John Fitch School


The John Fitch School is a historic former school building at 156 Bloomfield Avenue in Windsor, Connecticut, United States. Built in 1929 and twice enlarged, it is a prominent local example of the Beaux Arts style, and was the town's first purpose-built high school. Since 1988, it has served as Fitch Court, a senior housing complex managed by the local housing authority. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.

Description and history

The former John Fitch School stands west of Windsor's village center, on the north side of Bloomfield Avenue, between Mack Street and Hayden Avenue. It is a complex of three constructions, consisting of the original main block and two large ells. All are single-story or 1-1/2 story masonry structures, built out of buff brick with stone trim. The main block was originally covered by a distinctive green tile roof; this has been replaced by asphalt architectural shingles. At its center is an octagonal cupola with green dome. The main entrance is set in a recess framed by bracketed hood and topped by a Flemish gable, in which a bas-relief of the school's namesake is set in a medallion. John Fitch was a local militia member who died in King Philip's War.
The school was built in 1921-22 to a design by William Henry McClean, an architect from Boston, Massachusetts. The school was an unusual departure from Connecticut schools of the period, which were typically Colonial Revival in style and built out of red brick. Its two enlargements, in 1929 and 1934, added classroom capacity. The school was readapted as a senior housing facility in 1988.