Stanton-Davis Homestead (1670)

Thomas Stanton (1616-1677), an original English settler of Hartford, was a trader who fought in the Pequot War and was appointed Indian Interpreter by the United Colonies of New England. Stanton also became one of the founders of Stonington, beginning construction of his house near Osbrook Point by the Pawcatuck River in 1670. The house was enlarged in 1700. Robert Stanton, Thomas’s great-grandson, put up the house and farm as collateral on a debt in 1764. The note was held by Thomas Fanning of Groton and Ezra L’Hommedieu of Long Island, who ended up taking possession of the property the following year. They rented the farm to John Davis of Long Island, who had married into the Stanton family. Davis bought the farm outright in 1772. The land, recently preserved by conservation easements, has remained in the Davis family and is recognized as the oldest continuously operating farm in Connecticut. The last resident of the house was farmer John “Whit” Davis, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 91. Determined to preserve the historic house, about fifteen years ago Davis had begun working to preserve it and its contents as the Stanton-Davis Homestead Museum. The house, located at the intersection of Osbrook Point Road and Greenhaven Road (address: 576A Greenhaven Road), is currently boarded up to protect it and a committee of volunteers is working to raise funds for its renovation.

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John Randall House (1685)

Off Route 2 in North Stonington is a colonial house that is hidden from the highway down a long driveway (address: 41 Norwich-Westerly Road). Its earliest section dates back to c. 1685, with the main block reaching its present configuration c. 1720. Named for John Randall, it was the homestead of the Randall family. John Randall I (1629-1684), who had settled in Westerly, Rhode Island, purchased the land in 1680 and his son, John Randall II (1666-1720) built the house. His son, Capt. John Randall III (1701-1761) added to the family holdings. Later descendant Darius H. Randall (born 1823) was an abolitionist and his home was a stop on the Underground Railroad. The house, acquired by Harvey Perry in 1926, was restored about 1930 by Norman Isham, an early preservationist and co-author, with Albert Brown, of Early Connecticut Houses (1900).

William and Lucinda Clark bought the property in 1986 and the following year opened called Randall’s Ordinary Landmark Inn and Restaurant, where eighteenth-century style open hearth meals were prepared and served by staff dressed in period clothing. The property was acquired by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe in 1995 and the restaurant continued in operation until 2006. In 2015, the property was purchased by Carla and Rodolfo Bartolucci, owners of Euro-USA Trading Co. Inc., makers of organic foods under the name Jovial. Last year they opened a new company headquarters facility on the property and they plan to rehabilitate the house and other buildings on the grounds as a restored inn and restaurant.

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Ebenezer Morgan House (1853)

The house at 61 Denison Avenue (formerly 14 Denison Avenue) in Mystic was built in 1853 for Ebenezer Morgan. This may be the Ebenezer Morgan (1831-1903) whose career is described in the Genealogical and Biographical Record of New London County, Connecticut (1905):

In early life he worked in the old Irons & Grinnell yard as a ship carpenter, later in the Greenman and Mallory yards, in the latter serving as a superintendent, but during the last forty years of his life he was employed in the Light House Department on the Atlantic coast, and for several years was superintendent of construction in the Third Light House District. By his uniform courtesy and characteristic integrity Mr. Morgan commanded the respect of all who knew him. He was well known in Masonic circles throughout the State, being a member of Charity and Relief Lodge of Mystic: Palestine Commandery, of New London; and Pyramid Temple, Mystic Shrine, of Bridgeport. He had taken the thirty-second degree. He was a trustee in the Methodist Church. Like other members of his family, he was a man gifted in many ways, and he developed talents in ship construction which brought him many important contracts. He designed and built the famous yacht “Dauntless,” the property of Mrs. Colt, of Hartford, and was also the builder of the steam yacht “Britanique,” a vessel 240 feet in length, owned in Baltimore. He was the superintendent of the great work of dredging in the Potomac river and filling in land around the Washington Monument, and under his superintendence the Erie Basin Dry Dock was constructed.

Noank Methodist Church (1902)

The building at 55 Sylvan Street in Noank, formerly used as a church, was built in 1902-1903. It combines elements of the Gothic and Shingle styles with distinctive Art Nouveau windows. As related in Historic Groton (1909):

The Methodist church was formed as a chapel, partially dependent on the conference for support, in the year 1878. After years of using what was known as the chapel, it became advisable to build a better and larger house, which was done in 1903. They have now an auditorium with a seating capacity of two hundred and fifty to three hundred, fitted with modern improvements. A well equipped kitchen and Sunday school rooms are below the main auditorium.

The Noank Methodist Church later merged with the Groton Methodist Church to form Christ United Methodist Church, which moved to a new building at 200 Hazelnut Hill Road in 1972. The former Noank Church was converted into a residence.

Thomas Harris House (1755)

The house at 117 Maple Street in Wethersfield was built c. 1755. It was the homestead of Thomas Harris (1695-1774) and remained in the Harris family for many years. The area around the Harris Homestead, where members of the family built other houses, was known as Harris Hill. Harris had a son, Thomas Harris, Jr., who died in 1774 from injuries sustained at a barn raising. His son, Thomas Harris III (1771-1829) had a son, Chauncey Harris (1816-1875), who was principal of Hartford’s South School, which was later renamed for him. Chauncey Harris also served as the city’s Superintendent of Schools.