182 Main Street - Cowles, Norton, and Bidwell House

circa 1835 Federal/Georgian/Greek Revival Style

The building is the only brownstone in Unionville.

This unique stone house stands out amongst its wood clad neighborhood houses. Its symmetrical facade is comprised of 12/12 double hung sash windows, a recessed entryway with sidelights, and an upper story door with iron balcony rail and each opening has a cut piece of brownstone as a lintel header. A long gabled roof is flanked by two brick chimneys.

There is no definitive date for this house. Historians put it at either 1830 or 1840. In a deed dated 1840, land sold by James and Augustus Cowles to William Griswold is denoted as “991/2 feet north of the stone house”, the stone house being 182 Main St. and the original owners of the house were James and Augustus Cowles, John T. Norton, and Abner Bidwell. All four men were original members of the Farmington River Water Power Company. The Farmington River Water Power company built a dam and canal used by Unionville early industries. Tradition asserts that Heman H Orton, a native of Litchfield, NY, was the house’s earliest occupant. Orton was a partner in the clockmaking firm of Williams, Orton & Preston.