Thomas Avery House
Encyclopedia
The Smith-Harris House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
as the Thomas Avery House, is a historic home on Society Road in East Lyme
, Connecticut
, that is operated as a house museum.
The house is on property adjacent to the East Lyme Library and Community Center and East Lyme Middle School.
The wives of Smith and Harris, sisters born Lulu and Florence Munger, lived in the home for many years after their husbands' deaths.
of East Lyme purchased the home. It was saved from demolition by a group of citizens who restored the house. It was officially dedicated as a museum on July 3, 1976.
The house is now open to the public on weekends during the summer months, and by appointment at other times. Admission is free. Also on the property are a small herb garden and a nature trail.
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as the Thomas Avery House, is a historic home on Society Road in East Lyme
East Lyme, Connecticut
East Lyme is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 18,118 at the 2000 census. The latitude of East Lyme is 41.353N...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, that is operated as a house museum.
The house is on property adjacent to the East Lyme Library and Community Center and East Lyme Middle School.
History
The house was built in 1845 in the Greek Revival style. It is believed to have been built as a wedding gift for Thomas Avery and Elizabeth Griswold. It was home to two generations of the Avery family, then was sold to William H. H. Smith, who sold it to his brother and nephew, Herman Smith and Frank Harris. It is this transaction that gave the house its name of the Smith-Harris House. It is by this name that it is locally known.The wives of Smith and Harris, sisters born Lulu and Florence Munger, lived in the home for many years after their husbands' deaths.
Operation as a museum
In 1974, after years of being boarded up and neglected, the townNew England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
of East Lyme purchased the home. It was saved from demolition by a group of citizens who restored the house. It was officially dedicated as a museum on July 3, 1976.
The house is now open to the public on weekends during the summer months, and by appointment at other times. Admission is free. Also on the property are a small herb garden and a nature trail.