Margaret Hills House (1871)

The house at 59 Burnside Avenue has been much altered over the years since it was first erected in about 1871. In its early years the house was successively owned by three women. It was built by Margaret Stanley Hills (1828-1892), who had acquired the land in 1865. She later sold the house to Martha W. Olmsted, but it eventually was passed to Margaret and her husband Edwin Hills’ daughter, Eliza Stanley Hills Kilbourne, who lived in South Windsor. She sold the property to Dr. Thomas O’Connell in 1898. He was a prominent physician and an elementary school in East Hartford is named for him.

Roswell B. Fitch House (1850)

The house at 20 Pearl Street in Noank was erected c. 1850. About 1890 it was remodeled with Queen Anne-style elements, including the addition of a tower. The house was the residence of Roswell B. Fitch (1833-1908), who is described in Picturesque New London and Its Environs (1901):

Roswell Burrows Fitch ,of Noank, was born in Groton, Connecticut, April 19th, 1833. His parents were Elisha and Mary P. Fitch. At twelve years of age he commenced to be self-supporting, and from then until he was fourteen, occupied a clerkship in a general store. Later his summers were spent in fishing for a livelihood, and his winters in attending school. Subsequently he again became clerk in a store, and was afterwards engaged to assume the management of a union store which was erected for the special purpose of being placed under his charge. In 1851 he became an active partner in the business, and bought out, one-by-one, the twelve other owners, until he possessed absolute control. In May, 1890, he sold his business, and closed an active commercial career of thirty-five years duration. In October, 1854, Mr. Fitch married Ellen Elizabeth Wilbur, who died February 13th, 1874, leaving a son, Walter Wilbur Fitch, who was born in 1859, and died December 26th, 1888. Mr. Fitch married again, in 1875, Olive Elizabeth Wilmot. Mr. and Mrs. Fitch have a daughter, Elizabeth Wilbur Fitch, born April 10th, 1884.

The Church of Eternal Light (1889)

The Church of Eternal Light is a Pagan Spiritualist church, located at 1199 Hill Street in Bristol. The early history of the building, erected in 1889 is related in Bristol, Connecticut (“in the Olden Time New Cambridge”) which Includes Forestville (1907):

A small Sunday-school was organized in 1884 in the North Chippins Hill district near the Burlington line, by Miss Hattie O. Utter, school teacher in that district. Miss Utter organized the school because the children of her day school were non-attendants of any Sunday-school. She conducted the Sunday-school successfully for a year when her engagement closed and she left the school to return to her home and be married. She was greatly beloved by the people of the district, and only lived about a year after her removal. At her earnest request Mr. William E. Sessions and Mr. B. S. Rideout, who was General Secretary of the Y. M. C. A. in Bristol, continued the school, beginning in June, 1885. The first Sunday only three little girls, sisters, Mary, Sarah and Lizzie Goodsell, were present. Mr. Rideout was only able to continue for a few months. Mr. Sessions conducted the school for four years in the schoolhouse, and has conducted it in the chapel ever since. There was a large and increasing attendance which outgrew the accommodations of the schoolhouse, and in 1889 the Mount Hope Chapel was built by voluntary contributions of the people and friends.

The chapel was dedicated by the Rev. A. C. Eggleston, who had been the pastor of the Prospect Methodist Episcopal Church in Bristol, but was at that time pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal Church in Waterbury.

The school was named Mount Hope by Mr. Rideout, who has been for many years a Congregationalist minister at Norway, Maine.

The building continued for many years as a non-denominational Sunday School and chapel. In 1962, it became the First Michel Spiritualist Church. Twenty years later, it was renamed The Church of Eternal Light, which officially became a Pagan Spiritualist church on February 18th, 2001. A new steeple and bell tower were erected in 2000.

Carroll-Burney House (1890)

The house at 90 Central Avenue in East Hartford was built c. 1890. Patrick Garvan had acquired the land in 1871 from Edward Hayden. (It was one of four lots Garvan purchased at the time–the house at 86 Central Avenue would be built c. 1899 on another of the four lots). Joseph E. Carroll, a carpenter and builder, acquired the land and built the house, most likely as a speculation. About 1894, the house was acquired by the Burney sisters, who became its first residents. The house has an L-shaped plan with a tower nestled between the two wings.

Charles H. Smith House (1882)

At 53 Pearl Street in Noank is a Victorian house built in 1882. It is known as the Charles H. Smith House. This may be the same Charles H. Smith described in the Legislative History and Souvenir of Connecticut, Vol. VII, 1909-1910:

Charles H. Smith, of Noank, town of Groton. and a native of that town. was born September 10. 1851. He received his education in the public schools of Noank, and 0n November 16, 1872. married Mary E. Potter, who died June 9, 1905. Mr. Smith began the business of boat and yacht building thirtyfive years ago and by industry and honest dealing, built up a large business. About five years ago be disposed of this business to the firm of Smith & Barry. and is now retired. Mr. Smith has always been a staunch Republican, and enjoys the fullest confidence and esteem of his fellow-citizens. regardless of party affiliations. He is a conservative man and uses his thorough knowledge of public affairs to the best advantage. and his advice is frequently sought in public as well as in private affairs. He has been a member of the General Assembly three terms, in 1891-92, serving as a member of the Committee on Fisheries, in 1895-96, being chairman of the same committee. and this session he was a member of the Committee on Fish and Game.

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Andrew Roberts House (1870)

The house at 54 Burnside Avenue in East Hartford was built c. 1870 by Andrew Roberts. A carriage maker, Roberts bought the tract of land in March, 1869 and soon took out a $3,000 mortgage, probably to build the house. The property was foreclosed in 1887 and three years later it was purchased by a farmer named George Bissell (died 1903). The house has been much altered through the construction of a modern store addition, currently home to Custodio Grocery, connected to the front facade.

Israel Perkins House (1835)

Edward Perkins (1743-1787) built a house at what is now 6 Grant Road in Bethany, which was sold by his son, Israel Perkins (1767-1846) in 1835 to Dr. Chauncey B. Foote of Hamden. Israel Perkins is described in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 17 (1863):

Israel Perkins designed to pursue professional life and had expected to commence a course of study the year that his father died. Being left by this event at the head of the family, he was compelled to forego this purpose and remain at home on the farm. He lived in the house which his father built, on the turnpike from Litchfield, near the school-house. From 1793 to 1795, he lived at Hamden Plain. When he was 28 he became quite deaf, and continued so through life. He was well known in that part of the country, as selectman of the town, settler of estates, guardian of children, &c., &c.; and was so skilled in the law that he was familiarly called “the old lawyer.”

Dr. Foote removed the original Perkins House and built a new one just in front of where it had stood. The book Bethany’s Old Houses and Community Buildings (1972), by Alice Bice Bunton, however, refers to the current structure under the heading of “The Israel Perkins House.” In 1838, Dr. Foote sold the house to Major Lounsbury (died 1863) and it remained in the Lounsbury family until 1912.