Avery Lamb House (1841)

Prospect Street in New London is notable for being a well-preserved example of a mid-nineteenth century streetscape, with houses in the Greek Revival style predominating. Sabin Smith laid out Prospect Street in 1837 and then proceeded to sell his holdings. In 1841, Avery Lamb, a cooper, hired builder Lewis Crandall to build two houses, at nos. 16 and 20. Lamb sold the former, but the latter, 20 Prospect Street, became his own house. (Note: the sign on the house itself displays a date of 1836.) (more…)

Alsop-Weeks House (1780)

At 202 Washington Street in Middletown is a house that has gone through a number of stylistic changes over two centuries. Known as the Wetmore-Weeks or Alsop-Weeks House, it was built around 1780 by Chauncey Whittlesey, wealthy merchant and supporter of the American Revolution. The house was later owned by Charles R. Alsop, developer of the now rare Alsop Pocket percussion revolver. Alsop, who also served as mayor of Middletown (1843-1846) and state senator (1855), made alterations to the house around 1840, remodeling the Georgian-style building in the then-popular Gothic Revival style. Later in the nineteenth century, the Atwater family remodeled the interior of the house in the neo-Federal style. They sold it to Frank B. Weeks, who had just served as governor of Connecticut from 1909 to 1911. After his term, Weeks became a trustee of Wesleyan and bequeathed the house to the University at his death in 1935. The house has since been a student residence. A rear addition was constructed in 1966.

P.C. Turner House (1849)

The P.C. Turner House, at 127 Federal Street in New London, is an interestingly eclectic Italianate house. It was built before 1880, perhaps as early as 1830–in which case some of the architectural elements were likely added later. The most accurate date is 1849. Its most striking feature is the cast-iron veranda on the west and south sides of the house, which include a dramatic hexagonal corner porch. The house was built for Peter C. Turner, who was a merchant involved in the whaling industry. He was a trustee and partner in Albertson and Douglas Co., a foundry which did business with whalers, cashier and later president of the National Whaling Bank in New London and treasurer of the New London County Bible Society.

Roger Sherman Place (1775)

The house at 247 Main Street South in Woodbury was built circa 1775 and is known as the Roger Sherman Place. This Woodbury Roger Sherman is not the famous Roger Sherman, but probably a relative. The house looks to have been much altered in the Greek Revival style in later years.

Update (8-9-2015): The 1775 portion of the house is actually the ell and the main section was built later, probably c. 1820, when the property was transferred from Matthew Minor, Jr. to Rev. Samuel R. Andrew, pastor of the First Congregational Church from 1817 to 1846.