John I. Howe House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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John I. Howe House
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The house in 2016
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 213 Caroline Street Derby, CT |
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| Built | 1845 |
| Built by | Lucius Hubbell |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 88003229 |
| Added to NRHP | February 6, 1989 |
The John I. Howe House is a special old house located at 213 Caroline Street in Derby, Connecticut. It was built in 1845 and is a great example of Greek Revival architecture, which was a popular style back then. This house was built for John Ireland Howe, who was famous for his pin-making company. It was added to the list of important historical places, called the National Register of Historic Places, in 1989.
Contents
About the House's Look
The John I. Howe House is just north of downtown Derby. It's a two-and-a-half-story building made from strong granite stones. The house has a unique cross shape, with a main part and sections sticking out on the east and west sides.
Architectural Style and Details
This house is an amazing example of the Greek Revival style, built using stone. The ends of the roof, called gables, are shaped like triangles and covered in wood. The windows are set into rectangular openings with granite sills and tops. There's also a two-story porch at the front corner. This porch was rebuilt to look just like the original one from old photos.
The House's History
John Ireland Howe was born in Ridgefield. He invented machines that could make straight metal pins. Before his invention, pins were made by hand, which took a lot of time and effort.
Howe's Pin Company
Howe first started his business in upstate New York. Later, in 1838, he moved his pin-making company to Derby. John Ireland Howe is known as one of Connecticut's most important inventors from the 1800s.
Plans for the House Today
In 1989, the Derby Historical Society owned the house. They planned to fix it up so it could become a museum about industry. By 2016, the Derby Historical Society still owned the house. They hoped to turn it into the Lower Naugatuck Valley Industrial Heritage Center. This would be a museum open to everyone. There's even a hope that one of Howe's original pin-making machines, which is currently at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., could come back to Derby to be shown at the museum.
