John C. Coffing House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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John C. Coffing House
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | US 44 W of Salmon Kill Rd., Salisbury, Connecticut |
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| Area | 2.5 acres (1.0 ha) |
| Architectural style | Colonial, Federal, Postmedieval English |
| NRHP reference No. | 90001922 |
| Added to NRHP | December 18, 1990 |
The John C. Coffing House is a historic home located in Salisbury, Connecticut. It was built in 1799 for John C. Coffing, who was a very important businessman in the area. This house shows us what homes looked like during the late Colonial period in America. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990 because of its special history and architecture.
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What Does the John C. Coffing House Look Like?
The John C. Coffing House sits on the east side of United States Route 44. It's located south of the main village center in Salisbury. The house covers about 2.5 acres (1 hectare) of land. It also overlooks a small stream that flows into Factory Brook.
Key Features of the House
This house is a two-and-a-half story building made of wood. It faces south, looking towards the brook. The front of the house has five window sections. It has a roof that slopes down on two sides, with a chimney in the middle. The outside walls are covered with clapboard siding. The foundation is made from limestone found nearby.
The main door is in the center of the front wall. A small, gabled entryway was added in the early 1900s. The edges of the roof have decorative tooth-like carvings called dentil moulding. There's also a half-round window, shaped like a fan, on the side of the house that faces the street. A part of the house extends to the right. This section seems to be an older addition.
Who Was John C. Coffing?
The John C. Coffing House was built in 1799 for John C. Coffing. He was originally from Southbury, Connecticut. John C. Coffing was a very successful businessman. He helped start a company called Holley and Coffing.
The Holley and Coffing Business
Holley and Coffing became one of the biggest companies in the region. They operated iron furnaces during the first half of the 1800s. Iron furnaces were important for making metal products. John C. Coffing bought the land for his house from Sarah Holley. She had inherited it from her grandfather, Benjamin Stiles. He was one of the first people to settle in the area.
The Holley and Coffing families were very powerful. They even married into each other's families over the years. These families controlled the iron production in the area for many generations. The John C. Coffing House stayed in the extended Coffing family until 1979, when it was sold.
