Sanborn 1886 Map:
1879 Bird's Eye View:
This was once one of New Haven's grandest residential blocks in the downtown and was densely built up. The block was mostly demolished in the late 1920s and early 1930s for the buildings that currently survive. It is noteworthy that in this block you can see most of the styles that characterized 19th century architecture. An aerial view of the area can be seen here.
197 Church Street
Status: Demolished, 1908
Built for: ?, probably 1820s-1850s
This was a brick commercial building attached to the 1668 Richard Perry house on the corner of Elm and Church. It was probably erected, along with the open wooden sheds behind, when the house was converted to commercial uses in the mid-19th century. Like the Perry house, it was demolished in 1908 for the Security Insurance Building, which in turn was demolished in 1927 for the current building. The addition and sheds can be partially seen here.
This was a brick commercial building attached to the 1668 Richard Perry house on the corner of Elm and Church. It was probably erected, along with the open wooden sheds behind, when the house was converted to commercial uses in the mid-19th century. Like the Perry house, it was demolished in 1908 for the Security Insurance Building, which in turn was demolished in 1927 for the current building. The addition and sheds can be partially seen here.
209 Church Street
Status: Demolished, 1928
Built for: Eli B. Austin, before 1820
A rather impressive Federal/Colonial style house in its detailing (although it's unclear whether some of it is Colonial Revival gilding). This was built for Eli Austin, a grocer, before 1820. It may actually be an 18th century house, given that it is four bays and has dormers, something generally unpopular in New Haven in later periods. The delicate railing on the roof with urns is similar to the Pierpont house on Elm Street. The house was torn down for the Charles W. Scranton Company building, which currently occupies the site (now a Citizen's Bank). The house can partially be seen here.
A rather impressive Federal/Colonial style house in its detailing (although it's unclear whether some of it is Colonial Revival gilding). This was built for Eli Austin, a grocer, before 1820. It may actually be an 18th century house, given that it is four bays and has dormers, something generally unpopular in New Haven in later periods. The delicate railing on the roof with urns is similar to the Pierpont house on Elm Street. The house was torn down for the Charles W. Scranton Company building, which currently occupies the site (now a Citizen's Bank). The house can partially be seen here.
215 Church Street
Status: Extant, heavily altered, 1940s
Built for: Timothy Higgins Bishop, 1850s
This Italianate house of the 1850s, built for Timothy H. Bishop, actually does survive, though it doesn't look it from the current façade. In the 1940s, the Italianate façade was completely rebuilt as a Colonial Revival company office. If you walk to the rear of the building, you can see the simplified remnants of the original house (including the rear tower with tombstone windows). Originally, it was a typical three bay cube with an Ionic porch, heavy Renaissance window moldings in stone, and a spare entablature with dentils. The only image of the house shows the central window obscured by an Art Deco bay window, however, the house's close resemblance to a drawing by Henry Austin (particularly in the roof pitch and cupola composition) give us a probable means for reconstruction of the central window as a triple window with a pediment above. A similar house is the Perit house on Hillhouse Avenue. Based on the drawing (ironically in a lush sylvan setting) Austin may have had a hand in its design.
221 Church Street
This Italianate house of the 1850s, built for Timothy H. Bishop, actually does survive, though it doesn't look it from the current façade. In the 1940s, the Italianate façade was completely rebuilt as a Colonial Revival company office. If you walk to the rear of the building, you can see the simplified remnants of the original house (including the rear tower with tombstone windows). Originally, it was a typical three bay cube with an Ionic porch, heavy Renaissance window moldings in stone, and a spare entablature with dentils. The only image of the house shows the central window obscured by an Art Deco bay window, however, the house's close resemblance to a drawing by Henry Austin (particularly in the roof pitch and cupola composition) give us a probable means for reconstruction of the central window as a triple window with a pediment above. A similar house is the Perit house on Hillhouse Avenue. Based on the drawing (ironically in a lush sylvan setting) Austin may have had a hand in its design.
 |
| Watercolor by Henry Austin |
221 Church Street
Status: Demolished, 1925
Built for: Winston J. Trowbridge, 1864
Built a decade after its neighbor, the Winston Trowbridge house shows the greater elaboration in Italianate design seen as the 19th century progressed. Instead of a sedate and spare façade, the Trowbridge house was a three bay cube, but the central bay projected slightly and there were projecting pilasters on the corners. Unlike the "correct" classical porch of the Bishop house, the Trowbridge house has a much more Italianate porch with paired brackets, Tuscan pillars, and an arched opening. The window surrounds as well were less elaborate; instead of carved brackets, they featured simple panel designs. This house was torn down for the Quinnipiack Club building which currently occupies the site.
Built a decade after its neighbor, the Winston Trowbridge house shows the greater elaboration in Italianate design seen as the 19th century progressed. Instead of a sedate and spare façade, the Trowbridge house was a three bay cube, but the central bay projected slightly and there were projecting pilasters on the corners. Unlike the "correct" classical porch of the Bishop house, the Trowbridge house has a much more Italianate porch with paired brackets, Tuscan pillars, and an arched opening. The window surrounds as well were less elaborate; instead of carved brackets, they featured simple panel designs. This house was torn down for the Quinnipiack Club building which currently occupies the site.
227 Church Street
Status: Demolished, 1929
Built for: Simeon Baldwin, 1826, by Sidney Mason Stone
This house had a distinguished history as home of one of Connecticut's early governors, Roger Sherman Baldwin, built for his son, Simeon. It was built next to the family's earlier house, number 233, in 1826 as an elaborate Greek Revival house. The plan was a stuccoed three bay cube with central entrance (featuring Temple of the Winds columns), the typical Greek Revival attic boards, and an entrance porch that nearly obscures the central window (a rather unique New Haven feature). Later, Simeon Baldwin seems to have built the Second Empire house that bears his name on Wall Street on the same block. This house was demolished for the Art Deco Southern New England Telephone Company building which currently occupies the site.
This house had a distinguished history as home of one of Connecticut's early governors, Roger Sherman Baldwin, built for his son, Simeon. It was built next to the family's earlier house, number 233, in 1826 as an elaborate Greek Revival house. The plan was a stuccoed three bay cube with central entrance (featuring Temple of the Winds columns), the typical Greek Revival attic boards, and an entrance porch that nearly obscures the central window (a rather unique New Haven feature). Later, Simeon Baldwin seems to have built the Second Empire house that bears his name on Wall Street on the same block. This house was demolished for the Art Deco Southern New England Telephone Company building which currently occupies the site.
233 Church Street
Status: Demolished, 1927
Built for: Roger Sherman Baldwin, before 1824
This was the previous Baldwin house, a typical three bay, gable front, Federal house, somewhat elaborated by Doric guttae that gave it the effect of having shallow brackets. The porch had French Ionic capitals, a step up from the typical Tuscan design. The postcard below shows how it looked when it served as a tearoom. It was torn down for the Southern New England Telephone Company building which currently occupies the site.
This was the previous Baldwin house, a typical three bay, gable front, Federal house, somewhat elaborated by Doric guttae that gave it the effect of having shallow brackets. The porch had French Ionic capitals, a step up from the typical Tuscan design. The postcard below shows how it looked when it served as a tearoom. It was torn down for the Southern New England Telephone Company building which currently occupies the site.
Block Survival Rate: .5/6: 8%
.gif){kind=link}
.gif){kind=link}
No comments:
Post a Comment