Cherry Lane (and Fowler Ave.), east side

Facing west, the Charles Chauncey House sits at the intersection of Cherry Lane and Fowler Avenue. Bordered by open fields, the surrounding neighborhood consists of eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth-century residential dwellings.

• Record ID: 5
• Address: Cherry Lane (and Fowler Ave.), east side
• Current Owner: Snowman, David & Carol
• Name of Building:
• Historic Name: Charles Chauncey House
• Download PDF of Original Record

Notable Features

This house has undergone many changes. In 1720 Rev. Nathaniel Chauncey built a story, center-chimney gable-roofed house. The house burned and a new house was built by Charles Chauncey, grandson of Rev. Nathaniel, ca. 1780s. It is possible that a second story was added at this time with the entrance being on the north side. The house since then has undergone other alterations. Around the mid-nineteenth century full-length, 2 story north and south side balloon-framed extensions were added along with a large gable roof .The large chimney probably was replaced. At one point, a full-length, one-story, north addition was made with an open west porch entrance; on the south side a 2 story, balloon-~ framed, gable-roofed extension was added with a south-end half-length open porch, supported  by two free-standing columns. The facade presently has three bays. Six-over-six sash flank a boarded-up double window where a center door might have been.

 

 

Historical or Architectural Importance

The Charles Chauncey house is a clapboarded, 2t story, nineteenth-century domestic style building. The post-and-beam frame is oriented gable-to-street and is topped by a small center chimney, and rests on a sandstone-fieldstone foundation. Charles Chauncey acquired a 100-acre piece of land from his father Elihu, son of Rev. Nathaniel, in 1781. He owned the house for twenty-three years and sold a five-six acr piece of the land, including the house, to Gideon, Ashil and Jeb Canfield in 1804. Charles Chauncey (1747-1823), born in Durham, became a lawyer after ‘studying with James Abraham Hillhouse. In 1786, he was accepted to the Bar and in 1796 was appointed  Attorney to the State of Connecticut. Charles and his wife Abigail Darling, lived in New Haven for most of their lives. They had five children: Charles, Elihu, Nathaniel, Sarah and Abigail. Viewing the Chauncey House from the exterior only, this building has no particularly unusual features. However upon examining the interior, a much older structure is evident and the alterations made are seen clearly.