Waterford is best explored through its architectural and craft history. Several historic buildings of the Waterford Historical Society stand on Jordan Green: an early schoolhouse, a 19th-century residence, and a blacksmith shop. Jordan Green is located at 65 Rope Ferry Road; the Walk Bridge is the main connection between several of the places mentioned there.
Jordan Green and Its Landmarks
The Walk Bridge connects the Park House, Phillips-Beebe House, and Jordan Schoolhouse with the Stacy Barn Museum/Miner Education Center and the Blacksmith Shop via Jordan Green. Jordan Green’s walking map also lists Jordan Park House, Beebe-Phillips House, Wilmot Herb Garden, Apple Orchards, Darrow Corn Crib, Jordan District Schoolhouse, Walk Bridge, Stacy Memorial Barn, Miner Education Center, and Blacksmith Shop. The bridge and map provide different kinds of orientation: the bridge describes a main connection between the buildings, while the map lists additional named points on Green.
Schoolhouse and Residence
The Jordan District Schoolhouse was built as a residence in 1758 by Jedediah Brown. Later, it served as the Jordan District School for a time during the 19th century, until the Town replaced the building in 1857 with its first two-story brick schoolhouse. Today, it is considered Waterford’s oldest surviving public building. Its architecture is described in specific terms: the schoolhouse has a gambrel roof, two rooms, an attic, and two chimneys.
In 1972, the building was moved to its current location and restored as a schoolhouse. The Connecticut State Historical Commission and numerous members and volunteers of the Waterford Historical Society supported the work. Its construction history and preservation go hand in hand: the house illustrates both its former use as a residence and school and its subsequent restoration.
The Beebe-Phillips House offers a different perspective. It was built in 1838 for the widowed Lydia Beebe and moved in two sections to its current location on Jordan Green in 1974. Its furnishings are modeled on the style of the 1840s, and its floor plan is also considered typical of that period. The kitchen contains a domed, brick beehive oven, which was commonly used for baking bread. Details like these help make the house understandable as a residence of its era, without equating it with the former schoolhouse.
Garden and Craftsmanship
In front of the Beebe-Phillips House is the Terry Wilmot Garden, designed as a typical 1840s cottage garden. Old varieties of apple trees were planted behind the house. The garden and fruit trees complement the interiors, offering another perspective on life and design of that era. The walking map lists the garden under the name Wilmot Herb Garden.
A group of blacksmiths meets regularly at the Ralph Madara Blacksmith Shop and gives blacksmithing lessons. The shop is equipped with a working forge and numerous blacksmithing tools. The public may watch the blacksmiths at work; however, only members of the Waterford Historical Society may work at the forge, and they must follow the posted rules. Check the separately published operating hours before visiting. The insights into the shop are thus clearly distinct from the architectural history of the houses: here, the focus is on a craft, not the former use of a residential or school building.
Other Historic Connections in Waterford
The Stacy Barn houses an extensive collection of agricultural tools, equipment, and other artifacts from Waterford’s past. The Jordan Park House was originally Waterford’s first public library. The Jordan Village Historic District in Waterford has also been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1990. Together, these examples show different ways of exploring local history: education, residential life, craftsmanship, agriculture, and historic architecture.
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