Historic Buildings of Connecticut

Exploring the Nutmeg State One Building at a Time

Architectural Style

The Spanish House (1929)

With its white stucco walls, red tile roof and detailed wrought iron work, the house at 46 Fernwood Road in West Hartford is an unusual example in Connecticut of the Spanish Colonial Revival style. Called the Spanish House, it was built for Mrs. Grace M. Spear Lincoln (d. 1971), who had lived for a time in Spain and wanted a house in the Spanish style. She acquired the land in 1927 and worked with architect Lester B. Scheide to design the house, which was built in 1928-1929. N. Ross Parke, an artist, completed the home’s interior decoration, painting the dining room ceiling and several niches inside the house. The building has a U-shaped plan surrounding a central court. The court is paved with cobblestones believed to have come from Asylum Avenue when the old trolley line was torn up. The owners of the house in 2003 received a West Hartford Historic Preservation Award for their work on the house, which included the rebuilding of the original 1929 courtyard fountain that had been almost completely destroyed and buried.

Old West School, West Hartford (1878)

At 87 Mountain Road (corner of Buena Vista Road) in West Hartford is the town’s oldest extant schoolhouse, a brick structure known as the Old West School. Since 1936, the former school has been occupied by the West Hartford Art League, which purchased the building from the town in 1965 on the condition that it be preserved and used exclusively for non-profit cultural and educational purposes.

Turner House (1882)

A Stick Style residence dating to 1882 (or perhaps as late as 1892?), the Turner House is located at 274 North Main Street in West Hartford. A farmhouse, it was probably built by Daniel Lord, who died in 1893. The farm was then purchased by Margaret Turner, who farmed it with her husband until the 1930s. The land was then sold for a housing subdivision known as Sunny Slope. The house has an interesting external brick chimney that passes through the bargeboard trim at the gable end facing North Main Street. (more…)

Edward Stanley House (1840)

At 15 Buena Vista Road in West Hartford is a Greek Revival house with a sign that indicates it was built in 1840 and was the home of Edward Stanley. There was an Edward Stanley (1814-1884) of West Hartford who married Susan Selden (1816-1888) that same year. The first state representative from the new Town of West Hartford in 1854 was named Edward Stanley.

Samuel Farnsworth House (1790)

This is West Hartford Week at Historic Buildings of Connecticut! Once thought to have been built in 1807, the Samuel Farnsworth House, at 537 Mountain Road in West Hartford, was originally constructed in 1790 as a two-room cottage. Samuel Farnsworth was born in Washington, New Hampshire, in 1762 and died in South Carolina. He married Elizabeth Goodwin in 1788.

Newent Congregational Church (1858)

The Congregational Church in Newent (Lisbon) began as The Meeting House Assembly in 1723. The congregation occupied two buildings before the current Newent Congregational Church was dedicated in 1858. It was designed and built by Ebenezer Tracey, a prominent cabinetmaker from Lisbon. Lisbon’s old “Town House” was moved in 1953 and attached to the southwest corner of the church.

1010 Shuttle Meadow Road, Southington (1772)

The house at 1010 Shuttle Meadow Road in Southington was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989. Since the original owners are unknown, it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as “House at 1010 Shuttle Meadow Road.” The house has windows closely flanking the front door. If these were put in when the house was first constructed in 1772, then they are an unusual feature for the time.