Piontkowski House (1880)

Piontkowski House

Happy Halloween!!! The exterior of the vacant house at 220 Middlesex Turnpike in Old Saybrook was used as a location for the 1971 horror film, Let’s Scare Jessica to Death. Interior shots were filmed about a mile away at the E.E. Dickinson House in Essex. The house in Old Saybrook was owned, then as now, by the Piontkowski family. The house was built in the 1880s as a farm house. By the turn of the century an owner had added the elaborate tower and named it “Fairview Farm.” J.P. Newton, a Hartford market-owner, purchased it from the Denison family in 1889. He set up an extensive farming operation to supply his markets. By 1930 the property was acquired by Fred Pointkowski (1893-1968) and his wife Bertha Kruck Pointkowski (1903-1979). It was inherited by their son, Carl F. Piontkowski (1931-2013). (more…)

Fred W. Lang House (1893)

Fred W. Lang House

In the 1890s the Berlin Iron Bridge Company in East Berlin was expanding and this led to a real estate boom. Fred W. Lang purchased land from Mary O. Bunce, who was very active in the real estate market at the time, and built four adjacent Victorian Vernacular houses on Main Street which he rented to the Bridge Company’s employees. The least altered of these is at 129 Main Street. According to the 1891 Berlin Agricultural Fair Bulletin, Fed W. Lang ran a bakery cart to Kensington, Berlin, East Berlin, Westfield, and West Cromwell from corner of Hart and Hawkins Streets in New Britain. In the 1880 census his occupation is listed as Retail Bread Dealer.

Giles H. Alford House (1894)

Giles H. Alford House

The house at 106 Windham Street in Willimantic was built in 1894 for Giles H. Alford (1827-1900). Born in Otis, Massachusetts, Alford studied at the Westfield Normal School and became a teacher in Windsor. As described in the Commemorative Biographical Record of Tolland and Windham counties, Connecticut (1903):

In 1851 Mr. Alford went to Riverton, Conn., to take a position as clerk in the store of his uncle, Alfred Alford, who was extensively engaged in the furniture business at that point. At this time he made his first visit to Willimantic, part of his work being to deliver a load of chairs to a customer in that city. After a short time spent with his uncle, Mr. Alford bought out the Union Shoe Co., of Riverton. then comprising a general store, and this was his first business venture. Although he incurred a heavy load of debt, he pulled through, and became the sole owner of the establishment. During the first years of the Civil war Henry Alford cared for the store while Giles H. Alford was engaged in Virginia and Maryland as a sutler with Gen. McClellan’s army in 1861 and 1862.

In 1862 Mr. Alford removed to Willimantic, Riverton not affording as broad a field as he desired. In company with his cousin, James Alford, he opened a grocery store on Main street, in the present location of Purinton & Reade, but the close confinement soon undermined their health, and both retired from the store, Giles H., exchanging his interest for a farm belonging to Chauncey Turner in Mansfield, to which point he removed at once. Farm life restored his health, and after about two years he was again strong and rugged. According[ly] he sold the farm and became a traveling salesman for the Upson Nut Co., of Unionville, Conn. He came into contact with machine manufacturers, and for eight years followed the road. During this time his family lived at Unionville, but later removed to Willimantic. It was also during this time that Mr. Alford bought the bankrupt hardware stock of Mr. Simpson, and put it in charge of his oldest son. Upon his retirement from the road he went into this business himself. C. N. Andrew was at one time a partner with him, and later bought his interest in that store. At a later period Mr. Alford opened the hardware store where he is found at the present time, in company with his son, the firm being G. H. Alford & Son. This son was Howard R. Alford, and on his death, his brother, Carl R., succeeded to his interest, and the firm is unchanged in its title.

After his death, his widow, Adeline C Cadwell, and unmarried daughter Adelaide Louise Alford, a member of the D.A.R., lived in the house.

Simon C. Sherwood House (1884)

Simon C. Sherwood House

Simon Couch Sherwood (1845-1906) of Southport was the son of Edwin Sherwood, a wealthy shipping merchant involved in the trade between New York and Savannah. Simon C. Sherwood is described in the Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut (1899):

Aside from his investments, he is living retired, in the enjoyments of a well-regulated life. On October 14, 1868, Mr. Sherwood was married to Miss Matilda Simpson, of Southport, daughter of John Simpson, and two sons—Simon W. and Richard S.—have been born to them. Mr. and Mrs. Sherwood are identified with the Congregational Church, and he is a member of the executive committee of same. In his political preferences he was once a Democrat, but for some years past has been a Republican. He is a trustee of the Southport Savings Bank. Mr. Sherwood’s honorable business methods and his upright life have gained for him prestige in the community where he has so long made his home, while his genial manner enables him to make friends easily, and when once a friendship is won it is always his. He is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Sherwood’s house, built in 1884 at 67 Westway Road in Southport, features an eclectic mix of Victorian-era stylistic elements. After his death in 1906, the house continued as the residence of his widow and his son Simon Wakeman Sherwood until 1916.