So what is so special about this old stone house? For one, it is the oldest house in Connecticut. It is also the oldest stone house in all of New England. The first settlers of Guilford, CT began construction on the Henry Whitfield House in late 1639 for Henry Whitfield, a Puritan minister who fled England to avoid persecution. Forced to pause over the harsh winter months, construction was completed in the summer of 1640.
In addition to being a home for Whitfield, his wife, and their nine children, the house served as a place of worship before the first church was built in Guilford, a meetinghouse, a fort for the settlers in case of attack, and a shelter for travelers between the New Haven and Saybrook colonies.
The Whitfield House is unique in its architectural style, being modeled after the estates of northern England and Scotland rather than the lower English and London style found elsewhere in New England. It has a great hall, used for services, meetings, and such, as well as a kitchen, bedrooms for the family, and six fireplaces.
The house has been through many owners over its lifetime and has seen its share of restorations and remodeling. In 1899 the house became Connecticut’s first state museum, and a major renovation was undertaken in the 1930s by architect J. Frederick Kelly with a goal of restoring the house to its original state.
Hope you enjoyed that tidbit of history! Here are a few things that have been on my radar:
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- Are you the kind of person who is always on time? I am perpetually five minutes late (at least). I now feel completely validated by this article.
- Getting ready every morning is one of the hardest parts of the day for me. I have been doing it for 51 years, and it’s just getting old (like me!) But I bought something a couple of weeks ago that has been life-changing. My new hair dryer has shaved so much time off of my morning routine, and it’s so much easier to use!
- I have added the hair dryer to my list of “Good Things” on Amazon which are all items that improve my life in some small way.
- Other than perhaps a cartoon, I have never seen a cute rat. Until now. This guy just made me smile!
- Have you seen the trailer for the new Rocketman movie about Elton John? I learned of it recently and can’t wait to see the film. Taron Egerton plays Elton in the movie, and here he and Elton share a duet of Tiny Dancer. I think he makes a great Elton. What do you think?
- Spring is finally in the air here in Connecticut. It makes me smile to see wreaths like this popping up on doors around the neighborhood!
- Did you know there are 300,000 items in the average American home? Yikes! We have so much stuff. Check out these other statistics.
- I have been obsessed with documentaries lately. I have watched Fyre, Finding Neverland, and Abducted in Plain Sight (insane!) I am in the midst of the Disappearance of Madeleine McCann. Can you recommend others?
In other news, I am in the midst of planning college visits with my son over his April break. We are headed down South to visit schools in Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. It will be quite a bit of driving but hopefully worthwhile, and we will stop at William & Mary to see my daughter for a night or two as well. I will certainly be on the lookout for interesting architecture along the way.
That wraps things up for now. What’s on your radar these days? Please comment below with anything you think I should check out!
[x_author title=”About the Author”]
My name is Deb Cohen, and I am a lifelong resident of Connecticut, a lover of all things historic and New England, and a realtor who helps buyers and sellers achieve their real estate goals and dreams. When I’m not working, I enjoy life with my husband, our two adult children, and our two rescue pups. Renovating and decorating our historic home, dating to 1800, is another favorite pastime.
