The Watertown Historical Society’s 4th Annual House Tour fundraiser will take place on Saturday, September 26th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., rain or shine. Five fantastic homes will be featured in this year’s tour including The Lilley House on Woodbury Road, The Hungerford House on Platt Road, The Foote Farmhouse on Town Line Highway, The Atwood-Gustafson House on Killorin Road, and The Warner-Pope House on Hillside Avenue. The Watertown Historical Society Museum and Nova Scotia School House at 22 Deforest Street will also be open for viewing.
The House Tour is a benefit for the Watertown Historical Society. It is the Society's most important fundraiser of the year so please consider purchasing your tickets early. All the funds that are raised will benefit the museum. The Watertown Historical Society is a private, non-profit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to collecting, preserving and sharing Watertown and Oakville’s history via the museum. The museum receives no funding from the town or state.
Advance tickets are $25.00 per person and will be $30.00 on the day of the tour. Tickets for this self-guided house tour are non-refundable and can be purchased online by credit card or PayPal or by mailing a check or money order and a stamped, self-addressed #10 envelope to:
Watertown Historical Society House Tour
c/o 107 Vaill Road
Watertown, CT 06795
Checks should be made payable to the “Watertown Historical Society.” Advance orders must be received no later than Friday September 19th. Requests for tickets after this date will be held for pick-up on the day of the tour at the museum. All tickets and maps will be mailed out starting in the beginning of September to those that purchase advance tickets. Tickets will soon be available at the following locations: LaBonne’s Market in Watertown, Chubba’s, the Health Complex, the Watertown and Oakville Libraries, the Museum and at the Watertown Fall Festival. On the day of the tour, tickets will be available at all five of the homes, the businesses listed above, and at the museum, which will be tour headquarters with an information booth, restrooms and refreshments. Call the museum at 860-274-1050 for more information.
- Stephen Bartkus and Linda Merriman,
Watertown House Tour Co-Chairs
The Lilley House
325 Woodbury Road
Elegance and grace define this Georgian Revival home built in 1926 for Theodore and Silvia Lilley. After all, Theodore, the son of Connecticut governor, George Lilley, was a developer in the city of Waterbury. The land was purchased from Doctor Charles Jackson who ran a sanatorium nearby on Hamilton Avenue. This house has the original slate roof, Chippendale Gothic dormers, denticulated and modillioned cornices, Corinthian columned porch and keystones in the flat-arched ground floor windows. For years trees shrouded the property preventing the passerby a glimpse of the glamour of this home. The Lilleys had been active in The Watertown Lawn Club while raising their children. One son, Rutherford, who sold the home, and his wife worked on the merger of St. Margaret’s and McTernan Schools in Waterbury (Chase Collegiate School). The property has a pond, beautiful gardens, an in-ground pool, stone walls and bluestone walkways. The interior has been extensively and authentically restored. Note the formal living room with a decorative French mantel, banquet-sized dining room, den with fireplace and handmade built-ins. The large kitchen features beautiful custom cabinetry, granite counters and Viking appliances. An eating area, cook’s quarters, butler’s pantry, rear terrace and sun porch complete the first floor. A mid-landing mahogany staircase in the front foyer leads to the upstairs. To the right, the master suite includes a fireplace, sitting area, and a bathroom suite with jetted bathtub, step in shower, solid wood vanity and custom closets. Family bedrooms, laundry and linen room, full baths complete this floor. The third floor has guest bedrooms and a billard room. Throughout note the custom European wallpaper and wainscoting which complement this beautiful home. When Governor Lilley made out his will, Theodore, the youngest of three sons was named as trustee of the over $1 million estate. When asked why this choice the governor responded John was too generous, Frederick too economical, and Theodore was "the happy medium and his mother’s idol.”
The Hungerford House
470 Platt Road
The original 1769 section of this farmhouse was recently renovated by the homeowners and now features the exposed post and beam construction, a salvaged antique fireplace mantel and large New England white pine floors boards. The kitchen, great room and dining area fill this bright, open space, off of which there is a large stone patio and Victorian era side porch. The homeowner is an interior designer and operates Farm Fresh Antiques. Note the eclectic furnishings and accents throughout…a bit of French Country, Shabby Chic and even Industrial. The front of the house was built between 1800 and 1830. It features a living room with fireplace, dining room with a large 1860 map of Connecticut on its wall, and a home office. The stairs to the basement and second floor are where the center chimney used to be located, but at some point the fireplace was removed and the staircases were put in its place. Notice the old medicine cabinet near the front door that belonged to Watertown’s Dr. Jessamine Goerner which the homeowners purchased at the town wide tag sale. There will also be a Bishop and Heminway Clock, which was made in Watertown, and an 1853 map of Watertown, showing the Hungerford House, on display. This home is situated on a beautiful property with an expansive lawn and gardens, a large barn where dances were held in the loft from 1910-1950 during the time that the residence was Marti’s Dairy and an art studio, which was formerly the pig house. After viewing the studio take a walk through the apple orchard and view the beautiful pond out back.
