The views stated here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors of this newspaper. We welcome supporting or opposing views on any published item. Received July 10, 2023.
A historic house at 270 Green Hill Road is threatened with demolition. The owners of the house have applied for a demolition permit. Killingworth has a demolition delay ordinance in which all houses more than 75 years old, on which a demolition permit is applied for, are referred to the Historic Review Committee. The Committee found the house to be historically significant and issued a 180-day delay of demolition. The purpose of the delay is to provide time to find ways to save the house.
This is a historic property that can be traced to Joseph Griswold Sr. (1691-1773) then to Joseph Jr. (1716-1791). These are direct descendants of Edward Griswold, the founding father of Killingworth. Joseph Griswold is listed among the first settlers of North Killingworth in the Southwest District in 1716. The property was most likely settled and a house and a grist mill built around that time. The property with dwelling near the grist mill was transferred to Samuel Griswold (1745-1830) in 1787. The property is then traced to his daughter Mary Griswold and to Charles Parmelee, who married Florilla Griswold, another daughter.
The threatened house is a classical Greek revival house probably built around 1830 after Samuel’s death to accommodate the family of Charles and Florilla Parmelee. It is the first house seen on the right after crossing the bridge from Madison into Killingworth. As such, it is the first symbol of the historic character of Killingworth. Portions of the 1787 house remain to the rear of this house.
Efforts are being made to save the house by providing the owners with alternatives to demolishing the house. Zoning allows only one residential house on a property. In 2021, the Planning and Zoning Commission passed a new regulation that would allow a historic house to remain on a property in addition to the primary residence. The house would have to meet certain criteria in order to be considered historic and certain uses would be allowed in the house. In addition to this, efforts are underway to develop a tax abatement ordinance that would permit tax relief on a historic house that would otherwise be demolished. It is hoped the owners of the house would take advantage of one of these methods to save the house.
Historic houses contribute much to the historic and rural residential character of Killingworth and surrounding towns. The loss of a historic house permanently erases a connection to the past for future generations and diminishes the town’s heritage.
Thomas L. Lentz, Killingworth Municipal Historian
Elizabeth Disbrow, Chairperson, Historic Review Committee
