Architect Henry Austin designed the home of Wallingford industrialist Samuel Simposon, which originally stood on North Main Street in Wallingford. In the mid-nineteenth century, Simpson, a silver manufacturer, partnered with Robert Wallace in the firm of R. Wallace & Company, the forerunner of Wallace Silversmiths. He was later president of Simpson, Hall & Miller. Simpson’s great-granddaughter, Margaret Tibbits Taber, later had a bookstore in the house. The home was later moved to its current location on Scard Road in Wallingford.
Samuel Simpson House (1840)
I lived next door to the Tabor house as a child at 222 North Main St. in Wallingford. It’s wonderful to see that the house was restored. The town library was built much later on the Tabor house property and later expanded on the property where my house stood. Not only did Mrs. Tabor have a delightful small bookstore in a front room, but Mr. Tabor had a shop in the basement where he made small copper items. He showed me how it was done and he and I made a small copper plate that I still have. The Tabors also put up some of the actors who performed at the Oakdale Theater in Wallingford. If I remember correctly, one was a young Kim Novak.