Sanborn 1886 Map:
1879 Bird's Eye View:
This block was mostly destroyed in the 1930s and the scale has been all but obliterated by the two massive buildings that currently occupy it, the New Haven County Courthouse (1971) on Wall Street and the Century Tower (1990) on Grove.
237 Church Street
Status: Demolished, 1934
Built for: Edward Salisbury, 1829, by Ithiel Town and A. J. Davis
One of Town and Davis' grand early Italianate designs in New Haven, the Salisbury house, built for Yale's first professor of Sanskrit and Arabic, featured a very plain stuccoed façade, a three bay cube plan, simple brackets, and a two story porch with Tuscan columns and brackets. Oddly, the windows were divided in half and featured panels beneath with vertical ridges, a rather eccentric detail. The back of the house had a glassed in conservatory. Salisbury was a noted orientalist who filled his house with his collection of eastern art, and the house was built on a generous piece of property that featured some impressive plantings, including pine trees, a rarity in New Haven. This is probably one of the greatest losses on Church Street. It was torn down in 1934 for a commercial building, which was replaced in the 1970s by the current Brutalist New Haven County Courthouse. The house can be seen here just before its demolition.
One of Town and Davis' grand early Italianate designs in New Haven, the Salisbury house, built for Yale's first professor of Sanskrit and Arabic, featured a very plain stuccoed façade, a three bay cube plan, simple brackets, and a two story porch with Tuscan columns and brackets. Oddly, the windows were divided in half and featured panels beneath with vertical ridges, a rather eccentric detail. The back of the house had a glassed in conservatory. Salisbury was a noted orientalist who filled his house with his collection of eastern art, and the house was built on a generous piece of property that featured some impressive plantings, including pine trees, a rarity in New Haven. This is probably one of the greatest losses on Church Street. It was torn down in 1934 for a commercial building, which was replaced in the 1970s by the current Brutalist New Haven County Courthouse. The house can be seen here just before its demolition.
247 Church Street
Status: Demolished, 1939
Built for: Joshua Chandler, 1760
This house was not original to this site; originally it stood on the site of the Tontine Hotel further down Church Street, and was moved in the 1820s to this site when the hotel was constructed. The house served as New Haven's coffee house in the 18th century, which was run by Joshua Chandler. William Chandler, his son, was a strong loyalist and fled the US after the revolution. Originally the five bay Colonial style house had a simple porch, which was altered in the 19th century with the addition of a box window. The house was thoroughly documented by HABS a few years before its demolition.
251 Church Street
This house was not original to this site; originally it stood on the site of the Tontine Hotel further down Church Street, and was moved in the 1820s to this site when the hotel was constructed. The house served as New Haven's coffee house in the 18th century, which was run by Joshua Chandler. William Chandler, his son, was a strong loyalist and fled the US after the revolution. Originally the five bay Colonial style house had a simple porch, which was altered in the 19th century with the addition of a box window. The house was thoroughly documented by HABS a few years before its demolition.
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| Photo: HABS |
251 Church Street
Status: Demolished, 1939
Built for: Charles W. Allen (?), probably 1830s
There's not a ton of information on this house, which may have gone through several changes in its history. I believe it started off as a Federal Style brick house, given the simplicity of the facade and the porch, which is consonant with some other New Haven Federal porches. The house seems to have had its mansard added in 1864, when Charles W. Allen, a fire chief, was living here. When looking from the side, the third floor windows seem far to low to have been built with the mansard roof, leading me to think there was a gabled roof originally. Additionally, there seems to have also been a Colonial Revival makeover in the late 19th or early 20th century, given that the windows in the dormers were replaced with traceried Federal ones and the entrance was enclosed in a Federal door. The house can be seen to the left of a photograph of the Chandler house here. In the image you can see the house with its Colonial Revival details (no image survives of it in an earlier state). The side wing I only saw in one image. It appears that it may have been added to accommodate a larger staircase, since the windows are oddly positioned (plus arched windows tend to indicate staircases).
There's not a ton of information on this house, which may have gone through several changes in its history. I believe it started off as a Federal Style brick house, given the simplicity of the facade and the porch, which is consonant with some other New Haven Federal porches. The house seems to have had its mansard added in 1864, when Charles W. Allen, a fire chief, was living here. When looking from the side, the third floor windows seem far to low to have been built with the mansard roof, leading me to think there was a gabled roof originally. Additionally, there seems to have also been a Colonial Revival makeover in the late 19th or early 20th century, given that the windows in the dormers were replaced with traceried Federal ones and the entrance was enclosed in a Federal door. The house can be seen to the left of a photograph of the Chandler house here. In the image you can see the house with its Colonial Revival details (no image survives of it in an earlier state). The side wing I only saw in one image. It appears that it may have been added to accommodate a larger staircase, since the windows are oddly positioned (plus arched windows tend to indicate staircases).
255 Church Street
Status: Demolished, ?
Built for: ?, ?
This was some sort of wooden building. Since it has its own address, I am guessing it was a small commercial or manufacturing building associated with the house next door. There are no images of it.
This was some sort of wooden building. Since it has its own address, I am guessing it was a small commercial or manufacturing building associated with the house next door. There are no images of it.
257 Church Street
Status: Demolished, 1939
Built for: ?, probably 1800s-40s
A three story row house in an either Federal or Greek Revival style. It had a somewhat awkward Doric porch with triglyphs in the frieze, a rarity in New Haven. There is little information about the house, but it was clearly impressive in its earlier incarnation. After 1884, an addition with classical pilasters was added to the left hand side.
A three story row house in an either Federal or Greek Revival style. It had a somewhat awkward Doric porch with triglyphs in the frieze, a rarity in New Haven. There is little information about the house, but it was clearly impressive in its earlier incarnation. After 1884, an addition with classical pilasters was added to the left hand side.
259 Church Street
Status: Demolished, 1890s?
Built for: ?, probably 1800s-1820s
This certainly looks like a typical three bay gable front Federal house on the Bird's Eye view. Since it appears in 1886, it must have been demolished subsequent to that. The family across the street seems to have bought it and torn it down for a "Swiss Garden" sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. It likely looked very similar to 233 Church Street.
This certainly looks like a typical three bay gable front Federal house on the Bird's Eye view. Since it appears in 1886, it must have been demolished subsequent to that. The family across the street seems to have bought it and torn it down for a "Swiss Garden" sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. It likely looked very similar to 233 Church Street.
Block Survival Rate: 0/6: 0%
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