From Essex Events, Winter 1997
"The Prospect Street area has
been
known by many names over the years. Initially, the name "Pound
Hill"
comes to mind, for in the latter part of the 18th century, a cattle and
swine "pound" was in evidence at the south end of this street.
The
primary reason for the storing of these animals here was for shipment
to
other places, primarily the West Indies. This was during the
latter
half of the 18th century. Thereafter (the first part of the 19th
century), and for obvious reasons, this road was called Church Street,
or "Zion Hill," as the Episcopal, Baptist, and Methodist congregations
met here. By the middle of the 19th century the name Prospect had
been applied, and has stayed that way since.
"An article in this paper about
a year ago discussed the "shifting" center of Essex. The
formation
of Essex Village churches follows this pattern precisely.
Originally,
the main spiritual focus was the First Congregational Church in
Centerbrook,
founded in 1722, with Abraham Nott as the first minister. With
the
sudden growth of entrepreneurship in Essex after the Revolutionary War,
centering on ship building, a distinct expansion and change of
spiritual
preference took place. Indeed, according to "A Statistical
History
of The County of Middlesex" by Reverend David Dudley Field, published
in
1819, Essex Village (Potapaug Point) and Middletown had the most
religious
diversity south of Hartford.
"The prime force behind this
economic
movement, Captain Uriah Hayden (builder of the ship "Oliver Cromwell"),
was paramount in the establishment of the Episcopal Church in
town.
This congregation was located in a building close to where the current
Steam Train station is. This was in the last decade of the 18th
century.
Within 10 years, this building was physically moved to the southwest
corner
of Prospect Street, where it served that congregation for almost 100
years.
The construction of the current St. Johns edifice on Main Street in
1897
(dedication) ended the stay of this denomination on "Church
Hill."
The building was sold to the Catholic Church and became the original
"Our
Lady of Sorrows." It was destroyed by fire in 1926, and the site
of the old Pettipaug House (a former hotel and dormitory for Hill's
Academy)
was chosen for the new "Our Lady of Sorrows." Interestingly
enough,
as the now newer "Our Lady of Sorrows" was being constructed this past
year, the foundation of this structure revealed some of the original
construction
features of 1848.
"By 1849 the Methodist Church was
put up by carpenter Frederick Gladding. This classic Greek
Revival
structure operated as a church well into the 19th century. It was
sold in 1945 to the Essex Fire Department and eventually became a
warehouse
for the local Verplex Company. The front façade of the
building
was sold to a group in Long Island, N.Y., but has since been
reproduced,
for it is now a private residence. Before this building went up,
the Methodists met in the "Town Hall," now a dwelling house, just south
of the Essex Fire Department, on the east side of Prospect Street.
"The building of the
Congregational
Church in 1852 completed a triangle of churches on the south end of
Prospect
Street. This was the first break from the "mother" Congregational
Church in Centerbrook, and the building itself has been enlarged twice
over the last 43 years. Sea Captain Isaiah Pratt, whose home was
originally positioned where the Essex Post Office currently stands,
specified
in his will that money he was leaving for the formation of a new high
school
be used for the education of children from this congregation
only.
The trustees of that will therefore made Pratt High School (currently
town
hall) a type of private school, essentially charging tuition, so all
could
attend. In effect, a use of the principle of the separation of
church
and state.
"The Egyptian Revival style
Baptist
Church, constructed in 1846 (with a new and different tower in 1929) is
actually the second Baptist Meeting House on this hill. The
original
brick church was across the street in the area of the Essex Fire
Department
parking lot. It was built in 1817 with money contributed by Jared
Hayden, and served the Baptist congregation until the new church was
built.
It is prominently shown in the famous "Barber" 1836 lithograph of Essex
and "Church Hill." In addition, a Baptist conference hall was put
up in 1837. This was sold to the town in 1845 for a school
building
and was known as the "Point School" until being disbanded in
1910.
It exists today as The Essex Art Gallery.
"In addition to the five
denominations
already mentioned, in 1947 the Christian Science Society constructed a
building between the so-called "Town Hall" and the Methodist Church
building.
This was originally a one story contemporary structure and served that
congregation until 1964 when it was sold. The Christian Science
Church
removed to the Old Post Road in Old Saybrook at that time, and has been
there since. This building has been altered several times and
remains
a private residence.
"Such is a very brief history of
the churches in this area. It must also be noted that the
Congregational,
Catholic, and Baptist Churches maintain parsonages on Prospect
Street.
Considering all this activity, it is all the more interesting that the
name was changed from Church Street to Prospect Street. However,
this hill does give a fine "prospect" of the "Great River," and
considering
that there were practically no trees when it was named as such, it was
probably a very logical move 160 years ago."
Note: this county and town is up for adoption.
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