Now & Then

New Canaan Now & Then: 1910 Colonial on Weed Street

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‘Now & Then’ is sponsored by Brown Harris Stevens Realtors Joanne Santulli, Karen Ceraso, Bettina Hegel and Schuyler Morris. The house located at 182 Weed Street was built in 1910. 

According to land records, the property was owned by William D. Baldwin in 1919 and consisted of three acres “more or less.” Mr. Baldwin had a mortgage of $1,800 from the New Canaan Savings Bank. 

In 1945 the property was owned by Ms. Vina A. Nowill and the property was now listed as being 2.5 acres. Ms. Nowill (née Meade), formerly of North Salem, N.Y. married William M. Nowill on June 14, 1893. The Nowills were active members of the community and were regularly listed in the New Canaan Advertiser as having entertained guests or were entertained elsewhere, including a trip to the 1939-40 New York World’s Fair. 

The Nowills were members of the Talmadge Hill Union Chapel and were listed as contributors to the Talmadge Hill Chapel Endowment Fund. The Fund was organized by the Mary A. Nichols Club.

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New Canaan Now & Then: Pemberly Hill

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‘Now & Then’ is sponsored by Brown Harris Stevens Realtors Joanne Santulli, Karen Ceraso, Bettina Hegel and Schuyler Morris. Mr. John Patterson, who emigrated from Newton Stewart, Scotland, built the home at the crest of Brushy Ridge in 1880. 

Mr. Patterson was a master craftsman in the art of designing and tailoring private livery. At that time, a butler’s, coachman’s or footman’s uniform sometimes cost more than those of the master of the household. 

Mr. Patterson founded the house of John Patterson & Co. and erected an impressive building on 33rd street, south of the Waldorf Astoria and also in the 1920s had a shop on Bellevue Avenue in Newport. His successful business prompted him to bring other family members from Scotland to the United States – his relatives the Macnees were northerly neighbors on Brushy Ridge. 

His family was one of the first summer residents.

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New Canaan Now & Then: Beechway [CLARIFICATION]

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‘Now & Then’ is sponsored by Brown Harris Stevens Realtors Joanne Santulli, Karen Ceraso, Bettina Hegel and Schuyler Morris. The property located on Greenley Road was purchased on May 13,1929 by W. Rutger J. Planten. Mr. Planten hired New York City architect F. H. Hutton of 101 Park Avenue to design his home, which he called “Beechway.”

Mr. Planten was born in Brooklyn in 1877. He was the son of John R. Planten, the Consul General for the Netherlands in New York City, a position he held for 25 years. Both Mr. John R. Planten and his wife were born in Holland.

Now & Then

New Canaan Now & Then: 65 Locust Ave.

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‘Now & Then’ is sponsored by Brown Harris Stevens Realtors Joanne Santulli, Karen Ceraso, Bettina Hegel and Schuyler Morris. The parcel of land at 65 Locust Avenue was purchased in a few transactions in the late 1930s by the Cerretani family. On August 11, 1937 Amelina Cerretani purchased the largest parcel that is closest to Locust Avenue  (only 400 feet from the road) from the New Canaan Savings Bank. On June 25, 1938, Ms. Cerretani purchased the easternmost portion of the land which was roughly 50 feet wide and included a right-of-way from Charles W. Bartow. 

Charles Bartow was a descendant of one of the earliest families in town. His parents were Harriet Webb Seeley and Mr. George Bartow.

Now & Then

New Canaan Now & Then: ‘Le Beau Chateau’ (the Huguette Clark Estate)

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‘Now & Then’ is sponsored by Brown Harris Stevens Realtors Joanne Santulli, Karen Ceraso, Bettina Hegel and Schuyler Morris. “Le Beau Chateau” (beautiful country house) was built in 1937 for former U.S. Senator David A. Reed of Pennsylvania. 

Mr. Reed was a United States senator from 1922 to 1935. Along with Congressman Albert Johnson, Senator Reed was co-author of the Immigration Act of 1924, the purpose of which was to restrict the movement of Eastern and Southern Europeans into the United States, and prohibit Asian immigration in its entirety. Mr. Reed purchased the property in 1936 and the house was designed by Voorhees, Gmelin & Walker of New York. The contractor was the Miller-Reed Company of Norwalk (and New York).