richardson

M. Richardson may have been Waterbury's first jeweler, operating a store in the center of town during the mid-1840s. I have not yet been able to find any further information about him.

M. Richardson advertisement,
Waterbury American, 6 September 1845

Silas Bronson Library microfilm

Farewell to Trinity

The Trinity Episcopal Parish was formed in 1877 as an off-shoot of St. John's Episcopal Parish, in part because St. John's had grown very large. Additionally, the new Trinity parish adhered to precepts of a Catholic movement within the Episcopal/Anglican faith.

For the first six years, Trinity's parishioners worshiped in a former Universalist chapel on Grand Street. Construction of the beautiful granite Trinity Episcopal Church was completed in 1884, with the first service held there on May 18, 1884.

Trinity Episcopal Church in 1884; photo by Adt & Brothers, published in Waterbury and Her Industries

In a centennial history of Trinity Episcopal Church, it was noted that Trinity "can boast of having some of the most influential people in Waterbury's history as her parishioners. She can also claim the allegiance of three Connecticut governors, Templeton, Stearns and Lilley."

The book's preface was written by John J. McMahon, who wrote the following about the interior of Trinity:

As an outsider to the church I was deeply impressed by the interior. It is a building that, regardless of one's religious beliefs, should be seen. The architectural lines and handcrafted fixtures have a charm and majesty of their own not often seen in more modern ecclesiastical buildings. In Trinity one can feast his eyes upon a composition of unusual beauty and strength. Here, one can forget all about the hurried noises of downtown Waterbury. There is only the hushed air of a church that can match any other around in terms of elegance and character. 

The Gathering at Library Park 2018

I'm sorry to say I did not get in as much of The Gathering this year as I wanted. By the end of watching the parade, my back was killing me. The delicious Lithuanian beer helped mask the pain, but by about 3 p.m., I was ready to collapse and headed home early.

At any rate, here are the photos from what I was able to enjoy. There's always so much going on, and so many awesome things to try to experience. The photos barely skim the surface of all that happened at The Gathering.

Welcome from Ghana

The Gathering Parade 2018

Another year, another great day at The Gathering! I wasn't feeling my best, but there was no way I was going to miss out on this event.

As before, I'm posting photos of the parade first, then I'll do a second post of the events in the park.

Police Pipes & Drums

Trinity Episcopal Church

Last weekend, a friend drew my attention to a distressing post on the Facebook group, You Know You're From Waterbury When.... The post has since been taken down, but it showed photos of the former Trinity Episcopal Church on Prospect Street and stated that the Immaculate Conception parish was about to demolish the building. The post was followed by a flurry of responses from people who were horrified by the news. Several of the Immaculate's parishioners responded with some conflicting information. The church is owned by Immaculate Conception, which ran it as the Father McGivney Center for many years.

The former Trinity Episcopal Church, 2018

Since there were so many rumors and conflicting details, I reached out to Immaculate Conception asking for the correct information. No one has responded. Father Ford, who is in charge of the plans, has been out of the country in Portugal. Perhaps when he returns, I'll find out more details. In the meantime, here's what I know.

On the Trail of Calder in Downtown Waterbury

Five new public artworks, inspired by the work of Alexander Calder, were installed throughout downtown Waterbury on May 24. The dedication was held yesterday, beginning with a reception for the artists at John Bale Books. I wasn't able to attend, but since I work downtown, I get to enjoy the new art regularly.

We had our first look at the artwork last year during an open studio on Freight Street. Since then, the sculptures have been getting their finishing touches (and color) at White Welding.

They lend themselves to interesting photography, and they add a modern flair to downtown.

Rebirth by William Papaleo, Library Park

Library Park History

Plans to renovate Library Park were announced this weekend (Rep-Am, 23 March 2018), so it seems fitting to spend some time delving into the park's history.

Library Park was created during the 1890s and expanded during the early 1900s. The expansion was part of a civic improvement project that eventually led to the redevelopment of all of Grand Street. Cass Gilbert, the architect for City Hall and four neighboring buildings constructed for the Chase family, worked with the Olmsted Brothers landscaping firm to beautify Library Park during the 1920s. The most recent improvement to Library Park was the installation of the Harrub Performing Arts Pavilion in 1985. Library Park's history begins, however, with a colonial-era burying ground.

