Old Well

Well House

Lots of houses in Greater Hartford have wells. But how many still have the old well? This photo was taken at a mid-1700s property. Although the well is boarded up, the equipment is still there. Just bring your own bucket and rope.

Connecticut Temple Progress

2014-10-28 Connecticut Temple

Construction of the Hartford Connecticut Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is making good progress. The actual site is on Farmington Avenue (Route 4) in Farmington, CT across from the entrance to Winding Trails and the Devonwood community. Plans for the temple were announced in 2010, and a groundbreaking ceremony was held in August of 2013. Those interested in learning more about the project, or the Church, can follow along online.

Counter-Weighted Sash Windows

Counter-Weight

The other night I was flipping through the chapter of my Elements of Styles architectural history textbook that covers the Baroque period, which the authors define as from 1625 to 1714. I discovered that one of the innovations of that era was counter-weighted vertical sash windows, which were developed in the 1670s. Up until this point many windows didn’t open, and those that did were casement windows that swung open. Sash windows are a very

Octagon House

Octagon House

Building houses in the shape of an octagon was apparently fashionable in the 1850s. The promoter’s arguments didn’t connect with the masses, however, so most of us live in rectangular houses instead. Some historic octagons are still present in Connecticut, but there are also some newer vintage octagons in the area. Here are two that we have come across in the past few months. Both were built in the 1980s.   Note: These homes are

Accent Bricks

Accent Bricks

I always enjoy seeing this home as I drive by – the accents give it a little something extra. It would still be a very handsome home without the details, being a brick structure from 1923 (according to the town). The accents give it a slight Victorian vibe that I usually don’t see done in this area. There are other homes out there with accent bricks, you just have to be on the lookout for