USA > Connecticut > Historic houses of Connecticut open to the public > Part 2
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Adjoining the property and purchased by the society in 1939 is a brick structure, erected about 1820. This was the first bank of New Milford and Litchfield County, called the Litch- field County Bank. Here is displayed a large collection of Indian relics, many of which were found in the surround- ing area.
Nearby, at the head of the Green, is the Knapp House, dating from about 1815 and owned by the Knapp family from 1838 until 1956, when it was giv- en to the society by Miss Mary Clissold Knapp. It contains many of the Knapp family possessions, including furniture, costumes, and other items.
New Milford Historical Society, 55 Main Street, New Milford; phone EL 4-3069; open Wednesday and Saturday afternoons from 2 to 5.
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No. 12 "The Captain's House," Bridgewater
Although it had been unused for many years and had fallen almost to ruin, the homely little frame building, known as "The Captain's House," has been restored to use for the collection of the local Bridgewater Historical Society.
Its age, although unknown, is well over 100 years. Its chief, indeed, its only, distinction rests on the fact that for a short period, around 1850, and while he was an infant, this was the home of William Dickson Burnham. The story of his life reads like a tale by Horatio Alger. At 14 he was a "runaway" to sea, shipping first as a cabin boy on a clipper ship; then, at 37, he had risen to Master Mariner, holding license for command of steam or sailing ships on all seas.
Later, this "dynamic character" pro- moted and managed the American Ha- waiian Steamship Company. His resid- ual estate was bequeathed to this town of his boyhood, for which he had a most fond affection.
The relocation and restoration of the building has been a project in which the entire community has taken a warm and generous interest, con- tributing not only substantial amounts by popular subscription, but also vol- unteering considerable skill and labor. The society was greatly favored by the Town in having permission to locate this well furnished and interesting mu- seum on Town property, adjoining the Burnham Library, and by appropria- tions voted for inclusion in the Town budget.
Bridgewater Historical Society, Main Street, Bridgewater; open by ap- pointment by phoning EL 4-5488.
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PHOTO BY PETER R. LUCAS
No. 13 The Glebe House (c. 1750), Woodbury
The characteristic lines and massive central chimney of the Glebe House proclaim a date of about 1750, when the small, original portion, possibly built about 1690, was enlarged. In 1771 it became the residence of John Rutgers Marshall, a priest of the Church of England, sent by the So- ciety for the Propogation of the Gos- pel to be rector of St. Paul's Parish.
A "glebe" is the farm land enjoyed by a parish priest as part of his bene- fice. His dwelling, if in town, is a rec- tory.
The great day in the history of this house, March 25, 1783, took place when ten priests of the Church of Eng- land met and elected Samuel Seabury to be Bishop of Connecticut. Seabury
went to England where the Archbish- op of Canterbury would have conse- crated him, but could not because of his taking an oath of allegiance to the Crown. At Aberdeen, November 14, 1784, he was consecrated by three bish- ops of the Scottish Episcopal Church, thus becoming the first bishop (of any church) with a See in the United States.
This "Bestowal of the American Episcopate" was a turning point in the emergence of the Episcopal Church as an autonomous province in the An- glican Communion and is annually observed with 'thanksgiving.
The Glebe House has been restored and is furnished appropriately to the period, 1771-1786.
Seabury Society for the Preservation of the Glebe House, Hollow Road, Woodbury; phone 263-3681; open daily except Monday. Sunday, Tuesday, 1-5; Wednesday through Saturday, 11-5, in summer, winter, 4 p.m. Donations.
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No. 14 Tapping Reeve House (1773-4), Litchfield
Probably no other buildings are more closely associated with the early his- tory of the legal profession than the Tapping Reeve House and the first law school in the country. Situated in one of New England's most beautiful towns, Judge Reeve's house was built for him in 1773-4 by Moses Seymour, about the time he established the school.
Classes were conducted under Reeve's direction until 1820, when they were turned over to Judge James Gould, who carried on until 1833. Gould entered the school as a student in 1795 and lectured there from 1798 until 1820. During those years prob- ably more than a thousand were in at- tendance. Among the students were Vice Presidents Calhoun and Burr,
three who served on the United States Supreme Court, six cabinet members, two United States ministers to foreign countries, 101 members of Congress, 28 Senators, and 14 Governors.
