Now & Then

New Canaan Now & Then: Woodsedge

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‘New Canaan Now & Then’ is sponsored by Brown Harris Stevens Realtors Joanne Santulli, Karen Ceraso, Bettina Hegel and Schuyler Morris. The house located on Canoe Hill Road was originally a sixteen acre parcel of land that was a land grant to Colonel James Lockwood for his service to the King of England in 1683. 

The Rock School, currently an historic museum on the campus of the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society, was once located on this original parcel of land that adjoined the property located at 481 Canoe Hill Road. 

The town’s property records indicate that the house on the property was built in 1750 and has undergone significant renovations throughout its history. The original house was constructed farther from the road than was customary at that time. It was expanded in 1858 into a Victorian house. The remnants of that 1858 structure serve as the rear part of the current home, which includes a family room, kitchen, pantry, laundry room, back porch.

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New Canaan Now & Then: Edenwood

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‘New Canaan Now & Then’ is sponsored by Brown Harris Stevens Realtors Joanne Santulli, Karen Ceraso, Bettina Hegel and Schuyler Morris. The Marshall Estate on Weed Street was once known as “Edenwood.” 

The Georgian home was built in 1907 and was designed by Boston architect Ernest M.A. Machado. A Cuban immigrant, he attended MIT and built many notable buildings in Salem, Mass., including Machado House. He went into practice with his future brother in law Ambrose Walker and in the late 1890s they had numerous commissions along the North Shore in Massachusetts. Unfortunately, Machado drowned in Lake Ossipee in New Hampshire in September of 1907. 

Edenwood was owned by Francis H. Adriance.

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New Canaan Now & Then: ‘The Gingerbread House’

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‘New Canaan Now & Then’ is sponsored by Brown Harris Stevens Realtors Joanne Santulli, Karen Ceraso, Bettina Hegel and Schuyler Morris. The gingerbread house on Ponus Ridge was originally purchased from the Sears Catalog and built in 1932. 

The property had belonged to the Hayo family as early as 1909. In 1913, Charles Hayo, who worked as a farmer, had a telephone installed at their property. In November 1914 it was reported that Mr. Hayo had broken ground and was building a new home north of his existing home on the property which the family moved into in 1915. In July 1933 the property was owned by Emily M. Hayo. 

Ms. Hayo was born on Feb.

Around Town

‘Lost’ New Canaan Landmark: The Lone Tree

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“Some say that the original Lone Tree has died and been replaced by a new tree. Others indignantly claim that they have been looking at it for 50-60, even 80 years and that it is the same old tree. It is not a large tree, but apparently size is not necessarily an indication of the age of a sugar maple. At any rate, all agree that it has been a favorite trysting place for lovers ‘time out of mind’ and it bears many hopefully entwined initials.” —from “Lone Tree Hill” by Elizabeth P. McGhie, Feb. 26, 1948 (“Landmarks of New Canaan”)

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With few exceptions, the landmarks that New Canaanites associate with their town’s rich history are manmade.

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New Canaan Now & Then: The Husted Welling House

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‘New Canaan Now & Then’ is sponsored by Brown Harris Stevens Realtors Joanne Santulli, Karen Ceraso, Bettina Hegel and Schuyler Morris. The property on Park Street which is now home to the Sanctuary Condominiums was once owned by Levi Hanford. 

Hanford sold the land to Jesse Crissey, then to Hiram Crissey before it was sold to Silvanus Seely. It was speculated that Silvanus Seely built the home for his wife, Sally Crissey Seely. Ms. Seely, who died in 1850, was the sister of Prudence Crissey Husted. 

On April 1, 1851 Prudence Crissey Husted purchased the property from Silvanus Seely. Ms. Husted was 60 years old at the time and her husband, Thomas Seymour Husted, had died three years before.