Stanton-Davis Homestead Museum

The Stanton-Davis Homestead Museum (formerly known as the Robert Stanton House) is a historic house on Greenhaven Road in Stonington, Connecticut. It was built ca. 1700[2], and is the oldest house in Stonington. The property has been a working farm for over 350 years, most by members of the Davis family. As of 2012, the house was boarded up and the Stanton family society was struggling to raise renovation funds.[3]

Robert Stanton House
Stanton-Davis Homestead
LocationGreen Haven Rd., Stonington, Connecticut
Coordinates41°20′3″N 71°51′2″W
Area227 acres (92 ha)
Builtca.1700
Architectural styleColonial
NRHP reference No.79002648[1]
Added to NRHPJune 04, 1979

Description and history

The Stanton-Davis Homestead is located in southeastern Stonington, at the junction of Green Haven Road with the Osbrook Point Road. The principal feature of the homestead is the main house, a 2-1/2 story timber-framed structure with a gabled roof, central chimney, and shingled exterior. It is distinguished by its overhanging side gables, a sign of its great age, and its eaves, which are longer than typical for houses of the period. The interior follows a typical center chimney plan, with a narrow staircase in the vestibule that features fine carved woodwork posts and balusters thought to originate in England. Interior woodwork also includes fine carved panels and a built-in cabinet dating to the 18th century. The house has never been fitted for a number of modern conveniences, including heating systems beyond its fireplaces.[4]

On October 24, 1764, Robert Stanton, great-grandson of Thomas Stanton, the Indian interpreter, put up the farm as collateral on a debt.[5] Thomas Fanning of Groton, Connecticut and Ezra L'Hommedieu of Long Island held the note and ended up owning the farm when Stanton could not repay the note by 1765. Not wanting to own a farm, Fanning and L'Hommedieu rented the property to John Davis of Long Island, and he bought the land outright in 1772.[6] The property remained in the Davis family until the late 20th century, when it was passed to a family foundation, which was formed to preserve the homestead as a museum.[7]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. "National Register Nomination, Stanton-Davis Homestead".
  3. Collins, David (11 March 2012). "Help may be needed to save this historic treasure". New Londton Day. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  4. "NRHP nomination for Robert Stanton House". National Park Service. Retrieved 2018-04-09.
  5. Stonington, CT Land & Buildings Records v.10 pp. 526
  6. Stonington, CT Land & Buildings Records v. 9 pp. 368/9
  7. Westerly Sun, July 3, 2007, by Judy Green Fundraising underway to preserve Davis farm
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