The Day – Your Turn: Painting of Palmer House given to the Waterford Historical Society

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A watercolor of the John B. Palmer House, ‘Graniteville’, a once elaborate granite mansion that stood at 218 Rope Ferry Road in Waterford in this historic part of town, was recently donated by artist Carla Caudle to the Waterford Historical Society, Inc. The society offers beautiful, professional prints of the painting for $ 100 each, unframed, with the proceeds from the sale to support the society’s programs, building maintenance and restorations.

Sketches, photographs or renderings of the Graniteville mansion are rare, which makes the painting all the more valuable and attractive. Painted in the 1960s, its dark, autumnal tones portray the mansion as tired and worn out, with a barren and arched tree above, even mysterious; yet, for some, it awakens memories of its elegant past.

The company acquired the donated painting following a lengthy discussion on the ‘What’s Happening in Waterford, Connecticut’ Facebook group started in June 2020 by the artist, former Waterford resident Caudle, who sought to donate it. . Dozens of comments from past and current local residents have enthusiastically recalled the mansion in its grandeur and decline, describing it as “spooky”, “haunted” and “with spirits roaming its halls.”

“Graniteville” both mansion and historic district

The elaborate mansion was built in 1876 by John B. Palmer, a quarry owner who named it “Graniteville” as the neighborhood, as evidenced by a granite pillar that still stands on the property. Granite mining was an important part of Waterford’s history for over 200 years until the early 1900s, accounting for a significant portion of the city’s non-farm employment. Granite was shipped from local quarries to be part of monuments, public libraries, and even bases for the Statue of Liberty and Grand Central Terminal.

Described in D. Hamilton Hurd’s 1882 work, “History of New London County with Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Eminent Men,” Palmer, who was born in Norwich, took over the operation of the Millstone Quarry. and got rich. He was “a man of tremendous constructive ability and energy. He developed the business in which he was engaged to a greater degree than those before him and gave work to many more hands. The book includes drawings by Palmer and the house in its original condition.

Graniteville is on the National Register of Historic Places

The local granite industry attracted immigrants from England, Ireland, Scandinavia, Scotland and Italy who were quarry owners, blacksmiths and stonemasons who settled in the known area. under the name of Graniteville. Wikipedia describes it as “a primarily residential historic district in Waterford, Connecticut. It stretches along Rope Ferry Road, close to granite quarries that were once a major industry in the city. Most of the 31 historic buildings in the district are simple residences occupied by these quarrymen; Also included are the Graniteville School circa 1878 at 239 Rope Ferry Road, and the home of John Palmer, one of the quarry owners, at 218 Rope Ferry Road. His house, a circa 1860 Italian-style update of an older house, is the most elaborate house in the neighborhood. The neighborhood was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. ”

“The History of Waterford Granite,” written by Willard A. Reed III, a Waterford resident, as part of a master’s thesis, is an in-depth source on the local quarrying industry and is available to clients. in the historical reference section of the Waterford Public Library. Reed mentions Palmer, who “took over the lease on the Connecticut granite quarry in the southern section of Millstone and renamed it John B. Palmer & Company”. It too includes the drawings of the house and of John B. Palmer, taken from Hurd’s story.

Artist’s Facebook post 2020 to convey the painting sparks local interest

Carla Caudle kicked off the discussion on Facebook in June 2020: “Would anyone from Waterford like this watercolor? This is an old house in the Graniteville neighborhood, on Rope Ferry Rd. Between St Paul’s Church and Gardiners Wood Rd. The house was abandoned when I was a kid and we walked past a lot. We thought it was haunted and there were old gravestones in the yard so we always crossed to the other side of the road because it looked so scary. I painted this in the late 60s. If anyone remembers it and would like this painting, I would love to pass it on. To free.”

Dozens of responses to the post were released in the weeks that followed. One comment reads “This house has always been a mystery.” Another contributor recounts: “My Uncle Thurston Howard owned it at one point. . . I remember being lower n [sic] to the well to see if the pipe was clogged. . . scary! … there were secret rooms [sic] inside. Yet another said “Omgosh, I loved this house ,,, was sad when they demolished it.”

Seeing the enthusiastic and positive responses, suggestions as to the final destination of the painting and requests for prints, Caudle offered to make prints. But Charles Sedell, a member of the Waterford Historical Society and supervisor of the blacksmith, who remembers and has always admired the house, saw the message and suggested that the painting be donated to the society. Shortly thereafter, before retiring to Florida, Caudle donated the painting in person to Stacy Barn’s company on Jordan Green ahead of its September 2020 membership meeting.

Professional prints of the manor “Graniteville” offered

After its acquisition, spurred by interest in painting the historic mansion, the company decided to have a limited number of professional prints made in order to raise funds for its ongoing restoration projects and other programs. Sedell donated the necessary funds. Old Lyme artist Len Swec (whose paintings have been included in the Society’s Art In Waterford’s juryed exhibitions: Past + Present + Future in 2020 and 2021) offered expert advice on where to do make the prints in a professional manner and see to their production.

Prints are available for $ 100 each, unframed, and are available upon request by contacting the Waterford Historical Society, Inc. through the website https://www.waterfordcthistoricalsociety.org/contact2.html, by sending an email at [email protected], or by calling 860-389-7529. Applications can also be mailed to PO Box 117, Waterford, CT, 06385.

Will the mansion only be a memory?

The Palmer lay in ruins for many years, but was sold in October 2020 to an individual who hopes to restore the mansion to its former grandeur, according to a conversation with the new owner by a resident who lives across the country. Rope Ferry Road in one of these 31 original structures in historic Graniteville.

Holly Anderson Camerota is the Advertising President and First Vice-President of the Waterford Historical Society.


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