Frederick Jordan and the Jordan Block

The Jordan Block, marked by a red star, was located across from the junction of Church and Main, in the area known as Lincoln Square. Sanborn Fire Insurance Company, June 1914. (Image courtesy of the Library of Congress)

Walking down the quaint streets of downtown Willimantic, one is entranced by the remnants of the past. Perhaps most striking are the aged brick storefronts that border the tree-lined sidewalks. These buildings are a staple of city centers across the country, owing their construction to the prosperity of the late 19th and early 20th century. What may surprise some, however, is just how many of these iconic commercial blocks have been lost over time. Whether from fires, natural disasters, or demolition, a great portion of Willimantic’s historic downtown no longer exists.
One of the largest fires in Willimantic history consumed the Jordan Block in 1916, destroying what was a stunning example of ornate wood and brick architecture. Seemingly in an instant, one of the city’s most attractive structures was erased from existence.

The Jordan family had been involved in Willimantic business as early 1886, when Fredrick Jordan joined the board of a small hardware store, the Carpenter & Fowler Hardware Company. In 1889, Arthur Carpenter and Fredrick Jordan restructured the business as the Carpenter & Jordan Hardware Company. In 1896, Carpenter passed away, and Fredrick’s brother, William P. Jordan, became a member of the firm. The business was renamed the Jordan Brothers Hardware Company. In 1906, the company was once again restructured, and more board members added, becoming the Jordan Hardware Company. Here, one could purchase a variety of goods: stoves, crockery, glass, tinware, furniture, carpets, oil, clothes, dry goods, cloaks and suits. Founded the era before massive, multi-national chains, the store dominated the industry in both Willimantic and the surrounding areas.
The Jordan Hardware Company was one of five businesses and organizations that operated out of an imposing, three-story brick building originally known as the Tilden Building. The face of the structure was decorated with alternating masonry, arranged in a checkerboard pattern. The street level had four, impressive, floor-to-ceiling display windows. The second floor had four, large, arched windows, framed by thick, white stones, crowned with rounded molding. The third floor had nine, smaller arched windows topped with matching white stones. The flat roof was crested with layers diamond and checkerboard brickwork. From the center of the roof rose a small, triangular peak, which housed a slab embossed with the name Tilden, and date of construction. The right corner of the building was distinctively rounded. This row of grandiose storefronts spanned from 670-678 Main Street, situated across from the intersection of Church and Main. When William and Fredrick Jordan purchased the building in 1906, it became known as the Jordan Block. The two rented the space not occupied by their hardware store to a bank, tailor, bicycle club, fraternal organization.