Avon Congregational Church, 6 West Main Street, Avon, Hartford County, CT

Significance: The Avon Congregational Church Meeting House, built in 1819, is considered to be among the finest works of skilled local architect/builder David Hoadley. He designed numerous churches and residences in the New Haven and Middlesex counties of Connecticut that demonstrate noted skill and knowledge of the refined architectural styles of the early nineteenth century. As with many master builders of the period, Hoadley relied uponbuilder's guides of the period. In fact, his design for Avon Meeting House closely resembles a design by Asher Benjamin featured in "The American Builder's Companion." With its soaring steeple and elegant Federal period architectural detailing, the building represents the quintessential New England meeting house. Also emblematic is its location on the Town Green, situated at a busy intersection within the Central Connecticut town of Avon, population approximately 18,000.

The significance of this nearly 200-year-old church is reflected in its listing on the National Register of Historic Places. In recognition of its importance, as-built architectural drawings were completed in 1993 by Avon Congregational Church longtime member and retired engineer Chester A. Case, Jr. Mr. Case's drawings, included as part of the HABS documentation, show the interior and exterior of the meeting house in extraordinary detail. They document the design of a New England meeting house by a prominent designer of the early 1800s, reflecting the prevailing taste in high-style ecclesiastical design of the period.

Survey number: HABS CT-480

Building/structure dates: 1819 Initial Construction

Building/structure dates: 1858 Subsequent Work

Building/structure dates: 1833 Subsequent Work

Building/structure dates: 1854 Subsequent Work

Building/structure dates: ca. 1985 Subsequent Work

Building/structure dates: 1869 Subsequent Work

Building/structure dates: 1919 Subsequent Work

Building/structure dates: 1936 Subsequent Work

Building/structure dates: 1949 Subsequent Work

National Register of Historic Places NRIS Number: 72001342

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1939 - 1970

Library of Congress

https://www.loc.gov/

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