This building is set inside the larger triangle of property bordered by Whitney Avenue, Temple St, Trumbull, and, most importantly, on the South side, by the erstwhile Farmington Canal, and later New York New Haven and Hartford railroad (Northhampton Division). The canal, built between 182 and 1828 brought important circulation to the area, but was soon overshadowed, practically and financially, by the railroad which was built adjacent to it, piecemeal at first (known as the New Haven-North Hampton RR when first built in 1848) and later incorporated as part of the New York New Haven and Hartford Railroad, in 1872-75. Already by the middle of the19"' century, the property was a prime manufacturing hub, due to its proximity to the canal and later, the rail. Soon after the was built, foundries, oil burning plants, and manufacturing sprung up on the area. The land fronting Whitney across from Howard Street was at least partially owned by the New Haven Manufacturing Company, opposite. At least some of the land was also owned by Cornelius Scranton Bushnell, an entrepreneur and engineer who came to New Haven at age 15, and by age 20, in 1848, began investing in New Haven properties. By 1858, he was working on the New York New Haven Railroad. Bushnell is most famous as a Civil War hero, known for his work on the US Navy's battleship Monitor. After the war, Bushnell continued to acquire land north of the McLagon Foundry (in 1866 New Haven's leading foundry), excepting a small holdout, still owned by the New Haven Manufacturing Company. Bushnell died in 1896, but his estate remained intact, under the name of his first wife: the Emily Bushnell Estate. During this time, the New Haven Manufacturing Company was developing its small plot of land across from the major factory with mainly wooden buildings. However, by 1888, the company, which machined tools such as planers,lathes, and other medium-weight equipment, had constructed its first masonry building on Whitney's west side. Surrounded by the Bushnell estate, this building was two stories, with a third level-attic type space under the eves. The window layout and hints at the original wall structure suggest that the first floor was divided space for offices, administration, etc, while the second story was open manufacturing floor. The New Haven Manufacturing Company owned the space until 1923, when the Timkin-Detroit Oil Burning Company moved in. Timkin ' s briefstint gave rise to the trend which has occupied the building until today- short to medium term occupation by small business, office, and retail.



By 1925, this building was known as 52 Whitney, and Timkin was sharing its space with the Bradly Plumbing Company. By 1931 , the nearby Buckley Scott Oil Burners (at 56) must have driven Timkin away. The building was now occupied by the Chamberlain metal Weather Strip Co, Hoyt Grand Power Plant Equipment, and the CT committee on Public Service information. During the 30's, the building fell into a pattern that would maintain it for the rest of the century: storefront retail, first floor; small businesses, second floor, and more offices or residential apartments, third floor. Over the years, the lower levels contained: Bostwick Antiques; Smerling Light Manufacturing; Benjamin Beck, Druggist; Hahn Engineers, engineering equipment retail, and myriad real estate, accounting, and law offices. By the 40's, the building had adopted its current 53-54-56 numbering, and, though its business levels stood vacant, intermittently, the upper levels were adapted, making them more comfortable for residential purposes. (The dormers and windows on the third floor were added sometime between the late 30's and the 50's) In addition to Hoyt-Grant Power Plant suppliers in the 40's, long term occupants include Kirby Accounting, Krevit Real Estate, Resnick and Driscoll Lawyers in the 50's and 60's, Bruce Music Company and Pianos as well as Reliance Typewriter in the 70's, and, by 1978, we saw the arrival of our first currant occupant: Bryn Mawr Books, stuffed back into the building's small alleyway appendage. Dunkin Donuts moved into the space in the late 80' s, replacing Olympic Typewriter, and at the turn of the century,  Kanevsky Art replaces Anthony's Hair excellence. Bryn Mawr and Dunkin Donuts are still in Business, while the Kanevsky space is currently unused. No residential has occupied the upper floors for several decades. Due to the "mundane" nature of this building, I expect people had little reason to photograph it-I have not turned up many pictures. However, one, taken in the early 30' s, showed the Chamberlain Metal Weather Strip Company, with familiar parallel parking in front of it. The building's facade was almost identical to the current incarnation, with the exception of the additional upper story dormers. The original brickwork appears to remain, and while the woodwork must surely have been replaced several times since the building's inception it seems to have remained almost identical in execution. The building was originally constructed in a spare, utilitarian, though not unattractive style, and because of this-square open floor plans with little ornament- we have been able to see such constant, varied occupation with little change to the original structure.