Witter House facts for kids
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Witter House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Chaplin St., Chaplin, Connecticut |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1820 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Part of | Chaplin Historic District (ID78002856) |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000704 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 06, 1970 |
| Designated CP | October 11, 1978 |
The Witter House is a special old house located on Chaplin Street in Chaplin, Connecticut. It was built a long time ago, between 1820 and 1821. This house is a great example of a building style called Federal architecture, and it's made of brick.
For many years, the Witter House was home to the Witter family. One of them was the very first town clerk of Chaplin. The house stayed in the Witter family until 1960. Because of its history and unique style, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
What Does the Witter House Look Like?
The Witter House stands in the village of Chaplin. You can find it on the west side of Chaplin Street. It's a 2-and-a-half story building made of brick.
The house has a classic design with five windows across the front. It has a special roof called a hip roof, with two chimneys on each end. The front door is in the middle, with cool arched windows on the sides and a fan-shaped window above it.
Unique Architectural Details
Look closely at the windows, and you'll see more fan-shaped designs above each one. The roof also has a unique "monitor" section in the middle. This is a raised part of the roof with windows, which is unusual for houses built in New England during that time.
Inside, the house still has many original features. The floors have wide wooden boards, just like they did when the house was new. There are seven fireplaces, and each one has a different, beautifully carved mantelpiece. The two front rooms even have special carved columns standing freely.
Who Lived in the Witter House?
The Witter House was built in 1820-1821. It was owned by three generations of doctors, all named Oren Witter. They were important people in the community.
The first Oren Witter was especially notable. He served as Chaplin's very first town clerk. This was an important job after Chaplin became an official town in 1822. The Witter family owned the house until 1960. After that, another doctor, F. Brae Rafferty, bought it.
