Originally written by Carl White.
If you’re like me, you’ve probably noticed that red saltbox house at 181 Shore Road, right where the road turns toward the south. Until recently, some bushes and trees obscured the view of the house. A landscaper has removed a lot of brush to open the view of the land and building. You can now see right down to the Cove. I’ve been reading about this historic house in Greenwich Time. A couple of years ago, I read that there were plans to demolish it. I heard from Susan Ferris that it belonged to one of her ancestors, and she was upset that it was going to be torn down. Then, there was a public outcry to save it. Two men decided to buy it and restore it. I was very happy that it could be saved. In my opinion, there are too many historic houses in town that have been torn down. This week I decided to research it and write a blog that I thought would interest you.
FERRIS FAMILY
There’s an old scrapbook in the Local History office, which contains copies of articles written by Allan F. Kitchell, Jr., for the Greenwich Press. An article published on March 18, 1937, describes the history of the house at 181 Shore Road in Old Greenwich. Kitchell states that the house was built by Jeffrey Ferris, who immigrated from England around 1642. He bought land from the Indians and lived in the original home until he died in 1661. (It’s reported that he sold some land – now known as Greenwich Point – to J. Kennedy Tod.) Some believe Ferris’ house is older than the Thomas Lyon House! His house is one of the dozens of homes with ties to the Ferris family.
Jeffrey had 3 sons: James, Nathaniel, and Samuel. (Samuel’s son, Ross, built the yellow house with a white picket fence next door known as the Keofferam Lodge.) James is considered one of the original Founders of the Town. He was one of the 11 men who petitioned the General Court to recognize Greenwich as a Town. During the Revolutionary War, British warships fired guns at the house that stands on a rise between Greenwich Cove to the west and Long Island Sound to the east. After the Revolutionary War, the house was torn down. A new house was erected, using some of the timbers from the original house. The rafters had cannonball marks embedded, and a recent inspection of the current Ferris house confirms this fact. One of the subsequent owners – Mrs. Boles – was gifted a cannonball from the barrage by a neighbor, but it disappeared after some boarders left!
Jeffrey’s great-grandson, James, built the red saltbox house that stands now. James Ferris fought in the White Plains Skirmish (1776), and it’s believed he rebuilt the current building before 1800. Hannah Ferris inherited the house from her father when he died c 1810. Although James built it, the house is commonly known as the Ross Ferris house, after a descendant who lived there for many years in the mid-1800s. His name was Ammi Roswell Ferris, but his neighbors called him “Ross”, probably because his middle name was Roswell. The house was handed down in the Ferris family from generation to generation. There have been other boarders and owners such as Mrs. Boles and Mrs. Ellen Lueders. Another woman, Mrs. Lewis Crofut, stayed in the house while a new residence was being built further down Shore Road. It’s reported that her mother used to collect a toll from people who were going to gather scallops and clams at Greenwich Point!
This house is a great example of a typical New England “saltbox” design. There’s a short roof on the front and a long, sweeping roof in the back. It’s covered with red split shingles. There are 4 windows on the first floor, and 5 on the second floor. Although it’s now missing, there was a porch on the southeast side of the building. Hedges and brush have been removed, and the land sweeps down to the cove to a salt marsh.
DEMOLITION AVERTED
In August 2014, a DEMOLITION sign suddenly appeared on the side of the red saltbox house. It appeared to be vacant. The porch and porch roof, which had been sagging, had been removed. Gardens and brush had overgrown the property. The Ferris family mobilized the Greenwich Point Conservancy and Greenwich Historical Society to save the historic house. Representatives met with the developer, and a deal was made to restore the building. It would be operated as a historical site with limited public access to a museum. An easement was included to require future owners to keep the Ferris house. A new foundation was established by the Greenwich Point Conservancy to raise money to rehab the building. Two new owners bought the property, and have agreed to preserve it. Eventually, the site will be turned over to the Conservancy.
The other day, I noticed an electrician working on the red saltbox house. He was no doubt disconnecting the power so that construction can begin. I checked the Greenwich Historical Society list of Historically Designated Buildings, but the little red house wasn’t on the list. The Nathaniel Ferris house (Keofferam Lodge) next door is designated. Unfortunately, as we’ve seen in the past, the historical designation doesn’t necessarily save a building from demolition. It’s only because of the dedication of people like the Ferris family that some of these landmarks are preserved for future generations. After all, these relics are part of our Local History.
SOURCE
Greenwich Time; Southwestern Connecticut Newspapers, Stamford CT
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