The furniture includes a fine side- board made especially for Judge Reeve by Silas Cheney, local cabinet- maker, and several clocks made in Litchfield. The room occupied by Mrs. Reeve's brother, Aaron Burr, when a student at the law school, and another once used by the Mar- quis de Lafayette, are among those displayed. Manuscript notebooks of law lectures, memorabilia, records of Tapping Reeve, and photographs of graduates of the school have been collected and are also on display in the house.
Litchfield Historical Society, west side of South St., Litchfield; open May 15 to October 15, every day except Wednesday, 11-12 a.m. and 2-5 p.m .; 50c, children 25c.
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No. 15 Hotchkiss-Fyler House (1900), Torrington
In marked contrast to the simple, often rigorous life of the colonial and early Federal days, the gracious, com- fortable living of a wealthy family at the beginning of the twentieth century is well reflectetd in the Hotchkiss-Fyler House, now the home of the Torring- ton Historical Society. While it may not have the appeal and evoke the same nostalgic feeling of a two or three hun- dred year old dwelling, it does repre- sent an important phase in history, and recalls an era that will never be dupli- cated.
The house was designed by William Allen, a New Haven architect, and was constructed in 1900 for Orsamus R. Fyler, whose ancestors were among the early settlers of Connecticut. Mr. Fyler was a prominent Torrington industrial-
ist, at one time State Insurance Com- missioner, and as a dominant political figure was chairman of the Republican State Central Committee.
Today the house remains furnished as it was when occupied by its last resi- dent, Mrs. Edward Hotchkiss, daughter of Mr. Fyler. The richly upholstered furniture, the photographs and paint- ings, the lovely china and silver, the well stocked library, and all of the ap- pointments displaying splendid taste, wealth and refinement are to be found here.
In an older house, next door, the historical society has many interesting exhibits of earlier Torrington days, reminiscent of home life, as well as civic and industrial activities throughout the community.
Torrington Historical Society, 192 Main St., Torrington; phone HU 2-8260. Both houses are open only by appointment.
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No. 16 Gay-Hoyt House (1775), Sharon
The use of brick in the construction of Connecticut houses is not common, so the Gay-Hoyt House, overlooking Sharon's pleasant Green, can almost be called a rarity. It was built in 1775 by Ebenezer Gay and still retains many of the details of its original form.
Gay became an important personage in a community which had developed rapidly and had become prosperous as the result of mining, manufacturing and agriculture. Tax collector, five times representative to the General As- sembly, an officer in the Trainband, Gay rose from ensign to lieutenant colonel. He was a local merchant, be- sides serving in the Revolutionary War.
Through financial reverses he lost his home and in 1793 it became the prop- erty of Isaac Hunt. In 1936 it became the home of Miss Anne Sherman Hoyt, who bequeathed it to the Sharon His- torical Society in 1951.
The house has a center hall, with end chimneys, a small, elegant front porch, and its fireplaces are set at an angle in each room. The first floor of the house is now occupied by a shop, but the historical society maintains rooms on the second floor, where it ex- hibits papers, books, maps and other items of local interest, as well as a large loom which remained in the pos- session of the Gay family from colonial days.
Sharon Historical Society, Main Street, Sharon; open daily, except Sun- day, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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PHOTO BY CLINTON STUDIO, WINSTED
No. 17 Solomon Rockwell House (1813), Winsted
Solomon Rockwell, member of a prosperous iron manufacturing family, in 1813 engaged Captain William Swift, of Colebrook, to construct an unusually fine mansion, sometimes called "Solomon's Temple," standing on a hillside overlooking the town. The house is distinctly Federal, with four great, carved pillars supporting the roof over the front porch, and smaller ones at the porch at the left wing. The interior contains a great deal of beau- tifully carved wood work, said to have been fashioned with a jackknife, and the lovely mantels are equally attrac- tive.
John Boyd, second owner and son- in-law of Solomon, was Secretary of State of Connecticut, town clerk of
Winchester, and author of the "Annals of Winchester," one of the finest of the state's town histories. His step-daugh- ter, Mary Pitkin Hinsdale, last mem- ber of the family to own the house, maintained here a small free library, and in her memory a local school is named.
Among the outstanding items on display at the house are a number of splendid 19th century portraits, eight of them by Erastus Salisbury Field; five are of the family of Riley Whiting, early clockmaker, and two are of the Rev. Frederick Marsh and his wife, Parnal Merrill. In addition to its at- tractive furnishings, many outstanding items of local interest are to be seen in the mansion.
Winchester Historical Society, 225 Prospect St., corner of Lake St., Winsted; phone FR 9-4102; open daily except Sunday and Monday, June 15 to October 1, 2-5 p.m.
