First Congregational Church of Washington, CT

This happy little town has a polished look about it. It offers a wealth of potential discoveries for those who are traveling the back roads of Connecticut.

The city was the fifth in our country to receive the name of Washington in honor of Pres. George Washington in 1779. The village was settled by a Mr. Joseph Hurlbut in 1734. Its original name was Judea. Once the village got large enough for its occupants to petition to be incorporated as a town, they changed the name to its present day title of Washington.

It has been said by some that the town of Washington is one of the best preserved and most attractive towns in all of the state of Connecticut. The efforts of its citizens should be praised by those hoping to preserve their histories of small towns all throughout the colonial East of the United States.

This small town is marked by three historic districts. State law prohibits the erection, alteration, or demolition of any of the elements in those districts without a certificate of appropriateness from the historic District commission.

The Sunny Ridge Historic District includes Nettleton Hollow Road, Old Litchfield Rd., Romford Road, and Sunny Ridge Road. It is the smallest of the three historic districts but includes some beautiful and historic properties. This historic District is found on the eastern edge of town.

The Calhoun Street/Ives Road historic district takes in Baldwin Hill Road. This district is the largest historic district land wise in the town.

The Washington Green district is probably the most well known of the historic districts in the town. It includes Joseph Hurlbut’s original parish in what was once known as the village of Judea. This district housed some of the town’s best known original families. The district includes the properties found On Barnes Rd., Barry Bridge Rd., Green Hill Road, Kirby Rd., Parsonage Lane, Rossiter Rd., Roxbury Road, Wykeham Road, and Woodbury Road.

• First Congregational Church – this beautiful edifice surrounded by greenery and large trees. The church has been an active part of the community since its first gathering in 1741.
• Gunnery School – although this town is small and may border on the adjective of quaint, the town prides itself on the importance of education that they hold. This school is Washington’s most notable institution. Its sprawling campus occupies most of the area below the green. Its founder, Frederick W. Gunn, was born at this location in 1816. The school was established in 1850 with the motto that social, physical, and moral development is as important to human evolution as intellectual ability.
• Gunn Memorial Library and Museum – again, this Museum also is named after Mr. Gunn. It is housed in one of the historic houses and in the nearby village library. The 1781 structure displays furniture and artifacts (including clothing) of the 19th century era. The Library’s reading room has a beautifully painted ceiling that should really not be missed. Some members of the unity refer to their library as their “little Sistine.”
• Washington Depot – this area of town is a cluster of antique shops, bookstores, gas stations, and even the town hall. You’ll find a wide variety of artistic contributions in this area.
• Institute for American Indian Studies – the way of life for the Algonquian Indian tribe is featured in this permanent exhibit of Indian history in Connecticut. The Institute features are replicated Indian village complete with tree bark wigwams and a tribal center. They also provide a variety store within the museum.
• Geocaching in the Area – Geocaching (pronounced geo-cashing) is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking small treasures. Anyone can place a geocache almost anywhere in the world, pinpoint its location using GPS technology and then share the geocache’s existence and location online. Anyone with a GPS device can then try to locate the geocache. Click here for a list of Geocaches in the Washington, CT area.


Map of Washington, CT

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