“The day we stop looking, Charlie, is the day we die.”
— Olivia Dunham

(1) Victorian Cottage

With the arrival of the railroad in 1848, coastal towns like Fairfield became popular summer destinations for people seeking refuge from the city. In 1885 New York actor Robert Manuel bought the Sun Tavern as his summer residence and farm. Right away he began making improvements to the property, building a stone fence and massive gate posts that are visible today. Then in 1888 the local newspaper reported, “Mr. Manuel is erecting besides a barn on his place, a cottage for the use of workmen on his farm.” A local carpenter probably constructed this small gable front cottage residence using commercially available designs popular in the Victorian era. Its porch gives a picturesque touch to the exterior while providing ventilation and a place to enjoy the view of the property.

Inside was likely an entryway off the porch, a small parlor and a narrow bedroom, with a kitchen to the rear. The upstairs may have been used as a sleeping area too. Over the years, laborers, house servants, cooks and gardeners may nave called this cottage home. The property passed down through the family and finally in 1958 to a grad niece, Elizabeth Rolfe. In the 1960s, she rented the cottage to local newlyweds in exchange for gardening and handymen work. In 1978 the town purchased the cottage from the Rolfe estate. Unused for decades, the house fell into disrepair. Fearing it would be torn down, local citizens collected funds to have it saved. Thanks to their efforts, the cottage now exemplifies the simple, affordable houses that were built for local workers in the late 1800s.

Related
Chapter 5 of WALT AND THE PROMISE OF PROGRESS CITY by Sam Gennawey.