The
Cassidy House Restoration
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Norwich,
CT |
Introduction |
| Intro,
Construction
1888-1890,
Dining
room,
Doors 1,
Exterior,
Ext
Doors,
Fire
1905, Front
Doors
, History,
Interior,
Painting 1,
Painting 2,
Peek
In,
Pocket
Doors ,
Porch,
Roof,
Stained
Glass,
Staircase |
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In 1890,
Dr.
Patrick Cassidy,
an Irish immigrant
in his youth, and later the first Surgeon General of Connecticut, and one of America's first
surgeons, built his 25 room dream home to house his family and medical practice.
My
goal is to restore the home to its original beauty.
Gloria |
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Nearly destroyed by fire in 1905, and neglect in later years,
his Eastlake style mansion
still stands as a
remarkable tribute to 19th century craftsmanship. |
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Before 1905
Two towers
graced the Washington Street view. The tower on
the left, behind the tree, provided a dramatic view of
Norwich harbor. |
97 Years Later
in 2002
At
first glance, the house doesn't look all that big.
However,
consider that the house just down the hill on the left is 3-stories high and you
will have an idea of the Cassidy House's size. |
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After the 1905
fire
The fire started in
the housekeeper's 3rd floor bedroom. No one was
present at the time and the exact cause was never
determined.
The slate roof kept
firefighters from reaching the fire with their hoses.
The resulting flames destroyed the two towers, the 4th
floor attic and the 3rd floor. When we opened up
some of the the walls we found charred wood as far down
as the first floor.
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101 Years
Later, on the way Back for the 2nd Time
Maple Grove side view 2006
Most
of the first two floors now have exterior paint.
Progress is slow. We expected to finish in 5
years. Now we are in our 9th year and still going.
Ah, well it is after all a labor of love.
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The
Interior Woodwork retains much of its original glory |
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Three of the 6 fireplaces
are nearly
11 feet tall.
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From an 1890 Norwich newspaper article:
"Rich and rare
woods have been placed by skilled workmen, also terra cottas,
tilings, mantels, large mirrors, thoroughly appointed library,
dining rooms, parlors, reception halls, billiard hall, music room
and countless closets, nooks and corners form an elegant whole that
is not excelled by any other house in the city, and reflects much
credit on our local workers."
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Several sets of carved pocket doors
line the foyer.
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Tearing the house
down would have been a tragedy, but that's what almost happened. With
a 6-foot diameter hole in the roof and a last-ditch-effort system of 30 kiddy wading
pools, garden hoses, and sump pumps to catch the rainwater, The Cassidy
House was 6 months away from the wrecking ball when I bought it in 1999.
It has never been remodeled and most
of the original features are intact. Over the years portions of the house have fallen into disrepair,
but the spectacular imported European fireplaces and woodwork, hand
crafted tile, and the remaining stained glass windows are still in good
condition.
As the head of one
of the local historical societies put it: "This house is a
treasure. It transcends us." It's our job to save it for
future generations to appreciate.
Gloria
The Cassidy House & The NewLondonCountyGuide.com
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