Warner House (East Haddam, Connecticut) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Warner House
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Photo from the WPA Architectural Survey
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 307 Town St., East Haddam, Connecticut |
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| Area | 50 acres (20 ha) |
| Built | c.1738 and c.1790 |
| NRHP reference No. | 87000174 |
| Added to NRHP | February 19, 1987 |
The Warner House is a very old and special house located in East Haddam, Connecticut. It was built a long time ago, around the mid-1700s. This house is famous for its beautiful wooden details inside and its old metal hardware, like hinges and latches. Some of the people who owned the house probably made these metal parts themselves!
The house became a historic landmark in 1987. Today, an organization called Connecticut Landmarks owns it. They are getting ready to open it as a historic house museum so people can visit and learn about its past.
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Exploring the Warner House
The Warner House stands in a quiet area of western East Haddam. You can find it on the west side of Town Street, which is also Connecticut Route 82. It's close to where Town Street meets Petticoat Lane.
What Does the House Look Like?
The house is 2+1⁄2 stories tall. This means it has two full floors and a half-story, usually an attic space. It's made of wood and has a classic design. The roof slopes down on two sides, which is called a "side-gable roof."
A large chimney sits right in the middle of the house. The outside walls are covered with overlapping wooden boards called "clapboards." The front of the house is very even and balanced. The main door is in the center. It has a small, gabled porch supported by round columns. Simple flat columns, called "pilasters," stand on either side of the door.
Inside the Historic Home
When you go inside, you'll find a typical layout for houses from that time. It has a "center-chimney plan," meaning the main chimney is in the middle of the house. This design helps keep the whole house warm.
The main living room, or "parlor," has beautiful wooden panels around the fireplace. In the second parlor, you'll see fancy wooden decorations. These detailed wooden pieces are called "millwork."
Who Lived Here? A Look at Its History
The Warner House was first built in 1738 by a man named John Warner. Later, around 1790, the house got a stylish makeover. This is when most of its beautiful wooden details were added.
John Warner was well-known in the area for making hardware. He created things like hinges and latches for doors and cabinets. It's very likely that some of the metal hardware in this house was made by him! His son and grandson also lived here after him. They were both blacksmiths, working with metal just like John.
In 1936, a man named Frederic T. Palmer bought the house. He was an architect who specialized in restoring old buildings. Mr. Palmer carefully worked to bring the house back to its original beauty. He was also a leader for Connecticut Landmarks. After his partner passed away in 2005, the property was given to Connecticut Landmarks.
