At 2221 North Avenue in Bridgeport is an attractive Queen Anne house built in 1903. It was the home of Herbert E. Wood, a charcoal dealer. A directory of 1922 lists it as the address of Rolland E. Hart, a piano dealer. Another listing of 1925 indicates it was the home of F.U. Conard, Works Manager of the Underwood Typewriter Co., Plant #2 in Bridgeport.
Located at 2209 North Avenue in Bridgeport is a Queen Anne-style house. It was built in 1897 and was the residence of George H. White.
Five generations of the Strong family have operated Strong Farm in Vernon, one of the last farms to continue in the suburban town. The farm was established by Nathan Morgan Strong, who built the farmhouse at 274 West Street (at the corner of Peterson Road) in 1878. Originally a dairy farm, after 1965 Strong Farm switched to turkeys, pumpkins, and other crops. Norman Strong, who died in 2010 at the age of 93, was known as the “turkey man” of Vernon. He was happy to show local school children the working of the farm, a tradition continued by the Strong family today, who are working to transform the farm into a non-profit historical agricultural education center. In September, the house sustained damage when a car crashed into it.
The house at 409 Noble Avenue in East Bridgeport was built in 1886 for Eli Dewhurst, a retired contractor. The architect was Charles T. Beardsley. According to the Illustrated Popular Biography of Connecticut (1891), Eli Dewhurst had become proficient in his trade as a spinner, but
he foresaw the future of the sewing-machine business and abandoned his trade to accept a position as screwmaker in the Wheeler & Wilson Manufacturing Company. […] As the business increased, instead of working by the day he took the work by contract and had in his employ at times upwards of sixty employes. During his contract of twenty-five years with the company, having commenced saving from his individual hard earnings in youth, with careful investments he had accumulated sufficient in 1881 to retire from active business. Not only did his employers regret to lose his valuable and trustworthy services, but his employés also who had worked for him many years equally regretted the change. […] A few years ago he built two substantial brick blocks on Harriet street, and then selected a commanding site on the corner of Barnum avenue and Noble street, facing on Washington park, where he erected a home under which roof during the summer months he enjoys the results of the labors of youth and early manhood. While not a devotee of society, yet those who enjoy his friendship can testify to the hearty and whole-souled hospitality that is dispensed to the intimates of his household
The Thomaston Railway Station, built in 1881, was part of the Naugatuck Railroad which began operations in September of 1849. The building served as a railway station until 1958, but then suffered from years of neglect and an arson fire in 1993. Since 1999, the station has been the home base of the Railroad Museum of New England, which now operates the Naugatuck Railroad, a scenic train ride between Waterville and Thomaston.
At 103 Village Street in Rockville, Vernon is a house built in 1882 for Chauncey Winchell Jr. (1825-1914). He was the son of Chauncey Winchell, one of the founders of Rockville’s Springville Mill.
The house at 78 Pearl Street in Middletown was built between 1888 and 1892 (or c.1886) for James G. (or W.) Hubbard, a blacksmith. In 1911, the house was purchased by Charles Meader (d.1926).
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