J. Howard Catlin House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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J. Howard Catlin House
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 14 Knife Shop Rd., Litchfield, Connecticut |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1879 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 93000672 |
| Added to NRHP | August 6, 1993 |
The J. Howard Catlin House was a special old house in Litchfield, Connecticut. It was built around 1879. This house was a great example of a style called Carpenter Gothic architecture. It was built for J. Howard Catlin, who owned a company nearby. The house was important enough to be added to the National Register of Historic Places. Sadly, it was later taken down to build a fire station.
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What Was the J. Howard Catlin House?
The J. Howard Catlin House was located in a village called Northfield. This village is in southeastern Litchfield. The house stood on Knife Shop Road. Today, the Northfield Fire Station is on that spot.
A Unique Home's Look
The house was a two-and-a-half story building. It was made of wood and had an unusual L-shape. It had a main rectangular part with a gabled roof. There was also a wing sticking out to the west. The outside was covered with wooden clapboards. It sat on a strong granite foundation.
The house had many cool Gothic features. For example, its porch railings had a Gothic-arch pattern. The attic windows were narrow and pointed. These details made the house look very unique.
Who Was J. Howard Catlin?
The J. Howard Catlin House was built around 1879. Experts think its builder was very clever, but not a trained architect. This is because some parts of the house were a bit unusual.
J. Howard Catlin bought the Northfield Knife Company in 1858. He owned it with his brother Franklin. This company became one of the best knife makers in the country. Their knives were shown at big world fairs. The Catlin brothers sold the company in 1919.
What Happened to the House?
J. Howard Catlin's daughter later married Albert Turner. He was the first secretary of the Connecticut Park and Forest Commission. When Catlin's daughter passed away in 1941, she gave the house to the state. The house was later taken down. The Northfield Fire Station was built on its site in 2008.
