Historic Buildings of Connecticut

Benjamin Lord House (1876)

Built around 1876, the Benjamin Lord House is a Stick Style/Queen Anne residence at 154 Pearl Street in Thompsonville, Enfield. In recent years, the house was a bed and breakfast.

Woodworth-Leahy House (1890)

At 28 Channing Street in New London is a large house that is transitional from the Stick Style to the Queen Anne style. It also has an Eastlake-style porch and different types of siding for each floor. It was built in 1890 by the Bishop Brothers, a firm of contractors and builders. One of the partners was Henry Bishop, whose daughter Mary married Nathan A. Woodworth, who ran a paper manufacturing company. They were the house‘s first residents. The house was later (by 1901) the home of John B. Leahy, of J.B. Leahy & Company, wholesale liquor dealers at 36 Bank Street.

Rev. Frank Norton House (1876)

At 210 Broadway in Norwich is the Reverend Frank Norton House, an elaborate Gothic Revival residence. Little is known about Rev. Norton. Could he be the Frank Norton listed as born in Norwich in 1844? There are also some surviving medical bills for the reverend and his wife, covering the years 1877 to 1881. He was not connected to any church in Norwich, so it is assumed he was retired when he lived in the house, which was built in 1876. The house is next to the William M. Williams House, which was built two years later.

Harry O. Erickson Pavilion Hall (1897)

Pavilion Hall in New Preston (in the town of Washington) was built in 1897 (some sources claim 1929) as a community hall for concerts, plays and celebrations. At one time, the building contained a post office and a fire engine was kept inside behind the double doors in front. Today the building is home to the Boys and Girls Club of New Preston and is named for Harry O.Erickson, a beloved community volunteer.

Samuel E. Amidon House (1888)

The house at 290 Prospect Street in Willimantic was built in 1888 for Samuel E. Amidon, a successful grocery store owner. After Amidon’s death, the house had other owners. In 1984 it was purchased by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich. Called Newman Hall, it is now the Catholic Office of Campus Ministry for members of the Eastern Connecticut State University community. According to the Commemorative Biographical Record of Tolland and Windham Counties (1903):

Samuel E. Amidon was born July 24, 1844, at Sturbridge, Mass., and was but a child when his parents removed to Ashford, Conn., and located on the old Amidon homestead. Read the rest of this entry »

Twichell-Ward House (1863)

The Twichell-Ward House is an eclectic Victorian residence at 78 West Street in Plantsville, Southington. Built in 1863, the house has elements of the Second Empire, Gothic and Stick styles of architecture.

Harmon Merriman House (1793)

The house at 1084 Marion Avenue in Southington was built in 1793 but has later Italianate ad Stick Style additions. The house was built for Harmon Merriman and was later the home of Levi D. Frost, whose father, Levi B. Frost, and brothers lived nearby. Read the rest of this entry »