Flatiron buildings were built between 1880 and 1926, generally in the popular Beaux-Arts or Renaissance Revival styles. The buildings are identified because of their shape like a clothes iron.
The United States first flatiron building was in Eureka Springs, Arkansas (in 1880). In 1887 Lucius Wyman Carroll had one built in Norwich CT because he had observed these structures to be constructed taller than other office buildings of the day due to the use of steel frames over reinforced concrete, that took the weight of the building off the exterior walls; and allowed for more efficient use of otherwise unused space for commercial purposes and gave business districts a specific architectural identity.
Lucius Wyman Carroll (born January 22, 1815) was the 11th of 12 children and the last male child of the family. He remained on the farm until he was 15 years old when on March 2, 1830 he moved to Webster MA as an employee of Wiswall & Sanford. He saved the written contract his guardian Stephen Crosby made with the firm stipulating if he stayed one year he would receive $15.00 for his servicesbut if he stayed two years he would receive $20.00 for the first year and $35.00 for the second. He stayed 7 years. 11 days before his 21st birthday he became a partner in Wiswall, Stockwell & Carroll having a 1/4 interest in three stores. Mr. Wiswall furnished Carroll with the funds to establish himself in the firm without security and Carroll took charge of the store in Millbury MA. In 1837 Wiswall died and Carroll returned to Webster, MA and with J.P. Stockwell put up the first building of the Webster Depot. He remained in the partnership for three years and on his own for another 2 years.
In February 1843 Carroll moved to Norwich and began selling manufacturers supplies, paints and dye stuffs from a store on Water Street. He also became interested in the manufacturing of cotton and became a large partner in the Griswold Cotton Co. In May of 1843 he married Charlotte Lathe Pope in Middlebury, MA. Carroll ‘s next partnership as L.W. Carroll Co. was with E.P. Jacobs and Captain Gallup in 1865. Death took Jacobs in 1874 and Capt. Gallup retired in 1876 and in partnership with his eldest son the firm became L.W. Carroll and Son. Lucius W. Carroll died September 25, 1900.