On the Road with Richard Welling

Two Miles to Collinsville. Drawing by Richard Welling, 1969? The Connecticut Historical Society, Gift of the Richard Welling Family, 2012.284.5585

I’m inclined to think of Richard Welling inassociation with two cities—New York City and Hartford, Connecticut, but in addition to his iconic drawings of New York and Hartford, Welling produced views of many of other buildings and landscapes throughout the Northeast. The Richard Welling Collection at the Connecticut Historical Society includes views of Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, and Maine—and small towns throughout Connecticut. I like to think of Welling as a twentieth-century John Warner Barber. Just as Barber’s drawings show us what Connecticut looked like in the 1830s, Richard Welling’s drawings will show future generations what Connecticut looked like in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. Welling’s drawing of the First Church of Christ on Route 44 in Canton Center evokes the feeling of Barber’s earlier views. Other drawings show downtown Collinsville, on its way to becoming a bustling antiques center, following the closing of the Collins Company in 1966. Look for other Connecticut views by Richard Welling on this site in the months to come.

Auction in Collinsville. Drawing by Richard Welling, 1969. The Connecticut Historical Society, Gift of the Richard Welling Family, 2012_284_5565

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