130 Greenley Road
Ca. 1930 photo courtesy of the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society
‘New Canaan Now & Then’ is sponsored by Brown Harris Stevens Realtors Joanne Santulli, Karen Ceraso, Bettina Hegel and Schuyler Morris.
The Greenley Tea Garden was opened by Orline A. Leonard St. John Alexander at her home located at 130 Greenley Road.
“The property, originally consisting of 83 acres, was sold on May 9, 1883 passing from William St. John (residuary devisee under will of Lucy Weed) to George H. Wildman. A New Canaan Advertiser article dated December 10, 2008 reports that William St. John was a farmer who “hauled [his] products to the sloops at Norwalk, Five Mile River and Rings End, to be sold in New York.” Mrs. St. John Alexander purchased the property from George H. Wildman in 1897.
Mrs. St. John Alexander is an important figure in New Canaan history, not only as the proprietress of her tea room but in many aspects of the town. A New Canaan Advertiser article dated August 18, 1949 reports that “it was Mrs. Alexander who was responsible for the decision to give the name Wahackme Road to the street running west of her property.” Mrs. St. John Alexander also composed the genealogy of the St. John family in 1907 which is now in possession of the New Canaan Historical Society.
She first came to visit her cousin Eliza St. John in her youth, returning with her husband, Lawrence Dade Alexander, to build her house on the corner of Chichester Avenue and Weed Street, now Wahackme Road. It was a colonial home built in 1897 and was called Sention by the Alexanders. Mrs. St. John Alexander later purchased the adjoining Wildman Farm.
It apparently gave her great pleasure that her property once belonged to her ancestors (Enoch St. John and Professor Samuel St. John).
It was reported that 1,100 persons registered that season as guests of the Greenley Tea Room (Advertiser, October 12, 1911). In the January 16, 1911 Advertiser it was reported that the tea room and antique shop would open at 130 Greenley in April. In July of that same year it was reported “increasing popularity of this delightful resort and we are glad to chronicle the fact it is on its way to a successful season.”
The tea room included two “artistic rooms” and it was possible to dine both in these rooms or al fresco under a vine clad pergola. The 150-acre estate was made available to wander. It was possible to travel over a “pretty rustic bridge over a fish pond lead[ing] by a winding path through the woods to a seat at the base of two noble trees – a veritable lover’s walk.” The estate ran as far back as Wahackme Road. Paths through the property included passing a log cabin, wind chimes and “harmless contrivances that ought to appeal to small boys and girls.”
An interesting note is it appears that Richard Bergmann and George Nelson performed a home inspection of the property on November 17, 1993 in the hopes of determining the date of its construction and concluded that the 2-by-10 beams (which were probably chestnut) in both the cellar and the attic revealed band saw marks and the use of wire cut nails (suggesting the home was built in the 1850s). The Tax Assessor office provided the date of 1855 to Bergmann, but it was concluded that it was unlikely because the house is not shown on the 1867 Beers Map.
Why the newspaper articles from this era were not reviewed is unclear, but it is clear that the Alexanders purchased the property and built Sention from the aforementioned August 18, 1949 article and an additional article dated March 30, 1933 where her contribution of her many journals and documents were gifted to the New Canaan Historical Society.
The house at 130 Greenley was one of the largest homes in the area and was the location for the May 26, 1921 reception of Connecticut Governor Lake and the Connecticut Editorial Association party. The party was held at the Tea House on June 25-26 and hosted more than 150 people.
Mrs. St. John Alexander hosted the party and was given the task of beautifying the grounds. The bowling alleys were made available to the party attendees. In 1922, the name of the business was changed to Greenley Inn and Tea Room.
Mrs. St. John Alexander’s eldest son, St. John Alexander, was also known to host at the Greenley Tea Room. Mr. Alexander was a writer and conductor of the column “The Belfry” which appeared on editorial pages of the Advertiser. In May, 1923, Mr. Lawrence D. Alexander died, leaving behind his wife, Orline and their four children: Orline A. Leonard, Lucy Beatty, Dr. Lawrence Alexander and St. John Alexander. On February 17, 1925, Mrs. St. John Alexander died. In her obituary she is described as “outspoken to an unusual degree, yet her frankness never alienated the affection of her friends.” Her eldest son, St. John died in 1932.
In July 1921, Orline St. John Alexander sold the property to Mary C. Van Amburgh. Mrs. Van Amburgh left the property—now known as “Greenleigh”—in the care of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Harmon. In October 1925, the property was sold to Carla S. Eakin. Ms. Eakin sold it in June 1942 to Arthur D. Pinkham. A year later the property was transferred to Norman and Helen Peterson. The Petersons sold the property in 1953 to Donal P. McDonnell and it was sold from the McDonnell family to Mary Oakes in 1969, again in 1972 and has been in the family of the current residents for four decades.