Heublein Tower
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| Heublein Tower | |
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| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
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| Location: | Simsbury, Connecticut |
| Built/Founded: | 1914 |
| Architect: | Smith and Bassette |
| Added to NRHP: | July 30, 1983 |
| Governing body: | Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection |
The 165-foot tall Heublein Tower located in Talcott Mountain State Park in Connecticut (USA) provides panoramic views of the Hartford skyline and the Farmington River Valley that are particularly spectacular in the fall.
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[edit] Origin
Gilbert Heublein was a magnate in the area of food and beverage, most notably as manufacturer of A1 Steak Sauce.
While hiking with his fiance Louise M. Gundlach on Talcott Mountain, he promised her that one day he would build her a castle there. [1]
[edit] Construction
Designed by Smith and Bassette to survive 100 MPH winds, and built by T. R. Fox and Son in 1914, the Heublein Tower served as Gilbert Heublein's summer home and retreat. Smith and Bassette also designed the north and south wings of Governor's Mansion in 1916. [2] Truly an architectural marvel, Mr. Heublein modeled this structure after buildings in his native homeland of Bavaria. Standing 165 feet tall and situated 1,000 ft. above the Farmington Valley, one can see for several hundred miles in all directions from the top floor observation lounge.
The structure consist of a steel frame of 12-inch girders achored into the bedrock of the mountain ridge. The four columns in the four corners extend up to the second level and are made of reinforced concrete. A system of cross-girder braces adds strength to the shaft and cross-beams support the floors. It was also the home of the first elevator in Connecticut. [3]
[edit] Historical significance
Due to anti-German sentiment in the United States during World War I, rumors circulated that the tower was being used to inform German ships of the location of Allied vessels. In order to stop the rumors, Heublein offered the use of the tower to the state and federal governments, both of which declined. [4]
Many famous people have been guests at the tower, where the Republican Party asked General Dwight Eisenhower to run for president. This same party was also attended by Prescott Bush, father of George H. W. Bush. [5] Ronald Regan also visited the tower in the 1950s while he was president of the Screen Actors Guild. [6]
During the 1940s and 1950s, WTHT, an FM station operated by The Hartford Times', used the tower as its antenna site.
[edit] External links
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