Greek Revival - Historic Buildings of Connecticut

Parker Academy (1851)

As related in Volume 2 of William Cothren’s History of Ancient Woodbury (1872):

The south Academic Association, formed in 1851, ran “well for a season,” when the shares were bought up by Mr. Parmenns B. Hulse, who taught a private academy for some years, but having a flattering call to go to New York and engage in a book agency, he sold the building” to Mr. Frederick S. Parker, of New Haven, who removed it to the place formerly owned by Hon. Charles B. Phelps, deceased, and fitted it up for a first-class boarding-school, and at the same time enlarged and fitted up, at great expense, the Phelps mansion, for the purpose of accommodating the scholars of such a school. Rev. Alonzo N. Lewis, who had married a daughter of Mr. Phelps, opened here a boarding-school. But, having been invited to become rector of a church at Dexter, Maine, he closed his school, and rented the premises for a dwelling house. It is a very valuable property, and it is hoped that a successful boarding-school may be established there. We have a healthy location, a tidy village, an orderly community, and a most beautiful valley, with pleasant surroundings—a good place for such an institution.

According to Julia Minor Strong’s The Town and People: A Chronological Compilation of Contributed Writings from Present and Past Residents of the Town of Woodbury, Connecticut (1901)

The principals of Parker Academy, so far as can be ascertained, were as follows: Samuel Spooner, P. B. Hulse, Mr. Phinney, Rev. A. N. Lewis, Aritus G. Loomis, James Patterson, Louise Noyes, Wilbur V. Rood, Edwin Turtle, H. C. Talmage, O. C. B. Nason, Edgar H. Grout, Edward S. Boyd, H. B. Moore and Rev. Wm. Weeks. While Mr. Hulse was instructor in Parker Academy Mr. Thompson taught a select school in his residence situated on the adjoining premises. Some times there would be seventy-five scholars in each of the two schools, and it was not uncommon for six or more students to enter Yale or other colleges each year from these schools. Parker Academy was moved to its present location near the post office when Rev. A. N. Lewis was principal, and he conducted a boarding school for pupils in connection with the Parker House, then owned by Frederick S. Parker.

The Woodbury Library Association was established in 1851. In 1902, the former Parker Academy building became the town library. A modern library building was later constructed and the former Parker Academy is now the Library’s Galley Annex.

First Baptist Church, Plainville (1851)

The First Baptist Church in Plainville was organized in 1851. The Greek Revival church was erected in December of that year at 18 East Main Street on land owned by businessman Adna Whiting. He had helped establish the church, which had its first meeting at his home. The church steeple seen today is not the original.

Old South End Schoolhouse, Southington (1810)

The Old South End Schoolhouse in Southington, a one-room school, was built sometime after 1810, when the original and smaller schoolhouse on the site, built around 1760, burned down. The schoolhouse was in use until the new South End Elementary School opened in 1955. The old schoolhouse is now owned and operated as a museum by the Southington Historical Society.

Captain Thomas Ransom House (1839)

At 237 Brewster Street in the Bridgeport village of Black Rock is a transitional Federal/Greek Revival house built in 1839. It is one of several on the street built at the time by housewright David Smith. It was the home of Captain Thomas Ransom, a ship captain and one of the trustees of the Bridgeport Savings Bank. He built a carriage shop on Calderwood Court in 1830 and founded the select school (private school) that met on the carriage shop’s upper floor. The school later had its own building.

Byron Tuttle House (1793)

At 655 Main Street in Plymouth is a Federal/Greek Revival house built in 1793. It was later the home of Byron Tuttle. As related in the Illustrated Popular Biography of Connecticut (1891):

Mr. Tuttle was born in Plymouth, Conn., August 23, 1825, the son of a farmer, and his early years were spent at home with the best of life training, that of a New England farmer boy; having the advantages of the common district school of those days. On the 26th of August, 1847, he entered the carriage establishment of Augustus C. Shelton of Plymouth, afterward entering into partnership with him under the firm name of Shelton & Tuttle.

As described in the History of the Town of Plymouth, Connecticut (1895):

Byron Tuttle entered the employ of Mr. Shelton August 26, 1847, for $13 per month and board. The next three years he worked for $1.00 per day and board. January 1, 1855, he was taken into partnership with one-half interest. Their trade originally was with the southern market. From 1854 to 1860 every carriage was sold through their house at Chicago. Their western business proved a great success owing to large advance in price of their goods. In 1864 they built a repository on Madison street, Chicago, which they occupied until April 1, 1870, when the business declining the building was disposed of and the partnership so far as the manufacturing was concerned was dissolved. From that time forward Mr. Shelton carried on the business in a limited way until his death in 1880.

Again from the Illustrated Popular Biography of Connecticut:

In 1864 they built a repository on Madison street, Chicago, which was burned in the great fire of 1872, without much loss to the company, when the property was sold and Mr. Tuttle retired from the business. […] Aside from private business Mr. Tuttle has occupied a prominent place in the affairs of the town, having been elected justice of the peace in 1864 and selectman in 1878, which offices he has filled continuously to the present time. […] Mr. Tuttle’s characteristics as a business man are energy, promptness, thoroughness, and integrity. It is perhaps the secret of his general success in life, that in whatever he engages he observes the same rules of conduct that govern him in the management of his business affairs.

Frederick Crum House (1836)

At 120 Main Street in Unionville is a Greek Revival house (pdf) built in 1836 by Frederick W. Crum (1813-1895) and his wife Ellice C. Crum (1812-1846). Crum’s second wife was Susan M. Crum (1822-1902). His company, Hill and Crum, manufactured saws. As related in the second volume of the Memorial History of Hartford County (1886):

in 1854 Mr. Albert Hills and Mr. Frederick W. Crum built a small factory on the Cowles Canal. The business continued until the rise of the great saw-factories in Pennsylvania, during the war period, made competition too severe for small concerns. They sold out their factory to the Union Nut Company.

Crum later made caskets and became an undertaker.

Joseph A. Lord House (1835)

Built circa 1838, the Joseph A. Lord House in located at 30 Main Street in East Haddam. In 1919 the house was acquired by Henrietta More Crook, wife of Dr. Joseph Bruce Crook (1886-1945). He added an ell to the house to use as his medical office. Now home to an insurance company, the house also has a circa 1920 hipped roof portico over the front entrance.