Amos Eno House
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| Amos Eno House | |
|---|---|
| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
| Location: | Simsbury, Connecticut |
| Area: | 1820 |
| Governing body: | Private |
The Amos Eno House is a historic home in Simsbury, Connecticut. It is also known as the 1820 House.
Contents |
[edit] Prior to Amos Eno
The house was built in 1820 by Elisha Phelps, who was given the land by his father, Noah. Noah Phelps was a graduate of Yale University, a lawyer and a judge. He was also a friend of George Washington. [1]
The first floor contains a center hallway with a kitchen, breakfast nook and parlor. The second floor also has a center hall and two rooms on each side. The house is decorated throughout with detailed woodwork and glass that show the wealth of the original occupants.
Elisha and his wife had three children: Mary, John, and Lucy. John grew up to be the Governor of Missouri and became a United States Senator. Mary married John Allen, and their son became a representative to the United States Congress.
[edit] Amos Inherits the Home
Lucy married Amos Eno of Simsbury. They moved to New York City where he became active in banking and real estate. They and their ten children would visit the house in Simsbury every summer.
One of their grandchildren was Gifford Pinchot, conservationist and Governor of Pennsylvania.
When Amos retired, he moved back to the home in Simsbury. He built additions onto it in order to accommodate visits from his large family, including numerous bedrooms and a new wing. When the expansion was complete, the house had over thirty rooms. [2]
After Amos died, his daughter Antoinette Eno Wood inherited the home and renamed it Eaglewood, a nod to her last name and to the family's patriotism. She also carried out a series of renovations on it, including landscaping by the Frederick Olmsted firm, who designed Central Park in New York. The home became a very important fixture in Simsbury's social atmosphere in the summers. It overflowed with guests to the point that the house would be filled and the guest house would have to be used. She also hosted ice cream socials on the Fourth of July. She also hosted a meeting of the Connecticut Woman's Suffrage League in the home. Present at this meeting was Katharine Houghton Hepburn, mother of actress Katharine Hepburn. [3]
[edit] After the Eno Family
Upon her death, the house was passed down to her nephew, who eventually sold it. It became a restaurant, then was sold to a developer, who built a community on the property. The town of Simsbury purchased the house in 1960 but did little to maintain it except to paint it in 1976 for the bicentennial. [4] Finally, in 1985, extensive restoration was done to the inside and out.
[edit] Current Use
The house is now an inn, cafe and reception hall that hosts wedding parties up to 120 people.
[edit] Eno Family Legacy
The Eno family made many contributions to the town of Simsbury, including:
- The Simsbury Free Library was started with money from a trust by Amos Eno
- Eno Memorial Hall was built with money given by Antoinette Eno Woods as a memorial to her parents. It used to serve as the town hall; now it is home to the Social Services Department, the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Simsbury Community Television and the Simsbury Senior Center. [5]
- The Phelps Tavern Museum was owned by Elisha Phelps, brother of Noah Phelps. It served as a tavern and museum from 1786 to 1849. It is now a museum. [6]
- The Town Farm Dairy of Simsbury was donated by Amos R. Eno to be used as a poor farm for citizens in need. [7] The farm originally produced vegetables, dairy, chickens and tobacco. Currently, it is a dariy farm, and the residence is used for affordable housing.
[edit] References
[edit] External Links
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