New England Home

Ebenezer Fisher House // c.1764

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This historic Georgian-era house at 677 South Street in Wrentham, Massachusetts, is one of the town’s most historic and unaltered dwellings. Dating to about 1764, the Georgian Cape farmhouse replaced an earlier house formerly owned by Dr. Cornelius Kollock, the town doctor and later purchased by Ebenezer Fisher. The home is said to have burned and was replaced by the present building around 1764. It is unclear if the original 17th century home was largely rebuilt or if the existing house now was built from the ground up. The home has historically (and even today) been known as the Wampum House, said to have been named after “Wrentham’s last Indian.” This claim highlights a common but harmful misconception that no Indigenous peoples survived colonization and its impacts in New England. However, the name Wampum’s Corner and the Wampum House remain. The house is today owned by the Wrentham Historical Commission, and operates as a historic house museum, though is suffering from some deferred maintenance. It would be important for the community to fully document the home’s history, namesake, and tell a more complete and accurate history of this historic house.

Plimpton-Winter House // 1868

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Only in New England will you find a historic 19th century house converted into a bank! The Plimpton-Winter House is located at 127 South Street in Wrentham, Massachusetts, and is among the finest Italianate style houses in the community. The residence was built in 1868 for Francis Newton Plimpton (1828-1913), who worked as a cashier and town treasurer, later becoming President of the National Bank of Wrentham. Two years after Plimpton’s death, in 1915, the house was bought by Murray Winter, who moved to Wrentham with his two brothers and established the Winter Brothers Tap and Dye Factory. The company manufactured gauges and valves during the early 20th century, quickly becoming the town’s largest employer until WWII. In the 1980s, the home was purchased and rehabilitated by the Foxboro Savings Bank to serve as its Wrentham Branch location. Today, the Plimpton-Winter House stands as a TD Bank Branch, where the exterior of the Italianate style residence is preserved, down to its bracketed cornice, ornate trim, bay window, and entry with paired wooden doors. How cool is that?


Goodwin House // 1902

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This handsome house in the small town of Richmond, Vermont, was built in 1902 for F. H. Goodwin, a partner of the Richmond Underwear Company, which started in 1900. Goodwin’s brother and his partner were brought from Peekskill, New York to the small town of Richmond to create and manage a new industry to revitalize the town, a program funded by the citizens. F. H. Goodwin was hired as a manager of the company, and built this home in a blending of Shingle and Arts and Crafts styles, common in the early 20th century. The house was unique in that it was the first in town to be electrified as it was directly connected on the grid with the factory next door.

The Larches // 1910

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George Otis Draper (1867-1923) was born in Hopedale and attended MIT to prepare to help run the extremely successful family business, the Draper Corporation in town, which was experiencing a period of rapid growth and expansion of factories. With his position at the company, his wealth afforded him the ability to build a massive country estate known as The Larches. The shingled Colonial Revival style home featured a massive crenelated tower and appeared like a castle in the countryside. George O. Draper sold this home to his aunt Hannah Thwing Draper Osgood in 1909, and within a month, the home burned to the ground. She began construction on the “new Larches“, a shingled mansion with a stunning blending of Colonial Revival and Craftsman styles. The home was likely designed by Robert Allen Cook, who was based out of nearby Milford, MA. The property today is run by Crossroads Clubhouse, an employment and recovery center that offers people with mental health conditions opportunities to achieve their full potential.

General Nathan Miller – Commander Joel Abbot House // 1789

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The Miller-Abbott House at 33 Miller Street in Warren, Rhode Island, is significant architecturally as well as for its owners, who included a Patriot in the American Revolution and naval officer. The first owner, Nathan Miller (1743-1790) was a prominent local shipbuilder in Warren, Brigadier General of the Rhode Island Militia during the Revolutionary War, and delegate for Rhode Island to the Confederation Congress in 1788. This home was built in 1789, a year prior to his death in 1790; after-which, the general’s daughter, Abigail, and her husband, Charles Wheaton inherited the property and lived here with Nathan’s widow, Rebekah. In 1803, the house was expanded, likely when the right two bays were added to the home. Their daughter Laura married Joel Abbot in 1825 and resided here afterwards. Joel Abbot (1793–1855) was a Naval officer in the War of 1812, and after later important promotions, in 1852, he was made Commander by Commodore Perry. Soon after, Commodore Perry asked Abbot to accompany him on his famous Japan expedition, where U.S. ships sought to explore, surveying, and the establish diplomatic relations and negotiate trade agreements with the various nations in Japan, the first time in history. General Abbot died in Hong Kong in 1855 and his body was returned to Warren for burial. The Miller-Abbot House remains well-preserved despite replacement windows and retains its large side and rear yards in the dense downtown.

