{"id":2815,"date":"2026-04-07T13:41:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T13:41:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/2815\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T13:41:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T13:41:11","slug":"ct-preservationists-look-to-save-a-civil-war-era-stone-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/2815\/","title":{"rendered":"CT preservationists look to save a Civil War-era stone house"},"content":{"rendered":"

As contractors build houses closer and closer to the historic Nelson Augustus Moore<\/a> homestead in Berlin, preservationists are scrambling to save the stone-and-concrete home<\/a> and 27-acre property.<\/p>\n

Several civic organizations are working together this spring to raise money to buy the tract at 904 High Road in a rural part of the Kensington village.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the starts starts unfolding, you see the history of Berlin and the village of Kensington are really wrapped up in this man and his family,\u201d said Honor Lawlor, project manager at The Trust for Public Land\u2019s New Haven office<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo many places in Berlin are named after different members of the Moore family, and all those people were heirs and descendants of the original Moore family that settled in Kensington.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Nelson Augustus Moore homestead in Kensington. (Don Stacom\/The Hartford Courant)<\/p>\n

A century ago, the various branches of the extended Moore family held hundreds of acres of farmland on Kensington\u2019s High Road less than a mile from what\u2019s now the trailhead for Ragged Mountain. But what remains today is the 27-acre parcel with the imposing home of stone and concrete that used cement from the family\u2019s cement mill along the the Mattabassett River.<\/p>\n

Moore was a famous member of the Hudson River School movement whose paintings now are held by prominent collectors. He was known to create some of his landscapes at the Kensington property while observing how small changes in the sun\u2019s position created subtle shifts in the light on fields surrounding the house.<\/p>\n

Preservationists recently grew concerned that the property could be at risk of redevelopment because the current owner wants to sell. The opposite side of High Road is now dotted with lawn signs from real estate agents and contractors announcing new single-family houses; some are already built, heavy equipment is clearing empty fields for more.<\/p>\n

\"SignsSigns promoting the campaign to preserve the Moore homestead are along numerous Kensington streets. (Don Stacom\/The Hartford Courant)<\/p>\n

Last fall, the Berlin Land Trust formed a partnership with the Berlin Historical Society and the Trust for Public Land to acquire the Moore property before developers could get it. They\u2019ve gotten aid from the Connecticut State Historic Preservation Office, and are looking to raise $300,000. So far they\u2019ve taken in $110,000 and are looking for another $190,000.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve gotten a state grant, and people in this community have been incredibly generous,\u201d Lawlor said Monday. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of support in town and the towns near here. This property is the last vestige of the Moore family farm, the last legacy aside from his paintings.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Farmer\u2019s Cow on Farmington Avenue put up a fundraising thermometer-style sign on its lawn, and supporters are now tracking progress daily.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe biggest questions we get is what could the building lend itself to? The plan is for the Berlin Land Trust to be the owner and make that decision, but we want to make sure the decisions are informed by what the community would benefit from,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Moore homestead. (Don Stacom\/The Hartford Courant)<\/p>\n

Lawlor said some ideas being considered are small musical performances on the lawn, and perhaps \u201cplein air\u201d outdoor painting sessions for students. She said planners know it\u2019s important to avoid creating any high-maintenance or costly use, but also emphasized that it\u2019s important to keep a range of options open now.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe house might be used for offices of the land trust, maybe with interpretative design in the downstairs. Something where you walk through and learn about those times,\u201d she said. \u00a0\u201cBut that\u2019s not something to decide now.\u201d<\/p>\n

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