The Boarding House is the only surviving residential structure of the industrial village that centered on Eli Whitney’s Armory along the Mill River. It was here that Whitney made rifles for the United States Government in the early 19th century and worked to develop the concept of interchangeable parts. Remaining structures from the village include an early storehouse, Whitney’s barn, and the Boarding House.

A later industrial building across Whitney Avenue currently houses the Eli Whitney Museum, which is dedicated to presenting and interpreting the inventive genius of Eli Whitney.

 

The Boarding House was designed exclusively for workers and was one of the first industrial workers’ housing projects in the state. The larger spaces on the ground floor, which were originally the kitchen and schoolroom, now provide meeting space and library shelves. The smaller former bedrooms on the second floor afford ideal office space.

When Preservation Connecticut acquired the building in 1989, it had been covered with non-original siding and had lost most of its original sash.  After a careful restoration, the organiziation moved in.

Recent projects have included weatherizing the building’s windows, restoring the exterior, surface restoration, clapboard repair, and the installation of solar panels.  Keep tabs on the latest work on the Boarding House through our blog!