Leet-Ely House // c.1787

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One of the finest homes in Chester, Connecticut, can be found on Liberty Street, a short distance to the village green. The Federal style house dates to about 1787 and was built by Gideon Leet, a Revolutionary War veteran and joiner as his own residence. After Gideon’s death, the property was purchased by Dr. Richard Ely (1765-1816), who may have expanded the residence, and worked locally as a town doctor. The property remained in the Ely familyfor generations and minimal changes have occured to the exterior as a result of this. The modillon cornice, corner quoins, and fanlight transom sheltered under a columned portico add to the charm of this great house. 

Southworth House – Deep River Historical Society // 1842

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The Southworth House, also known as the Old Stone House, in Deep River, Connecticut, is a significant example of a stone, Greek Revival style house built for an important local family. The Southworth House was constructed in 1842 for Deacon Ezra Southworth (1803-1859) from stone harvested from one of the Southworth family’s quarries. Ezra was the son of local shipbuilder, Job Southworth who began building ships at the Deep River landing in the 1790s. Ezra Southworth branched off into manufacturing, becoming a partner and patent holder producing ink wells. His son, Ezra Job Birney Southworth (1844-1919), went into business with his father-in-law in shipping and served as a member of the State Legislature twice. In 1882, Ezra Jr. added the wooden ell onto the rear of the Stone House along with the wrap-around veranda and likely the rear barn as well. Ada Gilbert Southworth Munson was Ezra J. B. Southworth’s only child to live to adulthood and inherited the family home. She was a founding member of the Deep River Historical Society and bequeathed her family home to the Society in 1946, who have maintained the significant home here ever since. 

Captain Calvin Williams House // c.1820

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This Federal period stone house with a later Victorian-era porch, is located on Kirtland Street in Deep River, Connecticut, an area dominated by homes built for sea captains and ship builders in the 19th century. Calvin Williams (1785-1833) married Eunice Southworth of Deep River in 1809, and in 1820, built this stately home from granite from the Southworth family quarry. Captain Williams did not get to enjoy his home much as he was often out at sea commanding shipping vessels out of New York. Likely due to failing health, in 1832, Capt. Calvin Williams retired from the sea and returned to his home on Kirtland Street before he died in August of 1833. Federal style features of the house, like the elliptical fanlight and modillons in the gable and a fanlight over the main entry remain, while later alterations after his death include the spectacular enclosed porch from the late 19th or early 20th century. 

Hopestill Bent Tavern // 1710

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The Hopestill Bent Tavern is a historic First Period tavern, now a private residence, in Wayland, Massachusetts, on the Old Connecticut Path, a Colonial postal road. The tavern was owned and occupied by Hopestill Bent (1672–1725), a veteran from the King William’s War (one of the French and Indian Wars). Hopestill Bent was the great-great-grandfather of Charles Bent, a fur trader and first territorial Governor of New Mexico during the Mexican-American War, who was later scalped and killed by Pueblo warriors, during the Taos Revolt. The Bent Tavern served as a tavern until about 1780, was moved to the present site farther back from the street in 1800, and enlarged to the current size.

Fairlawn Mansion // 1883

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One of the great mansions built for the wealthy Thayer Family, “Fairlawn” stands as one of the finest Gilded Age homes in Lancaster, Massachusetts. This home was built for Eugene Van Renssalear Thayer (1855-1907), a financier and businessman, and his wife, Susan Spring Thayer. The gracious Richardsonianeque Shingle style house was designed by the Boston architectural firm of Andrews & Jacques as one of their first commissions after leaving the office of H. H. Richardson to establish their own practice. After the deaths of Eugene and Susan, the property was inherited by Susan Thayer Bigelow, the youngest daughter of the couple, and her husband, architect, Henry Forbes Bigelow. Under the ownership of Henry and Susan Bigelow, a massive renovation occurred, where Henry F. Bigelow oversaw in 1923, the removal of the south wing of the house, which was relocated to the south and became a detached residence, painted the brown-stained shingles white, and removed the Richardsonian arches to create a 20th century country house more in the Tudor Revival mode. From 1965, the property was owned by the former Atlantic Union College, and was colloquially known as the White House, but has since been sold to private owners. The former south wing, now a detached house, is under separate ownership. 

Detached portion of original house.