Veazey and White Bell Company

10-12 Summit Street • East Hampton, CT • Middlesex County

Historical Significance

In the last quarter of the nineteenth century, industrial competition was intense. With an overcrowded field, trade secrets were no longer shared with competitors, but jealously guarded (the first patents were taken out at this time); smaller undercapitalized firms went out of business.

Photo: 10 Summit Street, view south showing façade and west elevation. (Tod Bryant)

Photo: 12 Summit Street, view east showing façade and additions to east elevation. (Tod Bryant)

The factory built by Veazey and White on Summit Street in 1860 is the earliest brick mill remaining in the town of East Hampton. Hiram Veazey's career pattern was quite typical. The son of a farmer, he learned the bell trade in one of the early water-powered shops in the 1830s before going into business for himself. His partner, Alfred White, was the first to successfully cast larger brass bells used in churches and schools. Many of their employees were Irish immigrants.

Sources

Cunningham, Jan and John Herzan. Belltown Historic District, National Register of Historic Places nomination. 1985.

Notable Features of Building or Site

There are two buildings in this complex. Ten Summit Street is a side gable building which faces north onto a parking lot. It has a low-pitched roof with exposed rafter tails, which is typical of Italianate industrial buildings. The facade is divided into twelve bays by brick pilasters. The west elevation of this building faces summit Street and it is divided into four bays by brick pilasters. All windows have been replaced.

Twelve Summit Street is an industrial building with several sections, which has evolved over time. The main block is an end gable building which resembles the related building to its south. It is an end gable that faces west onto Summit Street. It has a low-pitched roof with exposed rafter tails, which is typical of Italianate industrial buildings. The facade is divided into five bays by brick pilasters. The north and south elevations of this building faces summit Street and they are divided into seven bays by brick pilasters. Four blocks have been added to the east elevation.

Interrelationship of Building and Surroundings

These buildings it in the midst of what was once a small industrial area. They are one block east of Main Street.


Additional Information

Date(s):  Built: 1860-1914
Historic Use:  manufacturing
Present Use:  Offices, commercial, retail


Accessibility:
Exterior visible from public road.


Top ] [ Back ]