Samuel Porter House (1786)

949 Worthington Ridge, Berlin

The brick house (Federal style with Greek Revival additions) at 949 Worthington Ridge in Berlin was built around 1786. It was the home of Samuel Porter (d. 1818 or 1838?), who operated a store next door and served as postmaster (the post office was kept in the store for a century). Henry N. Galpin later lived in the house and ran the store. According to Catharine M. North’s History of Berlin (1915):

This store formerly carried a line of everything that the community might need, including drugs. Physicians’ prescriptions were compounded here until, by mutual agreement, H. N. Galpin surrendered his drug department to Alfred North, who, in exchange, gave up the sale of his drygoods to Mr. Galpin. It is worthy of note that in all the years that Mr. Galpin and Deacon North were fellow merchants, there was never the least rivalry or unpleasant feeling between them. Mr. Galpin was a public-spirited citizen, ready at all times to respond liberally to every good cause. He was also a man of sterling integrity, as one, who knew him well, said, she would not fear to trust him with the last cent she owned.

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Deacon David Sherwood House (1830)

555 Clinton Ave., Bridgeport

The Greek Revival house at 555 Clinton Avenue in Bridgeport was originally located on Fairfield Avenue. It was built for Deacon David Sherwood, a farmer, and was known as the “pink house.” According to A History of the Old Town of Stratford and the City of Bridgeport, Vol. I (1886), by Samuel Orcutt:

Dea. David Sherwood, a descendant of Matthew, through Samuel, John and Stephen, purchased this farm owned by Dea. Lemuel one hundred years before, consisting of one hundred acres, in 1830. He was chosen deacon of the First Church, in 1831, and served about twenty-five years. He died January 24, 1873, at the age of 94 years.

He cultivated and kept his farm nearly intact until his decease. The population and improvements had so surrounded him, that his land had become very valuable. He died with the impression that he was very rich. The land has been mostly sold, streets have been laid over it, and these acres are covered with manufactures, stores and fine residences; and a teeming, busy, population, with a school house and chapels.

In 1874, the house was moved to its current address to become the residence of George Willett, a bakery owner. The house was later remodeled with Colonial Revival elements.

Woolsey Hall, Yale University (1901)

Woolsey Hall

Woolsey Hall in New Haven was built in 1901 for the commemoration of Yale’s bicentennial. A concert hall, it can seat 2,691. Built as one of a group of bicentennial buildings, its architects were Carrère and Hastings, designers of the New York Public Library. Woolsey Hall‘s murals that represent the ideal of a classical education and include images of the Nine Muses and the goddess Athena. The hall is home to the Newberry Memorial Organ, one of the largest in the world.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Fairfield (1856)

St. Paul's Church

A group of Fairfield Episcopalians met in 1853 to form what became St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. The church was built in 1855-1856 on what had been the previous site of two successive Fairfield County jails (the first was burnt by the British in 1779 and the second by a prisoner in 1852). The church expanded several times: in 1891 the parish built an addition for its Sunday school and Women’s Auxiliary and in 1928 started a project that produced a transept, expanded the chancel, added a chapel adjoining the chancel and built what is now the parish hall. A new wing, dedicated in 1959, was built on land where the Old Academy had stood (it was moved to its current location on the Green in 1958).