Maiden Lane, south side

Located in a rural residential neighborhood, the Miles T. Merwin House is surrounded by open fields and woodland. The Regional District #13 High School is located to the
southeast.

• Record ID: 44
• Address: Maiden Lane, south side
• Current Owner: Carroll, Alexis and Susan
• Name of Building:
• Historic Name: Miles T. Merwin House
• Download PDF of Original Record

Notable Features

Fully Greek Revival in character, the three-bay facade features a pedimented flushboarded gable end with an eight-paned rectangular windaw. The facade door, which exhibits a four-paned overeight and four-paned sidelights, is shielded by’ a large decorative portico. The massive square pasts rise into a segmental arch tapped with a keystone. Capped with a flat roof, the portico displays a dentiled course trimming the eaves. Six-over-six sash are featured throughout. A 2 1/2 story ell projects from the south elevation. Annexed to the rear  of the ell is a 1 1/2 story extension with “eyebrow” windows. Additions include a modern garage.

Historical or Architectural Importance

Facing north onto Maiden Lane, this 2 1/2  story Greek-Revival-style house was erected in 1848. Oriented gable-to-street, the facade is flushboarded. The rear and side elevations are clapboarded. Resting an a sandstone foundation, the past-and-beam frame is capped by an asphalt-shingled roof. Miles Talcott Merwin (1822-1904) built this house in 1848, at the time of his marriage to Elizabeth Ann Tyler of North Branford. The son of Miles Merwin, Jr. and Wealthy Sage, Miles T. was a successful farmer and lumberman. He and Henry Tucker each owned a half interest in the saw mill on Mill Pond. Each used the mill on alternating weeks and shipped their lumber all over the United States, even as far away as California. An ardent Republican, Miles T. was noted for his firmness and courage in adversity, taking his part wherever it lay without regard to praise or blame ” (C. G. Newtan, Miles Merwin, 1909). His first wife Elizabeth bare him one son, Miles Tyler (b. 18491 before her death in 1849. In 1851 Merwin married Ellen A. Foate (1824-1889) ‘Of Branfard. They raised six children: Ella, Walter, Benjamin, Emily, Ralph, and Agnes. In 1867 Merwin bought a large lot of land on Blue Mauntain in Hamilton Caunty, New York. It was here he built the original Blue Mountain House, a small summer hotel. His son Miles Tyler rebuilt the Blue Mountain House and ran a successful summer resort for many years. In 1900 he sold his Durham homestead to his three single daughters, Agnes, Ella, and Emily. All three Merwin daughters were
employed as teachers and taught in Durham and Middletown. Agnes for a number of years taught in Springfield, Massachusetts.