Robert W. Hill


Robert W. Hill was an American architect from Waterbury, Connecticut. He was one of Connecticut's most important 19th century architects.

Life and career

Robert Wakeman Hill was born in Waterbury of September 20, 1828, to Samuel and Polly Hill. He attended the public schools, after which he went to New Haven to study architecture. He first attended the Young Men's Institute, where he learned architectural drawing. He obtained a position in the office of Henry Austin, during which he also taught at the YMI. At one point he was also employed by Sidney Mason Stone. He then worked in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for Albert C. Nash, a former Connecticut architect. In 1858 he returned to Connecticut, establishing himself as an architect in the town of Naugatuck. In 1863 he relocated to Waterbury, where he would quickly become the city's most prominent architect, a position he retained for the rest of his career.

Legacy

Hill trained several other Waterbury architects, including Joseph A. Jackson, Wilfred E. Griggs, and Theodore B. Peck. At least five buildings designed by him have been placed on the National Register of Historic Places, and many others contribute to listed historic districts.

Works