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No. 18 The Seymour Inn (1816), Colebrook
In the delightful rural town of Cole- brook, where there are a number of in- teresting, unspoiled, early buildings, most of which are privately owned, one of these has been put to practical use, being shared as the Town Hall and the headquarters of the Colebrook Histori- cal Society. This was once the Seymour Inn, built by William Underwood as a wedding present for his daughter, Mrs. Rufus Seymour.
The inn was operated for some time by Mr. and Mrs. Seymour, beginning in 1816, if one accepts the date which appears on the inn's sign, a portion of which is still preserved. Like most of the neighboring dwellings, the house is one of white clapboards, with green blinds; has the characteristic center
chimney, and above the front door is a Palladian window.
The historical society has collected many items for its museum, among the outstanding of which are a lap organ, used in the Colebrook Congregational Church from 1799 to 1829; the pew- ter communion set, used in the same church, and manuscript copy of the farewell sermon delivered by its first minister, the Rev. Jonathan Edwards, Jr. Other museum pieces include farm implements, collections of bells, U. S. flags, costumes, uniforms, furniture, pictures, books by Colebrook authors, local historical papers, deeds and diar- ies, all of which form an interesting background for the history of the com- munity.
Colebrook Historical Society, Rts. 182A and 183, Colebrook Center; open May 15 to September 15 on Saturday, Sunday and holidays, 2-5, or by appointment with the society secretary, phone FR 9-2117.
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PHOTO BY ROGER C. LOOMIS
No. 19 The Dr. Alexander King House (1764), Suffield
There are three outstanding features of the Dr. Alexander King House: The original long south porch, which led to Dr. King's office in the ell, which has fine feather edge board siding; the exceptionally attractive corner cup- board in the dining room, believed to have been done by Eliphalet King; the panel painting over the fireplace, at- tributed to Carlos, son of Dr. Alexan- der King.
The house is completely furnished with examples from the 17th to 19th century. In the old kitchen is the Thankful Taylor Hadley type chest, dated 1701, and two early Carver type chairs. One of the finest collections of Bennington pottery extant is on dis- play.
Dr. King was a leader in the com- munity, active in all matters pertaining to the welfare of his town, state and country. He was one of the committee to draft resolutions relative to the Stamp Act, and was active in various ways throughout the Revolutionary War. He was also one of the mem- bers of the State Convention to ratify the U. S. Constitution. Dr. King's diary indicates that he made saltpeter for gunpowder, and for which a recipe is given.
Title to the King House remained in the King family until 1869. In 1910 it was purchased by the late Hon. Samuel Reid Spencer. In 1961, Mr. and Mrs. Spencer presented it to the Suffield Historical Society.
Suffield Historical Society, 234 South Main St., Suffield; open April to December on Wednesdays, 1:30 to 4:30; 50c.
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PHOTO BY ROGER C. LOOMIS
No. 20 Burbank, Phelps, Hatheway, Fuller House (1736), Suffield
Among the many fine colonial homes in Suffield, the Burbank, Phelps, Hatheway, Fuller House has been char- acterized as one representative of "Con- necticut Grandeur." Captain Abraham Burbank built the main portion of this outstanding gambrel roof house in 1736. His son, Captain Shem Burbank, sold it to Oliver Phelps, described as a fabulous land speculator in the "Gene- see Country," then a frontier and now a large portion of western New York State.
Phelps was lavish in preparing his new home. About 1794 he engaged the best builders in Suffield and Wind- sor to construct the north ell and to at- tach to the south end an office or store. Among those working on this new construction was Asher Benjamin, the first native born American architectur- al author, who became a dominant fig- ure in early 19th century building.
In the original house there was beautiful panelling, but when it was enlarged, its exterior was greatly elaborated to conform with the distinc- tive exterior of the newer portion. Fine woodwork embellishes the entire house. Of special note is the only known signed and dated panelling. Superb French wallpaper was hung at this time and still remains.
Among the architectural details to be observed on the exterior are the block modillions on the main cornice, the molded entablitures with dentils and convex frieze over the windows, the rusticated wooden quoins, and pedimented entrance porch.
Asahel Hatheway, a Suffield mer- chant, purchased the house in 1806. In 1962 its owners presented the prop- erty to the Antiquarian & Landmarks Society as a memorial to Sumner Full- er, a former owner.
