The Lane-Hubbard House

was built in

1871

by Andrew J. Ramsdell, builder & mason, for Celia Lane, wife of Charles Lane, a "packer" (i.e. who packed shucked oysters in barrels for shipment). He undoubtedly was employed by one of the oyster companies on nearby South Water Street, and quite possibly was related to the Frederick Lane/Frank T. Lane oystering families. (This house was one of the earliest to be constructed on that portion of Gerard Hallock's estate extending from Sea St. to Lamberton St., and divided into building lots first offered for sale in 1868.) The house was sold by Mrs. Lane exactly one year later to William E. Hubbard, "organ builder" (likely employed by one of New Haven's "parlor organ" factories. Also know as "reed organs" or "harmoniums" these rivaled the piano in popularity at the time:  if one was to have music in the home, one had to perform it, since there were no phonographs, radios, etc.).

In 1877 the house became one of the many rental properties owned by Nehemiah & Lucias Sperry, prominant New Haven builders. Gas lighting was added by the New Haven Gas Light Co. in 1900. The house was sold by widow Minnie Sperry in 1915 to William Tiernan who added electric lighting. (Some of the original light fixtures are still in use, albeit with new wiring.) The house then was owned briefly by Samuel Polsky and by Samuel Smith.

In 1920 it was purchased by Margaret Oates who added indoor plumbing. Her sons were among the many Irish Catholic rail road workers who, briefly in the early 20th century, were the largest (but by no means only) ethnic group in City Point. Mrs. Oates continued to rent out the second floor "cold water flat" until 1944. The house has been used as a singly-family residence ever since. Her family occupied the house for over sixty years.

Except for some older (c. 1840s-1860s) houses on or in the vicinity of South Water St. (built during the early years of the oyster industry) and a few c. 1868-1870 houses nearby on Greenwich Ave., this house is among the oldest, relatively unaltered houses in City Point. It is typical of 19th century front-gabled "vernacular" workers' houses. These made more efficient use of narrow urban lots than the side-gabled Colonial & Federal homes of the 18th & early 19th century. The facades usually were ornamented with archtectural details borrowed from more expensive homes of a prevailing style, in this case the "Italianate" (or "Tuscan") villa, which first gained popularity in the 1840s. (Compare, for example the 1865 villa at no. 76-78 Howard Ave.) This gave a rather impressive street presence to an otherwise simple dwelling. Typical Italianate features applied to 84 Second St. include square, chamfered porch posts and decorative, bracketed,  masonry-inspired projections over the windows. In this case, the porch is actually a smaller "portico", the steep staircase of which is equally intended to create an impressive entrance. The slightly oversized door adds to this effect. [The "six light over two panel" door was one of the most common vernacular entrance doors in 19th century New Haven, although surviving examples are becoming increasingly rare.]

Interior floor plans of small 19th century 2-family workers' houses typically included a central kitchen with all other rooms opening to it. In this way the coal-burning kitchen stove would provide heat for the apartment in winter.  This was supplemented with a parlor stove, typically placed in front of a decorative "fireplace" mantel.  Although open fireplaces were non-existent in such houses, the cultural and emotional connection with the "family hearth" of previous eras remained strong. Thus the mantel had a significant symbolic presence. 

 By the late 1870s the Italianate style was superseded in City Point primarily by the Queen Ann style.

[Homeowner residents of City Point who would like some tips on how to trace your house's history should contact the editor of this page.  See "Contact this Webjam's Editor" link at bottom of page.]

[To see artifacts from this house go to www.citypointnewhavenconnecticut.net  the "Backyard & Attic Finds..." page.]