The Bissell family had already been in Connecticut for several generations by the time Henry Bissell built this house in 1850. The family owned considerable land in the Litchfield area, where family members ran successful farms and operated a grist mill and a granite quarry.&nbsp; Henry Bissell was a prominent Litchfield farmer. In 1860, he owned 72 acres of farmland with 5 dairy cows, and his holdings only increased over the years. When the Shepaug Railroad started running through Litchfield in 1872, dairy farming became increasingly lucrative, since farmers could now ship milk daily to New York. By 1870, Henry Bissell&nbsp;had 9 cows, and by 1896, 20.&nbsp; Henry Bissell died in 1887, and the property passed to his children Francis and Amelia Bissell. The house remained in the family until 1985.&nbsp;

Henry B. Bissell House (source: Jerry Dougherty, full citation below)

This Greek Revival house was built in 1850 for Henry Benton Bissell. It is a notable example of high-quality stone masonry from the antebellum period. The stone was sourced from the Bissell family's nearby quarry and includes three colors of granite. It is the only stone Greek Revival house in the area.

Henry B. Bissell House

This short scenic drive includes numerous homes on the National Register of Historic Places and Oliver Wolcott House which is a National Historic Landmark. The tour also includes stops at the Litchfield Historical Society which offers galleries of historical artifacts and offers group tours throughout the year for those who wish to explore the history of this part of Connecticut even further. 

Historic Homes of Litchfield and Torrington Connecticut 

Oliver Wolcott was the son of Roger Wolcott, who was the 13th Governor of Connecticut. Wolcott (Oliver) attended Yale College and graduated in 1747. For a few years, he studied medicine but moved to Litchfield in 1751 where he became its first sheriff and remained in the position for 20 years. He got married in 1775 to a woman named Laura Collins&nbsp;and they had five children. He held a number of political and legal&nbsp;positions in his lifetime: deputy for Litchfield, member of the state upper house,&nbsp;judge (probate court and county courts), and delegate to the Continental Congress.&nbsp; During the war, he served as a major, colonel, and brigadier general. In 1776, he led 14 units to New York City to help defend the city with General Israel Putnam. Then in December, he was given command of the 6th Connecticut Militia brigade. He participated in the Battles of Saratoga (September 19-October 7, 1777). Wolcott&nbsp;displayed excellent leadership during the battles. In one example,&nbsp;on his own volition he led a force of 309 cavalry to reinforce General Horatio Gate's army along the Hudson River in Northern New York. As a result of his efforts, he was&nbsp;promoted to major general in command of all Connecticut militia. His primary task in this role was to defend the Connecticut seacoast against British raids. After the war, Wolcott was elected lieutenant governor in 1786 and then governor in 1796. He died the following year in December and is buried in East Cemetery here in Litchfield.

A National Historic Landmark, this Colonial-era home was built by its namesake and prominent political figure of the period, Oliver Wolcott Sr. (1726-1797). Wolcott was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation, served as a major general of the state militia during the Revolutionary War, and served as Governor of Connecticut from 1796-1797. The house is further significant for its association with other notable figures of the era who visited Wolcott, including future first president George Washington. Additionally, Wolcott's son and future governor, Oliver Wolcott Jr., was born here in 1760. The house is privately owned today but can be viewed from the street. 

Oliver Wolcott House

Tapping Reeve was born on Long Island in 1744. He attended the College of New Jersey, which is now Princeton University, and graduated in 1763. He worked&nbsp;there as a tutor&nbsp;for seven years afterward then moved to Connecticut in 1771. He passed the bar exam in 1772. He married his wife, Sally Burr, who, as alluded to above, was Aaron Burr's sister. Aaron Burr became interested in studying law and asked Reeve to tutor him. This is how the law school began. One of the more interesting and innovative aspects of the curriculum, which covered the entire body of law, was the Moot Court, where students could practice debating legal issues under Reeve's guidance. Such a practice was not allowed under the apprentice system of studying law. Initially, students lived on the third floor of the house but as the school grew, they started to live&nbsp;in prominent Litchfield homes. Lectures moved to the school building constructed in 1784. The course lasted from 14 to 18 months. In 1798, Reeve enlisted the help of friend James Gould, who graduated that year. Reeve managed to continue teaching despite his other jobs until 1820 when he officially ended his ties to it. Gould continued teaching until 1833.

The historic home was the location of the country's first law school, called the Litchfield Law School. It was founded in 1784 by lawyer Tapping Reeve (1744-1823), who would serve as Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court beginning in 1814. Reeve built the house in 1773. He started to give law lectures in the parlor in 1782 but as the number of students increased, it was clear that a larger space was needed. So in 1784, Reeve built a one-story building near the house. His very first student was his brother-in-law Aaron Burr, who would go on to be Vice President under President Thomas Jefferson (he is most known for shooting and killing founding father Alexander Hamilton in a duel in 1804). Future Vice President John C. Calhoun and Lyman Beecher, the father of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" author Harriet Beecher Stowe, were other notable students. The school operated until 1833. In all, over 1,000 students studied at the school and many would go on to become successful leaders in law, politics, and business. As such, they played a central role in laying the political and economic foundations on which the country now stands. For these reasons, the site (the house and school buildings) is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark. Visitors to the house can watch an introductory video, learn about how the students lived, and try on period clothes.

