HISTORIC RESOURCES INVENTORY BUILDING AND STRUCTURES Norwich Heritage Trust, Inc, P.O.Box 185 Norwich, CT 06360	This Building sponsored by Rose City Renaissance
Building Name: 138-142	Historic Name: Robert Johnson's Store
Town/City: Norwich	County: New London
Address:138-142	Street: Main Street
Owners:Mark E. Block and Kent S. Baker	Private
Present Use: retail stores	Historic Use hardware store; shoe and boot store
Exterior is viewable to public	Interior is accessible	Explain: open during business hours
Style of Building: Greek Revival	Construction Date: c. 1846
Materials Brick	Structural System Load Bearing Masonry
Roof Gable Asphalt Shingle
Stories: 3	Dimensions: 35 x 38
Structural Condition: Fair	Exterior Condition: Fair
Alterations: new 1st floor storefronts windows altered
Outbuildings:
Environment: commercial High Building Density

Interrelationship of Building and Surroundings:

Relates well in scale to other commercial buildings along Main Street. The brick facade and Greek Revival style of the building make a significant contribution to the street-scape.

Features:

The facade is seven bays in width. The first floor storefronts are of 20th century date. A belt course with molding divides the second and first floors, forming a sill for the second floor windows. The second floor windows have stone lintels with hoods. One-over-one double-hung sash is used. Two windows have been altered to form a single window with a fixed glass pane. The third floor windows have stone sills and lintels. The lintels also have hoods. Six-over-six double-hung sash is used. Above the third floor, an entablature is raised slightly from the rest of the facade. Attic windows are set in the frieze. These are covered with cast iron grills of Greek Revival design. The roof has stepped parapets on either side.

Architect:

Builder:

Importance:

The present building was erected by the year l846 for Robert Johnson a hardware merchant who lived in the building and operated his store here. The building remained in the hands of Johnson's family until 1907, although it was rented in 1858 to Bidwell, Batchelder & Co. for a shoe and boot store. In 1907, it was purchased by the Plaut-Cadden Company. The building is a good example of the Greek Revival style and retains much of its original fabric, including the cast iron grills in the attic windows.

Sources:

Assessor's Records, Norwich

Building Evaluation Form, 1979

Chickering, Rambles About Norwich, 1886, p. 22.

Leavens, Francis J. Portraits in Slater Memorial, 1921, p. 30.

Norwich City Directories

Norwich Land Records vol. 540 p. 259; 361 p. 652; 130 p. 25; 40 p. 115; 54 p. 36; 64 p. 583; 584

Evaluations:

Threats None Private