Chaplin Historic District
The area that is now Chaplin was settled in the 18th century, its area divided between the towns of Mansfield, Windham, and Hampton. The impetus to separate the community occurred due to the difficulty of area residents in reaching the churches in those town centers. Benjamin Chaplin, who died in 1795, bequeathed funds for the establishment of a church near his (now no longer standing) home. A village center developed around the church, and the town was incorporated in 1822. The village is unusual in Connecticut for its relatively late development, and thus survives as a good example of early 19th-century town planning. Because the center is not near usable water power, and was bypassed by railroads, it was not affected by later industrialization, and was further preserved when Connecticut Route 198 was routed past it in the 20th century.
See also
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ "NRHP nomination for Chaplin Historic District". National Park Service. Retrieved January 8, 2015.