The Foote Farmhouse
2 Town Line Highway
This country farmhouse was built by Asa French in 1802 and the rear addition was constructed around 1909. The house, while in Watertown, faces the beautiful hills of Bethlehem separated by the Town Line Highway. When John Deforest released the mortgage in 1852 to the new owner, he made it a point to emphasize “my dwelling” and not a dwelling. The farm has grown and shrunk in size over the years but has always been partly in Watertown and partly in Bethlehem. Grace Foote, who lived here from 1891 until her death in 1957, raised fourteen children on the farm. These children were orphaned or abandoned or just left to be raised by Aunt Grace and Uncle Will, her husband. The farm was even referred to as the town poorhouse in the 1930s. The home purchase and mortgage were solely in Grace’s name, something unusual for the time. Livy Crowell, who was raised on Aunt Grace Foote's Farm, will be at the house on the day of the tour, talking about his memories growing up there.
Enter the rear of the home into the guest suite which includes a bedroom, bath and music room that was the old pantry. Leaving the suite takes you into the dining room with a brick and bluestone hearth. The kitchen, living room, and family room with a large fieldstone gas fireplace follow. The house was restored by a previous owner, Domenic Dinunzio, who interviewed previous occupants as he remodeled it. This three-chimney home has 6 over 6 windows and chestnut floors. Climb the front staircase to the second floor to view the family bedrooms. A master bedroom and office sit above the guest suite. Notice the solar panels on the roof which provide all the electricity to the home. While standing on the front lawn, look across the street at the barn which used to be part of the property. You are in Watertown but the barn is in Bethlehem. That is why the street is called Town Line Highway.
The Atwood-Gustafson House
42 Killorin Road
This authentic circa 1820, three-chimney, post and beam Federal farmhouse and acreage was purchased by the Gustafsons from the Atwood family in 1905. As you enter this house from the rear patio, into a sitting room and living room, note the large fieldstone fireplace wall to the left. This spacious area was originally an attached barn. The current homeowners have extensively remodeled every room of this home including the beautiful open kitchen. The focal point of this room is the original exposed brick fireplace with Dutch oven, kettle and granite hearth stone. The dining room features built-ins and a simple wood mantle over another brick fireplace. Notice how this old house has settled in its center and now slants towards the right. Next to the center staircase is the Red Sox Room, which features a wonderful mural of “The Green Monster” painted by a local artist. The upstairs bedrooms are laid out in the original manner from room-to-room, with a back staircase that returns to the kitchen. All the doors have wrought iron latches and the tray ceilings are unusually low at only seven feet. The property once had a large dairy barn, of which the foundation ruins only remain, and a milk house where the pool is now located. The standing red chicken house is the only original outbuilding still standing. Parallel to the driveway is the entrance to a summer cellar, with a smoker and canning area, which will be open for everyone to view.
The Warner-Pope House
53 Hillside Avenue
Robert Warner built this 1893 Victorian as part of the Ball Farm Road development created by Bennett Ball. (Mr. Ball’s farmhouse is the current parsonage of Union Congregational Church on Buckingham Street. Robert was a charter member of the church.) Robert worked for the Baird Company, which became the Autoyre, at the bottom of this hill on the corner of Main and Hillside. He left that position to work with Charles Abbott in building construction. They built the first wing to Griffin School and built Sprague School in Waterbury. The house for Robert and his bride remained in the family, passing to his daughter Gladys, and then her husband Russell Pope. Russell was the longtime librarian of the Oakville Library and a local historian. He referred to himself as “the Pope of Oakville”. Russell was instrumental in the merger of the Oakville Library with Watertown Library Association and the construction of the Oakville Library building. After his death in 1983 the property was sold to the current owners.
One is immediately drawn to the veranda with a swinging chair and an original stained glass sunburst window. The front door entry leads to a cathedral ceiling hallway. Note another stunning stained glass window over the staircase landing to the right. To the left is the living room with a baby grand piano. A small sitting room is located off the living room. A separate dining room is to the right. The kitchen with a pantry and mudroom are in the rear of the house. The master suite with bedroom, bath and private porch is located upstairs along with three more bedrooms. The third floor has a bedroom, sewing and TV space. Notice the dark oak floors, dental molding along the ceilings and classic woodwork framing the windows and doors throughout the house. The door hinges and knobs are of Victorian design and solid brass. As you walk through remember that the current owners have lovingly restored this gem to its former luster after an electrical fire on January 2, 1993 nearly destroyed the home.
Click Here for the Watertown House Tour Map & Brochure