Antiquarian & Landmarks Soc., High St., Suffield; unfurnished. Anyone interested, call the Rev. or Mrs. R. F. Carter, Windsor Locks, NO 8-7179, in summer and fall; or Mrs. H. M. Clark, NO 8-7897
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No. 21 The Captain Elisha Phelps House (1771), Simsbury
Home, tavern, and now museum, the Phelps House has undergone varying changes through the years, yet most of the panelled woodwork remains un- changed. An excellent sampling is found in the North Parlor where the handsomely panelled fireplace wall is surmounted by a row of seven arched glass cupboard doors, with four lights in each. Below are five fine squares of panelling, and on each side of the fire- place are panels made with witches' crosses.
Equally interesting is the second floor ballroom; the original plaster on the unique barrel ceiling fresh and uncracked.
The Phelps House, a center chimney, gambrel roof structure, built by Cap-
tain Elisha Phelps in 1771, has been continuously occupied by members of the family since its construction. After the War of 1812 it was used as a tav- ern and during the operation of the New Haven and Northampton Canal it was called "The Canal Hotel."
In 1879 the old rear ell was replaced with a new one in the architecture of the Victorian Period.
Now the home of the Simsbury His- torical Society, a gift of Mrs. Frederick H. Lovejoy, granddaughter of Jeffry Phelps. II, it is a perfect setting for the fine collection of historical objects be- longing to the society. Among these are several Higley Coppers, the first copper coinage in America, mined and struck in Simsbury in 1737.
The Simsbury Historical Society, 800 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury; phone 658-7772.
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PHOTO BY A. S. COE
No. 22 The Lieut. Walter Fyler House, Windsor
Situated in the oldest section of Windsor, in an area dominated by out- standing early dwellings, is the Lieut. Fyler House. While the date of its con- struction is not definitely known, a por- tion of it is attributed to Lieut. Walter Fyler, one of Windsor's first settlers, whose home lot in 1640 was at the south end of the land surrounded by palisades, erected for the protection of the families. The home was erected on this site. Fyler served the colony in the Pequot War.
The house was enlarged to its pres- ent size when the gambrel roof sec- tion was added in the 18th century, probably about 1765. The first floor in- cludes three rooms-a keeping room, an 18th century parlor, and a bed-
room. On the second floor are two small bedrooms and a storage place.
After remaining in the possession of the Fyler family for 123 years, the property was acquired in 1763 by Na- thaniel Howard, a sea captain, and be- cause of its convenient location, a por- tion of it was used as a store, and here was established the town's first post of- fice.
The early structure, with its old floors, early woodwork and panelling, forms a fine setting for the many pos- sessions of the Windsor Historical So- ciety which has owned the house since 1925.
A splendid museum building has been erected adjacent to the Fyler House.
Windsor Historical Society, 96 Palisado Avenue, Windsor; phone 688- 3813; open February through December, daily except Monday, 10-12, 2-5; Sunday, 2-5; 25c.
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PHOTO BY HARTFORD TIMES
No. 23 Oliver Ellsworth Homestead (1740), Windsor
Ellsworth Homestead is a fine exam- ple of the early central hall house, re- taining its original woodwork, framing and panelling. Built on land pur- chased by Josias Ellsworth in 1665, it remained in the family until 1903, when it was turned over to the Con- necticut Daughters of the American Revolution. Oliver Ellsworth, born in 1745, married Abigail Wolcott in 1772 and returned to the homestead about 1785. He constructed the ell with large drawing room and state bedroom.
The house has always been well kept and the original woodwork, framing and panelling are all fine examples of their period. The columns reaching from the ell porch to roof are most dis- tinctive.
The house is filled with beautiful furniture, much of it belonging to the Ellsworth family, among it an English
oak press cupboard with carved inscrip- tion "R 1698 M," a Chippendale sofa ante-dating 1792, beautifully carved bedstead, silver and china. Ellsworth brought from France about 1800 the wallpaper in his bedroom, and of ex- ceptional interest is a Gobelin tapestry presented to Ellsworth by Napoleon Bonepart when he retired as minister plenipotentiary to the Court of France.
Mr. Ellsworth was a member of the Continental Congress, one of the chief framers of the United States Constitu- tion, Senator from Connecticut, third Chief Justice of the United States, and author of the judiciary act forming the basis of the present federal judicial sys- tem. He is said to have been George Washington's choice as successor to the presidency. Washington, Lafayette and President John Adams were all visitors at the homestead.
