The Samuel Simpson House (also known as the Taber House) is a historic house at 1370 Scard Road in
Wallingford, Connecticut
Wallingford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, centrally located between New Haven and Hartford, and Boston and New York City. The population was 44,396 at the 2020 census. The community was named after Wallingford, in En ...
. Built in 1838 by John Meigs Hall, it was the home of 19th century industrialist and philanthropist Samuel Simpson. Some of the house's structural beams, repurposed from an older building in the same location, date back to the 1600s. Around 1867, the home was extensively redesigned by renowned
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,02 ...
architect
Henry Austin, giving it
Renaissance Revival
Renaissance Revival architecture (sometimes referred to as "Neo-Renaissance") is a group of 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range o ...
characteristics.
The house was listed in 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 1986.
History
Simpson-Taber Residence
The house originally stood at 216 North Main Street in downtown Wallingford. Simpson, a silver manufacturer, partnered with Robert Wallace in the firm of
R. Wallace & Sons, the forerunner of
Wallace Silversmiths Inc.
R. Wallace & Sons (born 1835) was formed in Wallingford, Connecticut, and incorporated in 1879. As of 1893, this company manufactured silver and plated ware and cutlery and had about 600 employees.
In 1887, William Hale Beckford in '' Leading bus ...
He was later president of
Simpson, Hall, Miller, & Co., which was one of the founding companies of the
International Silver Company
The International Silver Company (1898–1983, stopped making silver), also known as the ISC, was formed in Meriden, Connecticut as a corporation banding together many existing silver companies in the immediate area and beyond.
Formation of ...
. Simpson was a noted philanthropist and benefactor to Wallingford, and his house was a prominent fixture in the town's downtown area.
Simpson's great-granddaughter, Margaret Tibbets Taber (1891-1985), later ran a bookstore in the house. Known for her philanthropy and dedication to the public library, Taber sold the property to the town in 1978 under the condition that the land be used for library purposes.
Preservation Debate and Relocation
In 1982, the Wallingford Public Library moved from its original location at 60 North Main Street to a newly constructed building on the former Taber property, alongside the Simpson House. The library Board of Managers, reluctant to use library funds for maintenance of the aging mansion, suggested demolishing the house and repurposing the site as a garden and outdoor reading area.
In 1984, given a three-month deadline to avoid demolition, community members formed the Simpson-Taber Residence Preservation Committee.
The committee sought to raise donations to keep the Taber house in its current location and use it as a meeting place for local community groups. In a 7–2 vote, the Town Council rejected the committee's plans, but agreed to consider proposals to move the house to a new location rather than demolish it.
In 1987, a local developer, Thomas Solinsky, purchased the house from the town for one dollar and had it moved to its current location on Scard Road.
A portion of the original wrought iron fence remains on the original property outside of the library building.
Appearances in pop culture
In 2012, the Samuel Simpson House served as the main location in director
A.D. Calvo's film ''
The Midnight Game
''The Midnight Game'' is a 2013 supernatural thriller film directed by A.D. Calvo based on the creepypasta of the same name. The movie had its world release on March 2, 2013 at the Miami International Film Festival and was released to DVD on Au ...
''.
See also
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References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Samuel, House
Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Connecticut
National Register of Historic Places in New Haven County, Connecticut
Greek Revival houses in Connecticut
Renaissance Revival architecture in Connecticut
Houses completed in 1838
Buildings and structures in Wallingford, Connecticut
Houses in New Haven County, Connecticut