Tapping Reeve House and Litchfield Law School

Founded in 1856, the Litchfield Historical Society is dedicated to preserving the history of town from its founding in 1719 to the present day. It operates the Litchfield History Museum and the Tapping Reeve House and Litchfield Law School site. The museum features changing exhibits with many artifacts and on display, hands-on areas, and a library and archives in the basement. The museum's collection includes paintings, furniture, tools, textiles, costumes, various household items, rare books, organizational records, diaries, deeds, and photographs. It is possible to see many of these items on the Society's online database. In addition, the Society offers a variety of education programs and tours such as craft workshops, walking tours, and book clubs. 

Litchfield Historical Society

Edith Morton Chase was born to a prominent family. She was daughter of Henry Sabin Chase (1855-1917), who founded Chase Brass and Copper Company in 1876 in Waterbury, Connecticut; it is still in operation today. The company became one of largest and most profitable businesses in the city. Henry's two brothers were prominent businessmen as well. Their father, Augustus, was a successful industrialist and banker.&nbsp; In 1917, Henry gifted Edith the first&nbsp;16 acres of land where she would eventually build Topsmead. She first built a a rustic cabin and then a larger house in 1923.&nbsp;She expanded the house to what it is today in 1925.&nbsp;Edith shared Topsmead with two of her lifelong friends, Mary and Lucy Burrall. The maintained a relaxed atmosphere at the house and entertained guests informally. Edith inherited a substantial sum when Henry passed away. She used the money wisely, investing in real estate which increased her wealth even more. One notable purchase was when she&nbsp;bought&nbsp;a farm in 1927, which provided food for the mansion. She also served on the board of the Connecticut Forest and Park Association. She passed away in 1972. In her will, she left the estate to the people of Connecticut and requested that the estate become Topsmead State Forest.&nbsp;

Once the summer residence of wealthy businesswoman and philanthropist Edith Morton Chase (1891-1972), Topsmead is a beautiful Tudor Revival house built in 1925. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993, it is now the focal point of Topsmead State Forest, which encompasses the entire grounds—600 acres—of the former estate. The house was designed by architect Richard Dana, who was based in New York City at the time, and it has been well maintained. Each end of the home features formal gardens. Free guided tours are offered from June to October on the second and fourth weekends. Visitors will see 17th and 18th century antiques inside. 

Topsmead

The Hotchkiss-Fyler Estate includes two houses: the Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum and the adjacent Torrington History Museum. The property also has a carriage house. The House Museum was originally built by the Hotchkiss Brothers Company at the end of the 19th century. Its interior features paneled walls and decorative details carved from a variety of woods: mahogany, oak, maple, and red birch. Visitors can also enjoy the home's collections of paintings, art glass, and porcelain. Orsamus Roman Fyler, who commissioned the house, was active in city and state politics. Born in Torrington, Connecticut&nbsp;in 1840, he served in the Civil War (Second Connecticut Heavy Artillery), and afterward worked in public service, as State Representative, postmaster of Torrington, and then State Insurance Commissioner. He was elected&nbsp;Chairman of the Republican State Central Committee in 1896. From 1897 until his death in 1909, he worked as&nbsp;State Railroad Commissioner.&nbsp;

Commissioned by Orsamus Fyler in 1897, and completed in 1900, this Queen Anne style Victorian house is now the Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum and the Torrington Historical Society Headquarters. 

Gertrude Fyler Hotchkiss left the property to the Torrington Historical Society as a bequest in 1956.

Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum

Characteristics of Queen Anne style include: - irregularity/asymmetry of the building plan - use of multiple textures - wraparound porch - tower or turret - formal entrance hall - ornamentation such as spindlework, fish scale siding, half timbering, etc. This particular building is an excellent example of the architectural style. It includes a round tower on one corner,&nbsp;a wraparound porch, an asymmetrical plan, and typical decorative elements, such as the contrasting patterns and textures on the exterior of the walls. It has maintained its original hard wood floors, lighting fixtures, and hardware on its doors and windows. James Alldis was born in England in 1839 and came to the United States at age 14. By age 19, he was working for the Meriden Needle Company in Cheshire, Connecticut. Excelsior Needle Company was founded in Torrington in 1866, with George Isbell as superintendent. Isbell soon retired, and Alldis took on the job. He remained with Excelsior for the next three decades, retiring in 1899. The Excelsior Company first produced sewing machine needles, and then&nbsp;added knitting machine needs, hook needles, spokes, and other items to its product line. The company name&nbsp;was eventually changed to the Torrington Company. Alldis began work on his house toward the end of his career with Excelsior. It stands in a prime location, close to downtown, and was very fashionable in its day.

Built in 1895, this Queen Anne style house still retains many of its original features. Its tower, asymmetrical layout, and ornamental details exemplify Queen Anne architecture. The property also includes a carriage house. 

This building was the home of James Alldis, who is best-remembered for his role in the Excelsior Needle Company, which originated in Torrington in 1866 and became the city's most significant industry. A few years after its formation, Alldis was appointed superintendent of the company until his retirement in 1899. 

Today, the building houses law offices and an apartment.

Historic Homes of Litchfield and Torrington Connecticut

Henry B. Bissell House

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources