The Common Council solves the problem of a neglected wedge on Asylum Avenue

11/20/1868 |

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The Courant reported that the Hartford Common Council had reached an agreement with several property owners to resolve a problematic piece of land that had been part of Asylum Avenue but was now outside of the existing street line.

More details

The wedge in question was 38,000 square feet in area.
In order to resolve this outstanding issue:

The City of Hartford ceded the ground of the old highway
“Mr. Huntington” donated the part of the wedge he owned east of Asylum Avenue
George Affleck sold the part of the wedge that he owned for $400

Improvements on this wedge included:

The removal of “dooryard fences” and hedges,
Raising the surface of the land to a uniform grade
Covering the land with topsoil and seeding it with grass
Installation of a new sidewalk, 750 feet in length, along the front and western lines of the property
Installation of 300 feet o few walks from the street to the front doors of existing houses
Installation of new fence, 700 feet in length.

The Courant estimated the cost of the improvements to be between $5000 and $6000. The cost was borne by adjoining property owners.
Work on the improvements began on or about October 1, 1868 and were now nearly finished.

And then there's this

According to the Courant, at least 15 different property owners participated in this project.
The city planned to plant shrubbery in the spring.
The Courant speculated that the city would also plant a light hedge inside the new fence.
The grading had been done by I. L. Cambridge.

Why this is important

This deal created the existing street lines of Asylum Avenue between Sigourney Street and Sumner Street.

Trust but verify

“Mr. Huntington” was probably Francis Huntington, who had owned the land along the north side of Asylum Avenue from Huntington Street to Sumner Street.
Although both Huntington and George Affleck gave up land for this deal, and both of them owned land on the north side of Asylum, it is more than likely that the improvements made were along the south side of Asylum.

Caught my eye

“It was an elephant on their hands, inconvenient to keep, and couldn’t be sold.”

For the record

The current street frontage of the properties on the north side of Asylum Avenue between Sigourney Street and Sumner Street is 845.7 feet.
The current street frontages of the properties along the south side of Asylum Avenue, from Sigourney Street to a point near Sumner Street at which Asylum Avenue bends to the northwest, is 774.5 feet.
Of the extant structures on Asylum Avenue between Sigourney Street and Sumner Street, the following would have been in place at this time:

847 Asylum Avenue
839 & 841 Asylum Avenue
Asylum Avenue Baptist Church
Asylum Hill Congregational Church
782 Asylum Avenue, at the time a two-family home (now condominiums)

An 1869 atlas of Hartford shows seven property owners on the north side of Asylum Avenue (Huntington’s slice of the wedge would make eight) and 15 property owners on the south side.
An 1855 map of Hartford shows Asylum Avenue entering Sigourney Street on its east side directly across Sigourney from pond. Asylum Avenue then leaves Sigourney Street on its west side north of the pond, and a small wedge on Asylum Avenue had been formed to carry travelers along Asylum Avenue around the pond.

Source

Unattributed. “Asylum Avenue Improvements,” Hartford Daily Courant, November, 20, 1868, page 2.

George Affleck

History

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