Historic Buildings of Connecticut

Exploring the Nutmeg State One Building at a Time

Houses

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.

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.

24 Cone Street, Hartford (1915)

The house at 24 Cone Street in Hartford’s West End was constructed in 1915. The house was designed by architect Russell F. Barker (1873-1961), who designed many other residences in the area. Early in his career, Barker had worked for George Keller and later for William, H. Scoville. (more…)

Thomas Danforth House (1746)

Thomas Danforth was a noted pewterer. He produced a variety of pewter tableware and was the first of several generations of pewterers. Born in 1703 in Taunton, Massachusetts, Thomas Danforth was one of fourteen children of Rev. Samuel Danforth, the town’s Congregational minister. Thomas moved to Norwich in 1733 and opened a pewterer’s and brazier’s shop on the Norwichtown Green. Two of his sons, Thomas II and John, also became pewterers. Thomas II set up shop in Middletown and became the father of six more pewterers. John worked with his father until the latter retired in 1773, when the firm of Thomas Danforth & Son was dissolved (Thomas I died in 1786). John‘s son Samuel later took over his business in 1792, finally selling it in 1802 and moving to Ellsworth, Ohio. Thomas Danforth I’s Norwich home was the house at 25 Scotland Road. It was built in 1746.

William A. Parmalee House (1840)

One of Durham‘s best examples of the Greek Revival style is the house at 313 Main Street (which was 138 Main Street before the numbers were changed a few years ago). The house was built around 1840 on land acquired the year before by Phineas Parmalee, a shoemaker, whose own house and shop were across the street. He sold the house for $1200 to his son, William A. Parmalee, in 1842. William A. Parmalee, a manufacturer of shoes like his father, had married Mary J. Camp in 1840. He also served as Town Clerk and as a representative to the General Assembly.