Connecticut Daughters of the American Revolution. 778 Palisado Ave. (Route 5A), 2 miles N. of Windsor Center; phone MU 8-3584; open May 1 thru Oct., Tues. thru Sat., 1-6; or by appt; donations accepted.
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No. 24 Mark Twain House (1874), Hartford
There are probably very few people acquainted with literature who do not know the work of the famous author, Samuel L. Clemens, or, more popular- ly, Mark Twain, but there are not so many acquainted with the fact that in 1874 he built a truly remarkable house in Hartford and spent what were the happiest years of his life residing there. Designed by Edward T. Potter, of New York, to comply with the whims of the author, this large, rambling struc- ture has no counterpart elsewhere.
It is built with red brick, with orange and black painted bands for ornamen- tation, studded with elaborate porches, balconies, gables and chimneys, while the interior is equally unmatched with rooms of unusual design, mahogany doors and woodwork with gold stencil designed by Tiffany. Some of the Clem- ens furniture is still on display. The
formal parlor has its original chande- lier and pier glass. The library was the family living room, where its original mantelpiece has been replaced, and in the dining room is the large window over the fireplace, where Mark Twain "could watch the flames leaping to meet the falling snow flakes."
Displayed also are a Paige typeset- ting machine, a sleigh and a high- wheeled bicycle belonging to him, and original drawings for his books.
The house saw a constant flow of guests, and few who had entre failed to stop when in the vicinity. Letters from these praise the elegance of the quarters, the lavish entertainment and the warm scintilating atmosphere in which the Clemens family life abound- ed. Restoration of the house has brought back this feeling of an era of grandeur and vivacity.
Mark Twain Library & Memorial Commission, 351 Farmington Avenue, Hartford; phone 247-0998; open daily except Monday and holidays, 10-5; Sunday, 2-5; 75c; 15-18, 50c, children, 25c.
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No. 25 Miles Lewis House (1801), Bristol
Situated in the heart of what was once the center of the clock-making in- dustry of the country, the Miles Lewis House, erected in 1801, is now the home of the American Clock and Watch Museum, the only museum de- voted exclusively to the History of American Horology.
It is an excellent example of the mansion house of the post-revolution- ary period, and with the exception of a new staircase, remains as it was erected by Lewis. The great halls on each floor are flanked on either side with twin rooms, and on the first floor is the spacious ell kitchen. Chestnut and oak were used in its construction, while the flooring was of swamp ma- ple. In keeping with its period, the house is furnished with many attrac- tive pieces, including some attributed to clock makers, which give it the appearance of its earlier days.
The outstanding feature of the house is the unexcelled collection of clocks and watches, representing every type imaginable, produced by the early craftsmen of America. Each item is carefully labeled, giving its date and manufacturer, and in addition to the great array of timepieces, the tools of the craft are also exhibited. For those interested in research, there is a splen- did library of books, catalogues, mag- azines, account books, diaries, ledgers, letters, pamphlets, photographs, col- ored slides and other readily available material.
At the rear of the house, occupying the site of the original kitchen garden, is the Ebenezer Barnes Wing, contain- ing the curator's office, fireproof libra- ry vault, repair and storage facilities. Although it is modern, this completely new wing harmonizes with the old house.
American Clock & Watch Museum, Inc., 100 Maple St., Bristol; open daily, except Monday, April thru October, 1-5 p.m .; group visitations by appointment.
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PHOTO BY W. F. MILLER & CO.
No. 26 .Living Room, Stanley-Whitman House (c. 1660), Farmington
There is probably no tiner example of 17th century dwelling to be found in New England than the Stanley- Whitman House, a Registered Nation- al Historic Landmark. While the exact date of its construction is not known, its distinctive architectural features, ac- cording to authorities, indicate that it was built about 1660.
The great center chimney of stone and the framed overhang reflect a dis- tinct survival of Elizabethan or Jaco- bean architecture, brought from Eng- land by the first settlers. The drops, or pendants, below the wide overhang of the second story, add a rare touch of ornamentation.
In 1935 the owners of the house, Mr. and Mrs. D. Newton Barney, had the house expertly restored under the direction of J. Frederick Kelly, and deeded the property to the Village Green and Library Association.
Opposite the front entrance, the stairway, built against the center chim- ney, leads to the second floor, while on either side is the parlor and hall, each with a large fireplace of original ma- sonry. Beyond is the "lean to," with kitchen, buttery and "birth and death" room, probably added about 1760. The house is completely furnished with rare pieces of early American de- sign, many of them gifts of local resi- dents.
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