Ambrose Whittlesey House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ambrose Whittlesey House
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 14 Main St., Old Saybrook, Connecticut |
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| Area | 0.7 acres (0.28 ha) |
| Built | 1765 and c. 1800 |
| Architectural style | Georgian and Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 85001830 |
| Added to NRHP | August 23, 1985 |
The Ambrose Whittlesey House is a special old house located at 14 Main Street in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. This means it's an important building because of its history and unique design.
Contents
A House Built in Two Parts
The Ambrose Whittlesey House wasn't built all at once! It was put together in two main sections over time.
The First Section: 1765
The very first part of the house was built in 1765. It was a single-story building. This older section is now located at the back of the house.
The Main Section: Around 1800
Around the year 1800, a much larger, two-story section was added to the front. This new part became the main section of the house.
Mixing Old and New Styles
The main part of the house has a fairly simple front. However, it features a special entrance called a portico. A portico is like a porch with columns that support a roof. This portico is built in the Georgian style.
Above the front door, there's a beautiful, fan-shaped window called a fanlight. This fanlight is more like the Federal style. This mix of Georgian and Federal styles makes the house very interesting.
Inside the House
The inside of the 1800 section of the house mostly shows the Federal style. It has a very large chimney in the center. This big chimney is typical of even older Colonial architecture. It has six separate flues (channels for smoke), three on each floor, leading to six hearths (fireplaces).
Architectural Styles Blended
The Ambrose Whittlesey House is a great example of how building styles changed over time. It shows a mix of Georgian and Federal architecture. There aren't many other buildings like it left in Old Saybrook. The house has elements from different periods:
- A large central chimney, like older colonial homes.
- A Georgian-style portico at the front.
- Federal-style details inside the house.
Because there are not many other Georgian features, it seems likely the portico was added later.
The Whittlesey Family History
The house belonged to Ambrose Whittlesey. He was a great-great-grandson of John Whittlesey, who was one of the first settlers in the Saybrook Colony back in the 1600s.
Ambrose Whittlesey's Life
The Whittlesey family was involved in many businesses. They were farmers, traders, and even built ships. Ambrose Whittlesey started his career as a sea captain when he was just 21 years old. He sailed to the West Indies to trade goods. After the War of 1812, he also made voyages to Spain and Portugal.
Passing Down the House
Ambrose Whittlesey passed away in 1827. His youngest son, also named Ambrose, inherited the house. The house stayed in the Whittlesey family for a very long time, until 1967.
