Naugatuck Historical Society -

The Naugatuck Historical Society

P.O Box 317, 195 Water Street, Naugatuck, Connecticut 06770 USA
203-729-9039 email:

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NAUGATUCK HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM
formerly the Naugatuck Railroad Station

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND SIGNIFICANCE (Page 1 - Page 2 - Page 3)

John H. Whittemore was arguably Naugatuck's most influential citizen. Convinced of the civic and moral benefits to be derived from exposure to fine architecture, Whittemore literally transformed the center of Naugatuck. Although the City Beautiful movement that developed in the wake of the Columbian Exposition spawned the renewals of many major urban centers, few communities the size of Naugatuck experienced such an architectural renaissance. Not only did Whittemore design the present plan of the Naugatuck Green, he donated many of the important buildings that grace the downtown, all designed by McKim, Mead, and White. Among them is the present Congregational Church, the Howard Whittemore Memorial Library (built to honor a son who died young), and Naugatuck's first high school, literally a Neo-Classical Revival temple for education.

Born in Southbury, where his father was pastor of the Congregational Church, Whittemore came to Naugatuck as a young man and went into partnership with Bronson B. Tuttle. In 1858 they founded Tuttle & Whittemore, producers of malleable iron. Restructured several times with Whittemore as president, the company prospered by modernizing and diversifying production,. After Whittemore's death, the firm became part of Eastern Malleable Iron, a national corporation with its main office in Naugatuck. The local plant, which covered about nine acres and a workforce of 300 plus, has closed, but the company remains in business in other cities of the Northeast.

Although the genius and financial acumen of men like Tuttle and Whittemore were necessary, the industrial success of Naugatuck depended on the railroad, which came to town in 1849. Two lines converged there, the New England Railroad, which ran along the northern border and served Union City, an industrial village, and the Naugatuck Railroad, which ran north and south almost through the town center. Most major industries were located along the latter's right-of-way, including, in addition to Tuttle & Whittemore, the extensive factory complexes built by the rubber industry, which was started in Naugatuck by Charles Goodyear, a native son. Like most of Connecticut's rail system, both railroads were taken over by the New York, New Haven, and Hartford around the turn of the century.

As a director of that company, John H. Whittemore was in a position to influence the design and location of the new railroad station. In fact, he offered to help pay for its construction if he were allowed to select the architect. Even before the building was commissioned, Whittemore had envisioned a new station on this site, one that would be a suitable gateway to his own "City Beautiful." Never one for half measures, he already had relocated the railroad tracks and prepared the site. As was the case with many of the buildings that Whittemore commissioned and donated to the town, the new building was a replacement for an existing station. He turned to Henry Bacon to create this much grander and stylish structure. While it is not know if Bacon was involved in Whittemore's McKim, Mead, and White buildings, the architect had worked in Naugatuck, designing several minor buildings for his partner's family, including an investment office that handled the Tuttle finances. Work began on the station in 1908 and was completed by 1910, the year that Whittemore died. To honor the man and his impressive architectural legacy, the Whittemore Memorial Bridge was erected over the Naugatuck River at Maple Street. At his widow's request, the span was designed by Henry Bacon.

Next: Architecture, Henry Bacon, Architect
Compiled by: Jan Cunningham of Cunningham Preservation Assoc, LLC, 1998

Thanks to our Corporate Members

* New England Realty Group
* Buckmiller Funeral Homes
* Naugatuck Elks Lodge 967

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