Old Middletown High School

This building occupies the southwest corner of Court and Pearl Streets. It is situated in a modestly scaled nineteenth century urban residential neighborhood. Although integrated into its surroundings, the old high school stands out because of its greater scale, Romanesque style, and education function. Historic Use: High School Current Use: Elderly Housing Built in 1894 - 1896, this building was Middletown's second high school. The Hartford firm... more

This building occupies the southwest corner of Court and Pearl Streets. It is situated in a modestly scaled nineteenth century urban residential neighborhood. Although integrated into its surroundings, the old high school stands out because of its greater scale, Romanesque style, and education function. Historic Use: High School Current Use: Elderly Housing Built in 1894 - 1896, this building was Middletown's second high school. The Hartford firm of Curtis and Johnson designed the structure in Romanesque style. The building for which no expense was spared in materials or design, set an innovtive standard for the educational facilities of its day. The use of different materials (Pompeian brick, brownstone, and terra cotta) produces a rich textural effect on the exterior. A turret on the northest corner, the use of round compound arches, and an overall asymmetrical plan are typical of the Romanesque style. In 1912 a large wing designed by Charles Scranton Palmer of Meriden was added to... less