Ezekiel Phelps House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ezekiel Phelps House
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 38 Holcomb St., East Granby, Connecticut |
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| Area | 5 acres (2.0 ha) |
| Built | 1744 |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004396 |
| Added to NRHP | February 25, 1982 |
The Ezekiel Phelps House is a very old and special house located at 38 Holcomb Street in East Granby, Connecticut. It was built way back in 1744. This house is a great example of a building style called Georgian architecture. It's also connected to a very important family from the area. Because of its history and unique style, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
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What Does the Ezekiel Phelps House Look Like?
The Ezekiel Phelps House is found west of the center of East Granby. It stands on the west side of Holcomb Street. The house is two and a half stories tall. It is made of wood and has a pointed roof. A large chimney sits right in the middle of the house. The outside walls are covered with wooden boards called clapboards.
The front door of the house has a special design. It is in a style called Federal. This means it has tall, grooved pillars on each side. These pillars hold up a fancy decorated top part. Interestingly, this front door and its wooden panels were not made for this house. They were brought from another house in Litchfield.
Inside, the house has a common layout for its time. There are rooms on both sides of the central chimney. The kitchen is behind the chimney. It is larger than kitchens in similar houses. This is because it includes a space that was often a small separate room. Many original parts of the house are still there. These include wide pine floors and special metal hinges on the doors. The fireplaces also have their original decorative frames.
Who Was Ezekiel Phelps?
A Family Home
The Ezekiel Phelps House was built in 1744. Joseph Phelps built it for his son, Ezekiel. At that time, this area was part of Simsbury. Joseph Phelps was a descendant of William Phelps. William Phelps was one of the first English settlers in Windsor. Windsor was one of the very first English towns in Connecticut.
A Revolutionary War Hero
Ezekiel Phelps was an important person in his town. He served as a lieutenant in the Simsbury local army, called the militia. He also held several small jobs in the town government. During the American Revolutionary War, Ezekiel Phelps was a soldier. There is a story about him during the war. His army camp was very close to the British soldiers. Phelps reportedly told his men, "Shoot Straight: shoot to kill, not maim." This shows how serious and brave he was during the fight for independence.
