A beautiful old Georgian home, this house was built by
Captain Gideon Colton in 1795-6. It was one of the best houses of its
time. Captain Colton took great pride in his home, loving to recount that
the beams were cut from his own hillside, a slow process in those days.
The care taken in construction is evident even today in the beauty of the
woodwork and the wide one-board wainscot of the rooms. The ell and front
porch represent the changes made in 1890 when Charles Birnie bought the
property. The front door has fluted columns, Grecian pediment, and a large
fan light. The beautiful upstairs hall window is part of the original
house. It is of interest to compare this house with the Alexander Field
House (#8) that is also Late Georgian in style. Detailed architectural
drawings of this home were made in the 1930's and are currently housed at
the Library of Congress in Washington DC.
