To Preserve or not to Preserve

1
To Preserve or not to Preserve

• Reasons to Preserve the Peters House
• 150 East Street
• Hebron, Connecticut
• Compiled by
• John D. Baron

2
To Preserve or Not to Preserve

• For over 100 years there has been interest at the
  national, state, and local citizen level to
  preserve the Peters Property

3
Today the Fate of the Peters House hangs by a
thread

• The Town of Hebron owns the property
• The Town wishes to sell the house to save money
• Concerned citizens have offered sweat equity to
  preserve this important landmark.
• They need you help to convince local government
  to let them.

4
Colonial Dames of America

• In 1903 in List of Old Colonial Houses still
  Standing in the State of Connecticut published by
  the Colonial Dames of America
• The only house listed of note in Hebron was the
  Peters House
• Information was supplied by Annis A.E. Horton

5
Colonial Dames Historical significance of the
property

• Peters House built about 1740
• Home of the Rev. Samuel Peters the historian
• Also Col. John Peters of the Queens Rangers
• And his brother George Absolom Peters of the
  Continental Army 1780

6
Colonial Dames --Significant Architectural
features 1903 List

• Ballroom on the 2nd floor built by Capt. Samuel
  peters
• This room has curious paneling and woodwork,
  painted ornamentations, etc.
• House was used as a tavern by Capt. Peters

7
Additional Interest by the Colonial Dames of
America

• In 1916, the Colonial Dames of America solicited
  more information about significant historic and
  architectural examples in Connecticut.
• The Peters House was one of eventually seven
  structures in Hebron studied and the results
  deposited at the Connecticut State Library.
• In this manuscript the construction date was
  given about 1780.

8
National Interest in the Peters property The
Federal Writers Project of the Works Progress
Administration Census of Old Buildings in
Connecticut

• Purpose
• Generally survey most of the historic structures
  of Hebron
• Included photographs of the exterior of buildings
• Included annotated remarks on features considered
  architecturally significant
• Deposited at the Connect State Library

• Information about Peters House
• Listed the original owner of the house as Rev.
  Samuel Peters.
• Owned at the time by F.L. Post
• Gives construction dates
• 1780 Colonial Dames
• 1790 D.E. (project worker)
• 1780 later Elmer D. Keith? Architectural
  historian
• Rear ell built about 1780

9
Rear showing where two separate structures join
10
Census of Old Buildings in Connecticut annotated
comments

• Undoubtedly built in two periods
• Larger building in front of much later elaborate
  detail, with an elaborate double cornice
• Front corners of the house cased with paneled
  pilasters.
• Front part of the original house was torn down
• Front door stands between engaged square columns
  surmounted by a small pediment of fine detail.
• It once had a fan window above it
• Walls are clapboarded
• Six window gable end
• Pediment breaks the roof line above the Palladian
  window.
• Two exterior photographs are included

11
Census of Old Buildings in Connecticut
annotated comments -- interior

• The front rooms have elaborately paneled
  wall-ends
• The second story on the right, has a fine vaulted
  room reputed to be an early dance hall.
• No interior photographs were included

12
Early Maps indicating Peters family ownership

• 1744 map by Isaac Pinney
• List two Peters houses on either side of the
  highway to Bolton
• One location corresponds to the current location
• No first names are given for either Peters
  Property
• The Mann house site may also be contained on
  current town owned land

• 1869 Nominative Map
• List George Peters as the owner
• Several structures are listed in close proximity
  to the current location
• Indicates a 125 years of habitation of members of
  the Peters clan on this site.

13
South or Best Parlor
14
North Parlor (note earlier wainscoting to left of
the fireplace)
15
Summary of Earlier Research

• Multiple sources seem to concur that the property
  located at 150 East Street , Hebron, Connecticut
  has a long establish tradition and claim to
  association with the Peters family.
• However, it is not clear which individuals within
  the Peters family owned the property or dwell in
  the house.

16
Sequence of Owners from Colonial Dames Report

• Samuel Curtiss- homelot 42 sold 1718
• Samuel Brown sold 1720
• John Peters
• Col. John Peters
• Samuel A. Peters
• George Peters
• Francis West
• John S. Welles
• Edmund Sanford

17
Sequence of owners from 2006 Hurd Report

• Town of Hebron acquired 2004
• M and M Poultry acquired 2002
• Hidden Acres Farm acquired 1987
• Green Acres Farm acquired 1967
• M. Strickland R Emmanuelson 1967
• Monica Post acquired 1967
• Elton Post acquired 1934
• Frank R. Post acquired 1882 from the estate of
  George Peters.

18
Architectural Collaboration

• Embedded in the upper wall of the center chimney
  stack of 150 East Street is a reused timber.
• It bears a nice chamfer and lambs tongue
  termination typical of 17th and very early 18th
  century construction.
• Mortises on the timber indicate it was used as a
  girt.
• It is very probable this timber belonged to the
  first house on the property, perhaps built by
  Samuel Curtiss

19
Details of Ballroom (one of only three in Hebron)
20
Conclusion

• Although both sequences clearly trace the
  property to George Peters, the sequence may
  represent two different houses.
• More conclusive research needs to be done.
• Research unquestionably links the house with the
  Peters family.
• Many sources link the house to Samuel A. Peters.
• However, there may have been more than one Samuel
  A. Peters living in Hebron.

21
Rare Built in Chest (One of four in Connecticut)
22
What can you do to help

• Contact the Town Manager, Jared Clark
• lttownmanager_at_hebronct.comgt
• Contact the Chairperson of the Board of
  Selectmen, Karen Strid ltbos_at_hebronct.com
• Voice your opinion that this important property
  not be sold off like Caesar Peters. Help
  Preserve Hebron History for the future.