Isham-Terry House facts for kids
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Isham-Terry House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 211 High St., Hartford, Connecticut |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1854 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Part of | Downtown North Historic District (ID04000390) |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004413 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | February 11, 1982 |
| Designated CP | May 6, 2004 |
The Isham-Terry House is a really old and special house in Hartford, Connecticut. It's located at 211 High Street. This house was built around 1854. From 1896, it became the home of the Isham family. They worked to restore it in the early 1900s.
In the 1970s, the family gave the house to an organization called Connecticut Landmarks. Now, it's a historic house museum. You can take guided tours there and even rent it for events. The Isham-Terry House is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
What Makes This House Special?
The Isham-Terry House is easy to see just north of Interstate 84. It sits at the corner of High and Walnut Streets in Hartford. The house is next to the city's police station.
How the House Looks
The house is a mostly square-shaped building made of painted brick. It has two main floors and a roof that isn't very steep. A tall, three-story tower sticks out from one corner, making the house stand out even more. The roof has wide edges with fancy Italianate decorations.
The windows on the first and second floors are rectangular. There are also narrow, oblong windows in the attic area. On the sides facing the street, the second-floor windows have decorative tops. These tops look like small gables or rounded arches.
A porch with thin columns covers the first floor on the Walnut Street side. This porch has rounded arch openings with carved wood designs. A similar porch covers the main entrance on High Street. The balconies on the tower have similar features too.
Inside, the house is very well preserved. It has special wall coverings called lincrusta. You can also see beautiful carved wood and sparkling glass chandeliers.
The House's Story
The Isham-Terry House was built sometime between 1852 and 1856. A man named Ebenezer Roberts bought the land in 1852. By 1856, he was listed as the first person living in the house. Mr. Roberts was an important person in Hartford. He worked for the Hartford National Bank and the Travelers Insurance Company.
Building this house helped make the Asylum Hill area a popular place for wealthy families. Sadly, many other similar houses on High Street were later torn down.
In 1896, Dr. Oliver Isham bought the house. He was a descendant of the well-known Isham and Terry families from the area. Dr. Isham lived here and also had his medical office in the house. In the 1970s, his family members gave the property to Connecticut Landmarks. They wanted to make sure this special house would be preserved for everyone to enjoy.
See also
