The Terence McGovern House (1875)

At the corner of Albany Avenue and Center Street in Hartford is a Second Empire-style house, built around 1875. The earliest documented owner was Terence McGovern. At the time of the First World War, he both lived and operated a saloon in the building, at a time when the surrounding Clay Hill neighborhood was heavily Irish. The house’s upper floors retain original decorative features, while the ground floor has been converted to commercial use. A similar Second Empire house with a first floor converted into a store, is located at 2404 Main Street. It is currently home to “It’s A Gee Thang,” a unisex salon.