The Jonathan Dickerman II House is a
historic house museum
A historic house museum is a house of historic significance that has been transformed into a museum. Historic furnishings may be displayed in a way that reflects their original placement and usage in a home. Historic house museums are held to a ...
at 105 Mt. Carmel Avenue in
Hamden, Connecticut
Hamden is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town's nickname is "The Land of the Sleeping Giant". The population was 61,169 at the 2020 census.
History
The peaceful tribe of Quinnipiacs were the first residents of the ...
. Built about 1795 by the grandson of an early settler of the area, it is a well-preserved and unusual example of late Georgian architecture. It was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1982.
It is now owned and operated by the Hamden Historical Society.
Description and history
The Jonathan Dickerman II House is located in northern Hamden, oriented facing west on the south side of Mt. Carmel Avenue just west of the
Quinnipiac College
Quinnipiac University () is a private university in Hamden, Connecticut. The university grants undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees through its College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, School of Engineering, School of C ...
campus. It is a -story wood-frame structure, with a gabled roof, central chimney, and clapboarded exterior. Unusual for a two-story house of this period, the front roof face extends to just above the first floor, and flares outward at the eave. The main facade is five bays wide, with windows arranged symmetrically around the center entrance. The entrance is also unusual for the period, with a double-leaf paneled door with glazed top panels. The interior follows a fairly typical center chimney plan, although it lacks the winding stair typically found in the entry vestibule. It retains many original period finishes, and has been fitted with displays of period furnishings.
[ With ]
Jonathan Dickerman I was one of the first people to settle in what is now Hamden, building on land purchased by his father Abraham in the 18th century's second quarter. His son built this house, most likely in 1795 after selling an older house it is sometimes confused with. It passed out of the family in 1835, and was used as a year-round residence until 1907. From 1924 to about 1961 it was used by the adjacent
Sleeping Giant State Park
Sleeping Giant (also known as the Blue Hills and Mount Carmel), (''Hobbomock'' in Quinnipiac), is a rugged traprock mountain with a high point of , located north of New Haven, Connecticut. A prominent landscape feature visible for miles, the Sle ...
as a seasonal staff residence. The historical society was given the house in 1961, with the understanding that it would be moved across the street as part of a road straightening project.
The house was heavily damaged by a tornado on May 15, 2018. Hamden Historical Society master carpenter Bob Zoni and his colleagues completed its restoration in July 2021, using period materials and building techniques.
See also
*
References
External links
Hamden Historical Society website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dickerman II, Jonathan, House
National Register of Historic Places in New Haven County, Connecticut
Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Connecticut
Houses completed in 1795
Houses in New Haven County, Connecticut