James Alldis House
Encyclopedia
The James Alldis House is a Queen Anne style house in Torrington, Connecticut
which is significant for it being a fine, well-preserved example of Queen Anne architecture, and also locally for its association with the largest industry in Torrington, the needle manufacturing plant which became the Torrington Company
. It was built for James Alldis, supervisor at the firm, and a leading citizen of Torrington. The house was built in 1895 and retains most of its original features, including the hardwood floors, most of the original lighting fixtures and door hardware, and the original hot air heat distribution system. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1982.
The property includes a second contributing building, which is a carriage house.
The house's "irregular plan and massing", its round tower with conical roof, and its "elaborate porch of sawn and turned woodwork", and "intricacy of detail" elsewhere are all characteristic of Queen Anne style exteriors. Besides variety in massing, variety is also expressed in a wide variety of window designs and surface textures. The first floor exterior is straight-lined, composed of narrow smooth clapboards; the exterior of the second floor and above is textured and wavy in its edges.
The house's interior is also Queene Anne style overall in that it includes classical detail work (of a variety of named styles), and it also is very well preserved. Interior details include a tiled fireplace. The house has two colored-glass windows, one believed to be from Tiffany Studios and one from Bigelow Studios.
, and which was the largest employer in Torrington. He worked there from 1869 to 1899, when he retired. He was a "principal shareholder" in the Torrington and Winsted Street Railway and served as its president from 1899 to 1906, when it was sold to the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
. He was a Democrat in a Republican town. He purchased the property to have this substantial house built in 1895.
Torrington, Connecticut
Torrington is the largest city in Litchfield County, Connecticut and the northwestern Connecticut region. It is also the core city of the largest micropolitan area in the United States. The city population was 36,383 according to the 2010 census....
which is significant for it being a fine, well-preserved example of Queen Anne architecture, and also locally for its association with the largest industry in Torrington, the needle manufacturing plant which became the Torrington Company
Torrington Company
The Torrington Company was a firm that developed in Torrington, Connecticut, emerging as a rename from the Excelsior Needle Company. It used a "cold swaging" technique to create sewing machine needles and other needles from cold metal, and was the largest employer in Torrington.James Alldis was...
. It was built for James Alldis, supervisor at the firm, and a leading citizen of Torrington. The house was built in 1895 and retains most of its original features, including the hardwood floors, most of the original lighting fixtures and door hardware, and the original hot air heat distribution system. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1982.
The property includes a second contributing building, which is a carriage house.
The house's "irregular plan and massing", its round tower with conical roof, and its "elaborate porch of sawn and turned woodwork", and "intricacy of detail" elsewhere are all characteristic of Queen Anne style exteriors. Besides variety in massing, variety is also expressed in a wide variety of window designs and surface textures. The first floor exterior is straight-lined, composed of narrow smooth clapboards; the exterior of the second floor and above is textured and wavy in its edges.
The house's interior is also Queene Anne style overall in that it includes classical detail work (of a variety of named styles), and it also is very well preserved. Interior details include a tiled fireplace. The house has two colored-glass windows, one believed to be from Tiffany Studios and one from Bigelow Studios.
James Alldis
James Alldis (1839–1910) was a leading citizen. English-born, he immigrated to the U.S. at age 14. He was supervisor of the Excelsior Needle Company, a needle manufacturing firm which became the Torrington CompanyTorrington Company
The Torrington Company was a firm that developed in Torrington, Connecticut, emerging as a rename from the Excelsior Needle Company. It used a "cold swaging" technique to create sewing machine needles and other needles from cold metal, and was the largest employer in Torrington.James Alldis was...
, and which was the largest employer in Torrington. He worked there from 1869 to 1899, when he retired. He was a "principal shareholder" in the Torrington and Winsted Street Railway and served as its president from 1899 to 1906, when it was sold to the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
. He was a Democrat in a Republican town. He purchased the property to have this substantial house built in 1895.