Library Park in 1899, when the park was a rectangle extending straight back from Grand Street. There was a steep drop-off to a low retaining wall which isn't shown in this map. Hall, Livery, and Cedar Streets were removed during the early 1900s, making room for an enlargement of the park. (Detail of a map in the collection of the Library of Congress)

Open Studio for On the Trail of Calder

Since October 2, a group of five artists from Italy have been working in an old factory on Freight Street, creating artwork inspired by Alexander Calder. The end result will be installation of five new sculptures in downtown Waterbury. Today was the Open Studio at the factory, giving the public a chance to preview the work and meet the artists.

Artist Eduardo Giannattasio greeting new arrivals to the studio. Giannattasio came up with the idea for the project, recruiting local resident Ann Marie Somma to help make it happen.

The Gathering in Library Park 2017

If the whole world got together for a party, it might look something like this. This was the fifth year of The Gathering, celebrating the many cultures that make Waterbury a wonderfully diverse city, with music, dance, food, and more.

It was hot in the sun, so the Italian ice vendors probably did very well.

The Gathering Parade 2017

Another year, another fabulous Gathering in downtown Waterbury! This annual festival celebrates the many different cultures that have found their way to the Brass City throughout its history. The event's slogan is "We all came from somewhere, now it's time to come together."

As in the past, I've divided up my photos into two blog posts: one of the parade, and one of the celebration in Library Park.

Lining up on East Main Street -- Dominican Republic

Whipping Post on the Green

There was a demonstration on the Green last week. I didn't see it myself, but photos have been showing up on Facebook. The issue in question is the controversial presence of the potentially centuries-old whipping post on the newly renovated Green. While many people have forgotten its original purpose and saw it as an innocent piece of history, in use as a bulletin board for centuries, others clearly recognized it as more than just a public notice board.

Photo from Jesus Papers' Facebook page, posted July 15, 2017.

The demonstration was performance art, as you can see from the photo, one of several circulating on Facebook right now.

ACT For America Protest in Waterbury

A group called ACT for America organized "March Against Sharia" protests in two dozen cities around the country. The protest in Connecticut was held in front of Waterbury's City Hall. A counter-protest was held in front of the Silas Bronson Library.

The scene at City Hall just after 10 a.m.

Welton Horse Fountain

The publication of Charles Monagan's novel about Carrie Welton has inspired renewed interest in the statue of a horse on the Green downtown. The novel is very good--I highly recommend reading it, especially if you have any interest at all in Waterbury's history. It blends fiction seamlessly with historical fact, making the past come alive. The Silas Bronson Library has copies of the book available to borrow. You can also buy a copy at John Bale Books on Grand Street, the Mattatuck Museum on the Green, or online at Amazon.com.

For whatever reason, I have always been very passionate about defending the horse that was the inspiration for the statue. If you're not familiar with the story, here's the gist of it: the horse was modeled after Knight, Carrie Welton's favorite horse; Knight, however, was responsible for the death of Carrie's father, Joseph Welton. The condensed version of the story, as it is often told, is "that's Carrie Welton's horse Knight, who killed her father." Very dramatic and memorable, but the full story is more nuanced.

Construction on the Green

The big public works project right now is the reconstruction of the Green downtown. The Green has been fenced off, and so far they've removed most of the sidewalks, lamp posts, benches, wood stanchions, and a few trees.

The Crafter's Classroom

There's a great new co-op storefront in downtown Waterbury: The Crafter's Classroom, 106 Grand Street. They opened with a ribbon cutting on Friday, and they already have some fun classes being booked.

Snowy Waterbury

I love walking in the snow, and today was a perfect day for doing just that.

Welton Carriage Shed.

The Gathering 2015

The third great year of a great event. Thousands of people, speaking dozens of different languages, with different cultures and different life experiences, all gathering together for a festival celebrating each others music, dance, clothing, food, culture.

As before, The Gathering started with a parade down East Main Street, around the Green, up Bank Street to Grand Street, and then to Library Park. The park was set up with stages for music and dance performances, and tents for vendors selling food and other goods from all over the world.

New Zealand (Rod Dixon)

The Gathering in Library Park

The second batch of photos I took at The Gathering. Music, dancing, food, and more!