Thomas Lyman House (1778)

Thomas Lyman House

The house at 105 Middlefield Road in Durham was built circa 1774-1778 for Thomas Lyman IV (1746-1832). A native of Durham, Thomas Lyman spent time in the south, where his family claimed a grant of land, before returning to Connecticut. He served as quartermaster of the First Connecticut Regiment in the Revolutionary War and as a delegate to the State Constitutional Convention in 1818. Lyman is said to have visited Thomas Jefferson for a week at Monticello and to have have entertained Lafayette at the house in Durham on several occasions. Lyman married Rachel Seward in 1771. The house was built on land that Lyman inherited from his brother Stephen, who died in 1775. It is a hipped-roof structure, which was uncommon for colonial Connecticut. Perhaps Lyman was influenced by his time in the South. The house remained in the Lyman family for many years. It was recently donated to the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, which has put the house up for sale, with the proceeds to be used to launch a new Revolving Fund for preservation projects around the state. (more…)

Justin Swift House (1820)

9 North Rd., Windham

Built circa 1820, the Justin Swift House is a brick Federal-style residence at 9 North Road in Windham. Justin Swift (1793-1884) is described in the first volume of the Commemorative Biographical Record of Tolland and Windham Counties (1903):

Justin Swift, son of William, was born in Lebanon, Conn., Nov. 3, 1793, and married Lucy, daughter of John and Sally Lathrop. Mrs. Swift was born June 8, 1799, and died Sept. 20, 1876. To Justin and Lucy Swift came children as follows: Abby, born Jan. 22, 1821, died Sept. 14, 1835; William was born March 16. 1823; Sarah, born April 26, 1830, died Sept. 1, 1835; Julia A., born May 21, 1832, resides in Windham. and is the efficient librarian of the Windham Library. At the age of twenty-two years Justin Swift came to Windham. When a mere boy he engaged in merchandising, as a clerk, and later for himself, carrying on a general store in Windham for many years. For a period of five or six years he was interested with others in the manufacture of boots in Windham, but this venture was not successful. For a short time, also, he was interested in cottonmaking at Willimantic, and purchased the old paper mill property at North Windham, put in cottonmaking machinery, and carried it on very successfully until 1862, when he disposed of the property to the Merricks. This property was twice destroyed by fire, the first time by the torch of an incendiary, and second by lightning. Through life Justin Swift was an active, energetic man. In politics he was first a Federalist, then a Whig, finally a Republican, and he was a factor in the public life of the town. Twice he served as Representative, elected in a strong Democratic town, on the Whig ticket, after holding all of the local offices, including those of selectman, assessor, member of the board of relief, etc. For many years he was judge of probate, remaining in office until disqualified by the age limit, seventy years. In belief he adhered to the Christian religion, and he was one of the leading men of his day. His death occurred in Windham, Oct. 17, 1884.

Benjamin Brown House (1833)

258 Bank Street, New London

The house at 258 Bank Street in New London was built in 1833 (or as early as 1817?) with granite quarried from the ledge behind the building, known as Tongues Rock. Sailing ships would tie up at the shore at this granite outcrop. The building was constructed as the home and whaling office of Benjamin Brown, who produced soap and candles. According to an article (“Pioneers of Tilley Street Prominent in City Affairs,” by R.B. Wall) that appeared in the New London Day on February 13, 1815:

Benjamin Brown was a prominent figure in the whaling industry and he also had a slaughter house and candle factory. He cured beef and pork and shipped it in barrels to other places. After buying the Canada house in Tilley Street he bought considerably more land adjoining ion the west bounds. On this vacant land he used to store hundreds of barrels of oil while waiting for the market to advance. Benjamin Brown was a native of Waterford and came to New London a poor and friendless boy. The building connected with his enterprises once occupied the site of the coal ad lumber business of the F.H. & A.H. Chappell Co. in Bank street. His stone house alone remains on the east side of Bank street, opposite Tilley.

Brown’s property once extended to the water behind the house and had a well that supplied whaling and merchant ships. The house survived a fire that started during the 1938 hurricane and devastated Bank Street.

Edward S. Fowler House (1847)

Edward S. Fowler House

The house at 72 Broad Street in Guilford was built c. 1847 for Edward Sherman Fowler, who was born in 1817 in the house at 66 Broad Street to Samuel and Sophie Fowler. He soon moved to New London where he worked as a railroad conductor. In 1855 the Guilford Institute acquired the house and sold it in 1868. A later owner was Alfred N. Wilcox, who served in the Civil War as a sergeant in Co. G, 14th Regt., Connecticut Volunteers. Yet another owner operated a blacksmith shop on the property until 1968. Around 1870, a French Second Empire Mansard roof was added to the house, which had previously had a flat Italianate-style roof. The current front porch was added in 2003.

Hanover Congregational Church (1766)

Hanover Congregational Church

An ecclesiastical society in the village of Hanover, in what is now the town of Sprague, was incorporated in 1761. This led to the gathering of a congregational church in 1766. A meeting house was erected about the same time, in the center of Hanover. The current Hanover Congregational Church, at 266 Main Street, is a Greek Revival structure. I have not been able to determine if this building is the original church that has since been modified or a is a replacement built later.

Bristol Savings Bank (1873)

Bristol Savings Bank (1873)

The brick commercial building at 242-244 Main Street in Bristol was built c. 1873 to house the Bristol Savings Bank. Organized in 1870 by Miles Lewis Peck, the bank was previously located in a building that was destroyed by fire in 1873. Bristol town offices were housed on the upper floor of the building until the turn of the century. The space was then occupied by the Bristol Chamber of Commerce. The building is now home to The Shaffer Company, Inc., a mechanical contracting company founded in 1890.