Historic Buildings of Connecticut - Exploring the Nutmeg State One Building at a Time

Dr. Frank T. Simpson House (1912)

Frank T. Simpson helped lead Connecticut’s first civil rights organization. Born in Alabama in 1907, he moved to Hartford in 1929. Active in social work, in 1944 he became the first employee of the Connecticut Inter-Racial Commission, now the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. Simpson eventually became executive secretary and worked to end discrimination. In 1952, Dr. Simpson purchased a 1912-13 Tudor Revival house at 27 Keney Terrace in Hartford. He lived there until his death in 1974. The Waverly School, at 55 Waverly Street in Hartford, was renamed the Dr. Frank T. Simpson-Waverly School in his honor.

Simon Newell House (1710)

The house (pdf) at 304 Main Street in Farmington was built in 1710 and was originally the home of Simon Newell and his wife Mehitabel Bird Newell. In later years the house served as a home to farmers, a shoemaker and a wheelwright and, in the mid-twentieth century, as an antiques store. Today it is Keiler & Company, an advertizing agency. The house has been much added to over the years.

Guilford Free Library (1933)

The Guilford Free Library, at 67 Park Street in Guilford, was built in 1933 on land donated by Frederick Spencer (he had originally bought the land, which was near his home, in order to move a feed, grain and coal store from the property because the noise was bothering his wife!). Architect Archer Quick designed the Colonial Revival building to fit in with the historic architecture of the neighborhood. Many residents objected to a plan to replace it with a modern building in the 1970s. An addition was later built, designed by Gilbert Switzer and John Matthew of New Haven. The entrance to the library was moved to the addition and the front stairs and door of the original building were replaced with a large window and balcony.

St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Thompsonville (1859)

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, at 28 Prospect Street in Thompsonville, Enfield, was built in 1859. According to the Memorial History of Hartford County, Vol. II (1886): “The Episcopal Church of Thompsonville was organized as a mission in 1851, and as St. Andrew’s Parish in 1855, and is gathering to itself an increasing number of adherents.” St. Andrew’s Church merged with two other Episcopal parishes in 2007. The former St. Andrew’s Church is now Amazing Grace Church.

Cashman Farmhouse (1841)

The Italianate farmhouse at 1002 Middlebury Road in Watertown (pdf) was built in 1841 by James Bishop, on part of the Hamilton Farm, which had been purchased that year by his father, Leverett Bishop. In 1854, the property was sold to the Partree family. In 1903, the house was purchased by Rollin and Howard Cashman, who ran a dairy farm on the property for nearly 40 years. For a time, the house was operated as The Graham House Bed and Breakfast, but it is now again a residence.

Truman A. Warren House (1851)

The ashlar granite Italianate house at 5 The Green in Watertown was erected in 1851 by Truman A. Warren. He was the son of Alanson Warren, of the manufacturing firm of Warren, Wheeler & Woodruff. Alanson Warren was also the first president of a company that grew out of that firm: Wheeler & Wilson, manufacturers of sewing machines. Truman A. Warren was a Republican politician. The house has been attributed to New Haven architect Henry Austin or it may have been designed by an architect copying Austin’s style of Italianate villa.

Morse Richtmeyer House (1886)

Morse Richtmeyer of the Ideal Laundry was the first resident of the house at 38 Spring Street in Bristol. The house was built circa 1886 by the noted Bristol builder Joel T. Case. In later years, the house’s Italianate cupola was removed, but more recently it has been restored.