Church Farm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Church Farm
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 396 Mansfield Rd., Ashford, Connecticut |
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| Area | 5 acres (2.0 ha) |
| Built | 1821 |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 88002650 |
| Added to NRHP | November 17, 1988 |
The Church Farm is a very old farm located at 396 Mansfield Road in Ashford, Connecticut. The main house was built in 1821. It's a special example of the Federal style of architecture, which was popular a long time ago. This historic property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. Today, it is known as the Church Center and is part of Eastern Connecticut State University.
Contents
What is Church Farm?
The Church Farm is in a quiet, rural area of Ashford, Connecticut. It sits on about 5 acres of land. This farm used to be much larger in the past.
The Farm Buildings
The main house at Church Farm was built in 1821. It has a special "hip roof" and shows off the Federal style. Part of the house, called an "ell," might be even older, possibly from around 1791. Later, around 1930, a front porch was added in the Colonial Revival style. Other buildings on the farm include a barn from 1895 and an old woodshed.
A Special Kind of Architecture
The main house is quite fancy for a farm in a rural area. It shows how building styles changed over time. The house was built by Zalmon Aspinwall. Later, it became a "gentleman's farm" when John W. Church owned it. A gentleman's farm was a farm owned by someone who didn't necessarily farm for a living, but enjoyed the country lifestyle.
The Church Family History
The Church family has a long history with this farm. Zalmon Aspinwall's daughter, Lucinda, married John Church. John Church was a farmer who raised sheep and made cheese on his 135 acres of land. As time went on, the Church family's main business changed to selling clothes. They started using the farm more as a country getaway than a working farm.
