FARMINGTON — Founded in 1645 and now one of the oldest communities in the state, it’s no surprise that the town of Farmington has a rich history. Even the houses themselves can speak to the long legacy of the town’s early influences.
And for resident Katherine Ritter, it was this history that drew her and Jared Ritter to the house they now own on Waterville Road, where the surrounding residential neighborhood contains several other architecturally significant dwellings dating from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
After moving in in 2022, and hearing about the house’s 1898 origins from the previous owners, they knew this was exactly the kind of property that deserved to be recognized and preserved, she said.
This week, the Farmington Town Council approved the 9 Waterville Road property, also known as “Brookside,” to be added to Farmington’s Historic District.
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Being part of the town's Historic District essentially means that an extra layer of town approvals are required for current and future homeowners to have any major work done at the sites in the future, and in effect works to preserve sites of historical significance as a distinct aspect of the town's character.
“We just wanted to keep Farmington historic,” Ritter said.
Brookside, as well as a number of other homes located along the southern section of Waterville Road, was constructed by prolific real estate developer Noah Wallace as an income-producing property.
A New York native, Wallace moved to Farmington in the latter part of the 19th century and owned over 2,000 acres of land in town, including property that is now part of Winding Trails.
Many of Farmington's homes during that time period were built, renovated, bought, and sold by Wallace. His homes were primarily built in the Colonial Revival style, leading to a “curated look” of Farmington in the early 20th century.
"The home has been listed as a farmhouse and bungalow style; however, it exhibits elements of the craftsman and shingle styles of architecture and is constructed on a stone foundation," according to the Farmington Historic District's report. The windows are a good representation of the original windows, according to the report, and a large sunroom-enclosed porch on the north side of the home may be original.
Brookside is located on western side of Waterville Road across from the Farmington Country Club, where Wallace was a founding member.
In 2023, two other houses on the same road received historical designations, and a total of 13 properties on Waterville Road are included in the Farmington Historic District.
And Ritter said it was her neighbors, as well as all of the fascinating research done by the previous owners, that inspired her and her husband to apply for historical designation in March 2023, less than a year after they moved in.
"We were like, well let's do it too," she said.
But joining the town's historic district didn't come easily. The homeowner must first contact town staff, after which the Farmington Historic Commission conducts a study that is sent to the State Historic Preservation Office. Then the Study Committee conducts a public hearing, and then the final report can be brought to Town Council for review and potential approval.
The lengthy process to earn that historical designation was worth it, Ritter said, and allowed her to learn so much more about her new home, and the interesting figures who lived in it.
In her research, Ritter said she especially loved learning about 1906 tenant Harriet B. Wilmerding, known by some residents as "the late Mrs. Wilmerding," due to her "customary tardiness in her arrivals at social affairs," according to historical records.
Records also show that the property was later home to the family of Farmington’s village doctor, Stuart E. Phelps, who served the community for almost 17 years until his mysterious disappearance while aboard a steamship in 1927.
With a historic designation, homeowners are also eligible for a 30-percent tax credit on qualified rehabilitation expenditures, with a minimum project cost of $15,000 and a project cap of $30,000.
But Ritter said they didn’t plan on have any work done on the property, but it was nice to know they could take advantage of it should they need to.
Ultimately with this designation, the Ritters, as well as all of the other homeowners who have gone through the same process, are part of a town-wide effort to maintain Farmington's architectural character as it was at the turn of the 19th century, and preserve local history.