Passing through Canton, CT

Photos 12-13 of 250

I was dropping my daughter off at an activity. A heavy rain was just finishing. I looked down and loved how the reflections in the puddles looked. So I took a few, Photo 12 is my favorite. I tried a different route home and passed by this amazing stone structure building. I took a picture and asked AI to tell me about it.
"The historic property pictured is the Dan Case Tavern, located in Canton, Connecticut.

Here are some of the most notable historical and architectural facts about this unique home:

History & Legacy

• The Builder: The house was erected in 1786 by Dan Case (1761–1815), who had served in the Revolutionary Army as a young boy. If you look closely at [the photo], you can see an oval historical plaque to the left of the main structure near the bushes that notes the 1786 build date.

• The Tavern & Meeting Hall: Case operated the building as a tavern. The third floor features an expansive, arched hall that was used for town events and meetings.

• Masonic History: From 1797 to 1799, the third-floor hall served as the meeting place for the local Village Lodge No. 29 Freemasons. Dan Case eventually migrated west to Ohio, and the property later transitioned into a private single-family residence.

Architectural Style

• Rare Stone Construction: It is a highly unusual and rare surviving example of an 18th-century stone Georgian home in Connecticut, where timber-frame construction was overwhelmingly the standard for the era.

• Gambrel Roof: The structure utilizes a distinctive gambrel roof punctuated by three classical dormer windows on the upper level, providing extra head room for the third-floor tavern hall.

• Symmetry: True to Georgian architecture, the facade features strict five-bay symmetry across the front windows, anchored by a prominent central entryway framed by a classic white door surround and a bold red door.