Salt Box House

Smith-Curtiss House // c.1714

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The Smith-Curtiss House, which is possibly the oldest extant building in Derby, Connecticut, has sat vacant and decaying for years and is owned by the State of Connecticut. Believed to have been built sometime between 1714 and 1740, this historic saltbox farmhouse at 411 Hawthorne Avenue is slowly decaying due to lack of maintenance and funding. Early ownership is difficult to determine, but by the 19th century, the property was owned by Ms. Alice E. Curtiss. The old estate was sold by Ms. Curtiss in 1913 to Frances Osborne Kellogg, a businesswoman, philanthropist and environmentalist, as part of her 350-acre dairy farm and land-conservation holdings. The Smith-Curtiss House was used as a residence for the herdsmen who ran the farm nearby. Before her death in 1956, Frances deeded the property to the state as a public park, and allowed her head herdsman life-occupancy of this house for the remainder of his life. The State of Connecticut assumed possession of this house in 1981. The building has suffered from deferred maintenance since this period, with the State attempting to lease the building to tenants. I hope that local and statewide preservation groups can mobilize to secure grants and funding to restore this important property.

Samuel Bradley House // 1715

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Welcome to Southport, one of the most walkable and charming seaside villages in all of Connecticut, and it’s also in Fairfield! Southport became a leading coastal port on Long Island Sound, its ships carrying produce and goods back and forth to New York City. Sea captains houses, historic banks, and stunning churches line the streets in the village and are all in a great state of preservation. This is because much of the old village area is part of a local historic district, first established in 1967, where buildings from three centuries are protected for future generations. This house was built in East Haven, Connecticut by Samuel Bradley in 1715. The saltbox house is evocative of many early Colonial homes of Connecticut built at the time with a large central chimney and symmetrical facade. The house remained in the family until the mid-1940s when it was purchased, disassembled, shipped and reconstructed on this site on Harbor Road in Southport.

Sgt. John Smith House // c.1690

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According to local historians, this historic saltbox house was built around 1690 by John Smith, a volunteer Sargent in the Fairfield Trainband (a band of citizens trained as soldiers to supplement the regular army) or Militia. The position involved training, strategizing, storing military weaponry of the town, and being responsible for the preparedness of the community in the event of an attack by Native tribes, Dutch, or French forces. The house was later renovated in the Colonial Revival style, but has since been restored closer to its original design as an early First Period saltbox.

Old Newington Parsonage // c.1725

Buildings of New England1 Comment

The Old Parsonage in Newington, NH, is a rare survivor from the 1700s in the tiny town. It is one of few extant “saltbox” houses to be found in the New Hampshire seacoast. Like most houses of this type, the parsonage has a lean-to that was added a few years after the house was built. Like the nearby meeting house, the parsonage has long been inextricably connected to the public life and the identity of Newington. Unlike the much-altered meeting house, the parsonage retains the appearance of the 1700s and has been extremely well-preserved, giving a glimpse into 18th century life in Newington. The parsonage is estimated to have been constructed in 1725 when Richard Pomeroy, the first Sexton of the church, sold the property here for 19 pounds, with no mention of a dwelling. It was acquired by a John Knight (1685-1765). After his death, the dwelling was sold to the Town of Newington and restored to be used as a parsonage.

Davis House-Aunt Felicia’s Folly // 1805

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If you stroll down Maine Street in Kennebunkport, you cant help but notice the most charming saltbox house. Constructed in 1805 by Samuel Davis, a master builder in Kennebunkport, the Federal home likely had a saltbox roof originally which would have housed the kitchen. After the Civil War, the home was owned by Silas Perkins, who then sold the home to his daughter, Felicia (Perkins) Cleaves and her husband, Albert, a teacher. By the 1870s, Felicia had the Colonial home completely renovated, turning into a Gothic Revival showpiece. Mrs. Cleaves added a new wing to the right of the original house, for she desired the high ceilings that were common during the Victorian era. The building became known in town as “Aunt Felicia’s Folly” and alternately, “the Witch House.” In 1966, owners restored the home back to what it likely looked like before the 1870s renovation, adding a saltbox roof.

Undated image showing “Aunt Felicia’s Folly” with Gothic alterations.