For over two-and-a-half centuries, the Terry Homestead has stood prominently at what is now 54 Middle Street in Bristol. Built for Thomas Barns in 1748 and home over the years to various families, including the Terrys, in 1973 the house became the home of the Bristol Historical Society (now located in the old Bristol High School). Today, new developments are underway and the house’s site at the northwest corner of Middle Street and Mountain Road is being developed with construction of a new bank and drug store. As part of the plan, the old homestead is being relocated further uphill to Mountain Road. As the above picture shows, the house has already been moved uphill by truck!
Addendum: On April 13, 2012, I added the following update: The Historic Fletcher-Terry House is in danger of being demolished! I featured the house on this blog a year ago, but now its days are numbered.
WFSB story here:
http://www.wfsb.com/story/17384774/bristol-grapples-with-fate-of-historic-home
From the Bristol Free Press:
Time running out on Fletcher-Terry house
Fletcher-Terry home in Bristol still standing – for now
Addendum: This house has been demolished.
Is this the earliest version of a Mobile Home?
June 2012, no effort is being made to save or protect this house. The top floor windows are removed to allow the New England weather to rain and snow inside and destroy the building. Bristol has done this in the past to shut up those that want to save old and historic buildings. They remove the windows and open up a side of the house for the weather to ruin it and then there is way too much damage to save the poor old house. It is all done intentionally to shut us up.
That’s a terrible shame to deliberately ruin a beautiful old house. You can tell that it wasn’t in bad condition to begin with–houses that have been much further gone than this one have been totally restored.