Marietta Canty House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Marietta Canty House
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 61 Mahl Avenue Hartford, Connecticut |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Architect | Fredrick Mahl |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 00001536 |
| Added to NRHP | December 15, 2000 |
The Marietta Canty House is a special old house in Hartford, Connecticut. It was built around 1897. This house is famous because it was the home of Marietta Canty (1905–1986). She was a talented singer, actress, and an important African American activist. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a very important historical site.
Contents
Discover the Marietta Canty House
This historic house stands in a neighborhood called Clay-Arsenal in Hartford. It is on Mahl Avenue. The house is one of many similar homes built by a developer named Frederick Mahl. He built these houses between 1893 and 1897.
What Does the House Look Like?
The Marietta Canty House is a two-and-a-half story building. It is made of wood and has a gabled roof. The outside of the house is covered in vinyl siding. It has a porch that used to be two stories tall, but now it is one story. This porch covers the main entrance.
Even though the outside of the house looks simple, the inside is still very original. It has its first staircases and decorations. You can also see old gas lighting fixtures and fireplaces.
Who Were the Canty Family?
Mary and Henry Canty bought this house in 1930. Their family played a big role in the Hartford community.
Henry Canty: A Community Hero
Henry Canty worked for the city as a janitor. He was a very important person in Hartford's African American community. He was a strong Christian and attended the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Henry Canty was also active in politics, helping to gather support for the Republican Party.
He was a true community activist. He helped create clubs for African Americans when the local YMCA would not let them join. He also helped run Camp Bennett. This was a summer camp for young people from the city, located in Glastonbury.
Marietta Canty: From Hollywood to Hartford
Marietta Canty was Henry and Mary's daughter. She became a famous actress. She performed on stage in New York City and in many films. Marietta appeared in over 40 movies. Some of her famous films include Rebel without a Cause, The Bad and the Beautiful, and Lady in the Dark.
In many of her film roles, she played a domestic servant. Marietta stopped acting in 1951. She then moved back to Hartford. There, she became very active in community work and local politics. She even ran for Hartford's city council two times.
The Marietta Canty House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. This recognizes its importance to history.
