Capt. David Judson built a Georgian-style house in Stratford around 1750 (or as early as 1723), on the foundation of his great-grandfather William‘s stone house of 1639. Nine generations of the family lived in the house until 1888, when the house was sold to John Wheeler. In 1891, it was sold to Celia and Cornelia Curtis, who willed it to the Stratford Historical Society in 1925. The Judson House, which is now a museum, is known for its particularly fine broken scroll pediment door surround.
Capt. David Judson House (1723)
This doorway is the cover design for the Dover reprint of Kelly’s book on CT Houses. At the time I oversaw its restoration, I consulted Kelly’s notebooks at the CT Historical Society library and found that his drawing of the pediment deleted a molding as he went from 1 page to the next.
Abbott Cummings told me he was Kelley’s assistant at the time! And, he agreed with the importance of my finding.
This doorway is also in included in the Dublin Seminar publication ‘CT River Valley Doorways’ by Amelia Miller. Its ‘Baroque’ splendor is best appreciated in person. The house is also just another of the many small, independent historic house museums in CT–a real gem.
Thanks very much for providing your comment. As an architectural historian/urban planner, and direct descendant of William Judson (great grandfather of David Judson), I appreciate your finding. We will be traveling to Fairfield and Stratford in a week, and I am looking forward to seeing the house, and this distinctive doorway.