The Perkins-Bill House is a historic house at 1040 Long Cove Road in the
Gales Ferry
Gales Ferry is a village in the town of Ledyard, Connecticut, United States. It is located along the eastern bank of the Thames River. The village developed as a result of having a ferry to Uncasville located at this site, and from which the villa ...
section of
Ledyard, Connecticut
Ledyard is a Town in New London County, Connecticut, United States, located along the Thames River. The town is named after Colonel William Ledyard, a Revolutionary War officer who was killed at the Battle of Groton Heights. The population was 1 ...
. Built circa 1775 by Solomon Perkins, Sr., it is locally significant as a well-preserved gambrel-roofed Cape of the period, and for the role played by Perkins, his son Solomon, Jr., and Benjamin Bill, Jr., the house's next owner, in the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
. All three were defenders of the fort in
Groton that was attacked by British forces under the overall command of
Benedict Arnold in the 1781
Battle of Groton Heights
The Battle of Groton Heights (also known as the Battle of Fort Griswold, and occasionally called the Fort Griswold massacre) was a battle of the American Revolutionary War fought on September 6, 1781 between a small Connecticut militia force le ...
.
The house 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 ...
in 2000.
[
]
Description and history
The Perkins-Bill House is located on the north side of a rural stretch of Long Cove Road, west of Connecticut Route 12
Connecticut Route 12 is a state highway that runs between Groton and the state line in Thompson.
History
Route 12 was preceded by New England Interstate Route 12. The southern terminus of NE-12 was originally at New London, Connecticut. It trave ...
. It is a -story gambrel-roofed Cape, five bays wide, with a central chimney and three gable-roofed dormers. A recessed ell extends from the northeast end of the main block. The house is oriented with its facade facing roughly southeast, perpendicular to the street, with the foundation of a barn between it and the street. The interior follows a typical central chimney plan, with a narrow entrance vestibule, parlors to either side of the chimney, and the kitchen behind. Interior finishes date from the house's construction to the early 19th century, including modest Federal and Greek Revival elements.[
The house was built sometime between 1773 and 1777 by John Jones. The house was built using sawn lumber, and the nearby sawmill was only established in 1773, and the house was sold by Jones to Solomon Perkins Sr. and his son in 1777. The Perkinses operated the mill, but wounds the elder Perkins suffered in the Battle of Groton Heights may have limited his ability to operate it, and it was foreclosed in 1783. It was purchased after the foreclosure by Benjamin Bill, who was, like the Perkinses, part of the militia in the Revolutionary War battle. Subsequent owners, the Stoddards, held the property for many years.][
]
See also
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References
{{National Register of Historic Places
Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Connecticut
Houses completed in 1775
Houses in Ledyard, Connecticut
National Register of Historic Places in New London County, Connecticut