Hartford & New Haven Railroad Freight Depot, Windsor Connecticut
The Hartford and Springfield Railroad began service through Windsor in December 1844. At that time, a depot was built on the site. In May 1847, the Hartford and Springfield Railroad merged with the Hartford and New Haven, retaining the latter name. The original depot was replaced with the current passenger building in 1871. It was during this period that the freight depot was built. An 1869 map shows a building on this site. It could be the current freight depot or the former depot that was razed for the current building. In 1872, the Hartford and New Haven Railroad merged with the New York and New Haven Railroad, forming the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. This merger created the largest and most powerful railroad in New England.
The railroad stop in Windsor Center was a major factor in the extensive residential and commercial development which took place during this period. The railroad claimed that it was a 12-minute train ride from Windsor to Hartford, making it an easy commute for Hartford businessmen as well as an efficient way to ship goods.
This building has a simple form typical of 19th century utilitarian commercial architecture. There is a Gothic influence to the building, which is reflected in its vertical details, its proportionately narrow width, and exposed rafter ends and purlins.
This building is rectangular in shape. It is one story in height and has no basement. The structure's dimensions are 28'9" (north and south elevations) x 112'6" (east and west elevations). In addition, buttresses protrude an additional 6" on the east and west sides. The buttresses delineate 11 bays on each side.
The walls are constructed with red brick laid in seven course English bonding. Walls are three bricks or 11-1/2-inches thick. Brick dimensions are 7-1/2" x 3-1/2" x 2-1/4".
The primary facade (facing the tracks) has a compass orientation to the east. The actual site contains two buildings, the passenger depot and the freight depot as described in this document. These two buildings sit diagonally from each other, across the intersection of the tracks and Central Avenue.
