Architecture

Mitchell-Pratt House // 1820

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This architecturally unique and stunning Federal­ style house in Chester, Connecticut, was built in 1820 on the Middlesex Turnpike by Abram Mitchell for $10,000, double what he originally hoped to pay for the residence. The principal builder was Samuel Silliman, a locally well-known master carver, who clearly showcased his skill inside and out, much of which has been preserved by two centuries of owners. In 1845, the property was purchased by George Spencer, and presented as a wedding gift for his daughter, Julia, who married Dr. Ambrose Pratt (1814-1891). Dr. Pratt became well-known for his practice of hydropathology and temporarily used his house as a sanitarium known as the Chester Water Cure. The house was acquired by the local Roman Catholic Church and became the parish center until the residence was purchased and moved away from the busy street to its current location in 1966. In the 1980s, the house was purchased by famed artist, Sol Lewitt. The house has a large spider web window, still containing the original glass over the door and full-height pilasters dividing bays and inside, many stunning carved mantles and woodwork.

Jonathan Warner House // 1798

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The Jonathan Warner House in Chester, Connecticut, is one of the finest Federal style houses in the state and has been meticulously preserved for over two centuries. The house was built in 1798 by Jonathan Warner (1756-1828), a wealthy farmer who invested in merchant shipping ventures and also operated the nearby Chester–Hadlyme ferry transporting people across the Connecticut River for a fee. When he built his house Jonathan Warner used local workmen and timber, importing glass and paint from New York, wallpaper from Hartford, and stone and hardware were brought from Connecticut and New York. The farmhouse remained in the Warner family until 1922 when it was purchased by Malcolm Brooks, who retained all of the receipts and correspondence on the house’s construction and maintenance. Architecturally, the house stands out for its proportions and detailing, specifically at the front door with fanlight and sidelights, which are framed by fluted pilasters, pediment and dentil molding. There is a Palladian-esque window above the entry which is framed by two free standing Ionic columns on brownstone pedestals. What is your favorite detail of this house?

Gilbert-Zanardi House // 1830

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This unique Greek Revival style house is located on North Main Street in Chester, Connecticut, and was built around 1830 for John Gilbert. Johnʼs sister (Abby Gilbert Daniels) lived in a Greek Revival house on Liberty Street that had been built a few years earlier and was said to have been designed by Ithiel Town, a renowned Connecticut architect who specialized in Greek Revival style designs. It is thought that Town may also be the architect of John Gilbert’s residence seen here. The temple-front facade of the residence sits on a raised basement with the side-hall entrance and full-height hung windows on the facade sheltered under a portico supported by four square Doric columns. In the early 20th century, the property was purchased by Antonio Zanardi, who immigrated to Chester from Italy and worked as a watchman in a local factory. Antonio and his wife, Claudina, had a large family and expanded the house with a side wing in the early 1900s, also adding greenhouses and growing grapes on the terraced rear yard.


Chester Public Library // 1907

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The Chester Public Library in Chester, Connecticut, was formed from a private library when in 1875, a Library Association was formed with members paying fees to take out books. The library grew throughout the 19th century and was housed in rented spaces, including in the Old Stone Store, until the early 20th century, when the collection grew to a point a purpose-built library was needed. A generous donor stepped forward, Mr. Samuel Mills Ely (1837-1909), who grew up in Chester, but made his fortunes in Binghamton, New York. Samuel Ely donated funds to his hometown as a memorial to his parents, Richard and Mary Caroline Ely. The library opened in 1907 and is built of native granite and trimmed with Indiana limestone and resembles many of the Carnegie libraries built at the time with a central, pedimented entry pavilion and recessed side wings, but no Carnegie funds were allocated for this project. The architect is also not known at this time.

C. L. Griswold Mill // 1850

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Tucked away on the banks of the Pattaconk Brook in Chester, Connecticut, this mid-19th century industrial building contributes to the town’s vibrant industrial past. Built in 1850 by Charles L. Griswold (1822-1901) the mill ran on water power and originally produced auger bits, wood screws, corkscrews and other light hardware under the name Chester Manufacturing Company, before closing in 1919. In the early-mid 20th century, the building was occupied by the Solar Masonic Lodge No. 131, who renovated the building and removed all the original factory equipment. The National Theatre of the Deaf bought the building in 1983 and restored the original openings, using the building for rehearsal space and small performances until the theater company moved to Hartford in 2000. With its future uncertain, the old Griswold Mill was purchased by the Chester Historical Society, who opened it as the Chester Museum at The Mill in 2010.

Leet Store // 1909

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The handsome rubblestone commercial block at the corner of Main and Water streets in Chester, Connecticut, was built in 1909 by Italian stone masons for Joseph H. Leet and contained a grain and feed store, with other spaces in the building rented out. Decades later, the old Leet Store became a auto repair shop and the upstairs space was used as a meeting hall and theater for the community. The building was restored in 1979 and expanded at the rear with a two-story wood-frame addition for additional commercial space.

Old Stone Store, Chester // 1809

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Colloquially known as the “Stone Store,” this handsome stone structure in Chester Village, Connecticut, was built by William Buck in 1809, a merchant involved in the West Indies trade. The stone for the building is believed to have come from the Chester quarry in town and was likely more vernacular without the columned portico. The four-columned Doric portico was likely added in the 1830s or 1840s as the Greek Revival style surged in popularity. The two side wings were added in the 20th century. The Old Stone Store has held various uses from a store, tavern, post office and liquor store, while the upper floor has served as a private school, the town’s library and an apartment. The Old Stone Store today acts as the western terminus of the town’s Main Street commercial district.

Dunk Homestead // c.1672

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The oldest building in Chester, Connecticut, is believed to be this First Period residence on North Main Street, which was originally built sometime after 1672, when land here was deeded to Thomas Dunk (1648-1683). The property was inherited by various members of the Dunk family, including Deacon Jonathan Dunk (1711-1781), who added onto what was originally a one-room, gambrel-roofed house as their families and wealth grew. The old Dunk Homestead is one of the many great landmarks in Chester and has been lovingly preserved for over 350 years!

Chester House Hotel // c.1840

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This altered building in the center of Chester Connecticut’s village Main Street, has historically been known as the Chester House, a hotel and tavern to provide lodging and drinks to travelers passing through the area in the mid-late 19th century. The structure, built atop a raised stone foundation, was constructed in the Greek Revival style around 1840, and long had a sheltered two-story portico supported by four monumental columns under a gabled roof which resembled a pediment. In 1903, a fire destroyed the upper floor and the roof was removed, creating a flat roof design. Later in the 20th century, a shallow side gable roof replaced the flat roof and the columns on the facade were also removed, giving the building the appearance we see today. The hotel closed, but the historic structure remains an anchor to the town’s vibrant commercial center, and houses a local business.

Charles Daniels House // c.1826

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The Charles Daniels House in Chester, Connecticut, is a sophisticated and excellently proportioned and designed example of a single-family residence in the Greek Revival style. Features like the Doric portico, flushboarding and frieze windows are components of a skillful design that has been credited to architect Ithiel Town, but this is unsubstantiated. The home was built around 1826 for Charles Daniels (1799-1838), a gimlet manufacturer, who had his factory nearby. Charles died in 1838, and the property was inherited by his second wife, Abby Gilbert, who also remarried and lived here with her new husband, Clark N. Smith, and they resided here until the early 1900s. Later, the residence was owned by the adjacent mill company, and used temporarily as a storage facility. The location adjacent to the deteriorating factory threatened the significant Daniels House, so in 1978, architect Thomas A. Norton had the house moved a short distance away onto the present site. The house was listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been preserved, inside and out, by later owners.