This is the first building to be featured here which is likely not to exist very soon. John Olds is one of the founders of Manchester, who led the people of Orford parish in their quest to seperate from East Hartford in 1823, but his Revolutionary War-era house is in danger of being demolished very soon. The property, on Tolland Turnpike and Slater Road, is owned by TGM Associates, a New York developer. They own the nearby Waterford Commons apartments and hope to develop the land where the Olds House currently sits. Attempts to save the house by the town and historical society have not succeeded, so the house may soon be demolished.
Update: Although there were attempts to save it, the John Olds House was dismantled in 2012.
The John Olds House (1776)
This home must be saved. Join me and others who are friends of the John Old’s House in trying to find a solution to save this house.
TGM could donate this home as a big tax write off to Manchester historical Society, The Manchester Land Trust or to the town.
They could also save it and rent it out or use it as a visitors center. This part of our history needs to be preserved. This is our Mount Vernon.
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1776, 1776, 1776 For some reason I remember that years to be very important to this country not only Manchester. I pass the house several times a month and I never knew how old or who lived there only that I really liked the property.
The property needs to be saved.
Turn it into a local pub, artist co-op anything but save the house.
Just what Manchester needs…more condos. We need to respect our heritage and our past here in the U.S. – what are we leaving for the children? Save the house, please…someone or some group come forward to save that house..Manchester fathers, sell it to the Historical Society for $1.00- perfectly legal – The Rose house in Bolton..same story..town won’t let go of it..but does not care for the structur at all.
This is a shame! I guess the town has really gone over the edge this time. Are we that poor with all the taxes that we pay, that we can’t save our History? Shame on the town!
Thank you for posting. We lose the home of John Olds, “Father of Manchester” with enough time that it will just be a memory for our town’s next birthday.