Abra Alford House (1834)
Saturday, January 26th, 2013 Posted in Barkhamsted, Federal Style, Greek Revival, Houses | No Comments »
Abra Alford was the partner and brother-in-law of the well-known chairmaker, Lambert Hitchcock. Alford’s house, at 8 Main Street, adjacent to the old Hitchcock factory in Riverton, was built in the Federal style in 1822, but underwent an extensive remodeling c. 1835-1840 in the Greek Revival style. The house’s ell dates to 1828. Hitchcock and his wife, Eunice, lived in half of the house for a time after their marriage in 1830. Abra and Eunice’s brother, Alfred, also lived nearby.
Charles Moore House (1825)
Friday, January 25th, 2013 Posted in Barkhamsted, Federal Style, Houses | No Comments »
Among several brick houses in Riverton associated with the Moore family is one built c. 1825 on Main Street by mason George Deming for Charles Moore, the son of Apollos Moore. Deming was married to Charles’s sister, Belinda Moore. The Moores were large landowners in Riverton.
Riverton Congregational Church (1843)
Sunday, December 2nd, 2012 Posted in Barkhamsted, Churches, Greek Revival | No Comments »
The Congregational Society in Riverton was formed in 1842. Its members first sought to purchase the Episcopal Church building, constructed in 1829, whose trustees were in financial difficulties at the time. When the negotiations proved unsuccessful, the congregation constructed its own church edifice in 1843 on Robertsville Road, a wood-framed Greek Revival-style structure. Built by Willard S. Wetmore of Winsted, it was an exact copy of the Baptist Church in Canton, built in 1807.
Phelps-Tiffany Tavern (1813)
Monday, October 22nd, 2012 Posted in Barkhamsted, Federal Style, Houses, Taverns & Inns | No Comments »
The Phelps-Tiffany Tavern, at 432 East River Road in Riverton, was built in 1813 as a private residence by Pelatiah Ransom, Jr. and later served as a tavern. The Tavern’s Federal-style fanlight over the front door was later covered.
Riverton General Store (1889)
Wednesday, August 15th, 2012 Posted in Barkhamsted, Commercial Buildings, Italianate | No Comments »
The Riverton General Store in Barkhamsted was built in 1889 and was originally owned and operated by the Hart Brothers. Charles Rowley bought the store in 1899 and passed it to his son, Alcott, in 1907. Both men were village postmasters in Riverton and the store was at the center of the village‘s social life. The hall above was once the meeting place of such groups as the Barkhamsted Chamber of Commerce and the Riverton Grange #169, which was founded there in 1908. The wing, now attached to the right of the original 1889 Italianate-style main block, was originally a separate building (built c. 1885). It was attached to the store in 1910. Later owners of the store (through 1934) were A. L. Lewis and Ernest G. Jordan. The store is still in business today.
Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church (1846)
Sunday, June 3rd, 2012 Posted in Barkhamsted, Churches, Greek Revival | No Comments »
The congregation of Pleasant Valley Methodist Church formed in 1838 and met in members’ homes until the church was built in 1846-1848. A Greek Revival building, it is located on Route 181 in Pleasant Valley, Barkhamsted. Additions to the church were built in 1899 and 1992.
Barkhamsted Center Schoolhouse (1821)
Tuesday, May 8th, 2012 Posted in Barkhamsted, Schools, Vernacular | No Comments »
The 1821 schoolhouse of Barkhamsted‘s Center school district was two stories tall when it was built. Due to population decline and the building being in need of repair, it was converted to a one-story building by removing the first floor in 1880. It ceased being used as a school in the 1930s. In 1980, the schoolhouse was moved to Center Hill Road from its original location, near what is now the Barkhamsted Reservoir, by the Barkhamsted Historical Society.
