Moses Camp House


The Moses Camp House is a historic house at 682 Main Street in the Winsted area of Winchester, Connecticut. Probably built about 1840 for one of the region's major merchants, it is a high quality example of Greek Revival architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984; it now houses professional offices.

Description and history

The house stands on the east side of Main Street opposite its junction with Lake Street. It is a 2-1/2 story wood frame structure, with a hip roof, clapboarded exterior, and granite foundation. Its main facade faces west, and is five bays wide. The main entrance is at the center, sheltered by a flat-roof portico with smooth Doric columns. The building corners have paneled pilasters, which rise to an entablature, above which are a band of small rectangular window at the attic level. The interior has a number of high-quality Greek Revival features, including fine woodwork in the central hallway. A number of features have been lost over time; historic photos of the house show it with a balustrade encircling the roof, and a widow's walk at the roof center.
The construction date of the house is somewhat uncertain. A house was built on this land in 1825 by Lucius Clarke, which was purchased by Moses Camp in 1840. It is unclear if the present house is a significant alteration to Clarke's house, or a new construction. Its stylistic features are consistent with an 1840 construction date, but it is also unique within the town as a Greek Revival house with a five-bay facade, an older feature. The house is framed with hand-hewn timbers. Moses Camp was a major economic force in the region, part-owning and operating one of the largest merchant business in Litchfield County. The Camps also built the Camp Block, Winsted's first brick commercial building, and Moses Camp served as a bank president and in the state legislature. The house also had a prominent owner in the 20th century: C. Wensley Winslow served for as Winchester town clerk for more than 40 years.