Avery Homestead
A late-seventeenth-century Colonial farmhouse and historic family homestead in Ledyard, Connecticut.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Avery Homestead is a historic Colonial farmhouse in Ledyard, Connecticut, associated with the Avery family and regarded as one of the town's oldest surviving buildings. The main house is believed to date from approximately 1696, although a state plaque gives a later date of 1720 and the exact construction sequence remains partly interpretive. Architectural evidence suggests that the structure may have started as a small, single-story, one-room dwelling and developed into a two-story, two-room house by 1726. The house's early use included religious gatherings: Deacon William Morgan Jr. reportedly used the parlor for church services after North Groton became a separate parish, before a dedicated meetinghouse was completed. The property stands on the west side of Ledyard along Avery Hill Road and historically comprised a farmhouse, barn, shed, pond, pasture, and extensive stone-walled agricultural land. Its rural setting is a central part of its significance. The principal house follows a Colonial and early Georgian-derived double-cube form, with a substantial central chimney serving several fireplaces, including the original kitchen fireplace and bake oven. Its framing includes unusual longitudinal summer beams, flared gunstock-shaped posts, vertical wall sheathing, and exposed, adzed members in the hall. These construction details, together with saw marks and changes in fenestration, help document the building's evolution. The structure was enlarged around 1780 under Theophilus Avery, when a two-story rear addition produced a modest saltbox-like profile. Around 1870, the original kitchen ell was separated from the main building, while a later ell eventually became an open shed and, in 1965, a shop and office. A large barn southeast of the house, documented in photographs from 1870, forms part of the historic farm complex. The Avery family regained ownership in the eighteenth century and maintained a connection with the property across more than twelve generations and roughly three centuries. Amos G. Avery acquired the house in 1946 and began a decade-long restoration in the mid-1950s. His work sought to recover an eighteenth-century appearance by removing later alterations, exposing or restoring fireplace features, replacing broad floorboards, reproducing wainscoting, and removing a Victorian balustrade from the front staircase. In 1970, he donated 100 acres associated with the property to the Mashantucket Land Trust while retaining approximately 40 acres around the house. Avery Homestead was listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places in 1992. Its importance derives from the combination of architectural integrity, surviving farm buildings and landscape, evidence of early New England building practices, and the unusually long continuity of family ownership. It is best understood as a historic place and preserved farmstead rather than as a commercial consumer brand. Publicly available reference material does not establish a visitor business, product portfolio, corporate structure, or current operating program.
History
Avery Homestead is a Colonial-era farmstead in Ledyard, Connecticut, whose history combines early New England domestic architecture, religious use, agricultural continuity, and unusually persistent family ownership. The house is generally dated to about 1696, when William Morgan is said to have built it at the time of his marriage to Margaret Avery. Architectural investigation indicates that the present building may have developed in stages. It possibly began as a one-story, one-room dwelling and later became a two-story, two-room house. By 1726, the parlor was being used for church services, demonstrating that the building had already achieved a substantial form by that date. Deacon William Morgan Jr. retained the property until selling it to John Wood in 1745. The Avery family reacquired the homestead in 1754. Theophilus Avery held it from 1757 to 1798, and a later owner of the same name held it from 1852 to 1880. These periods correspond with important changes in the property. Around 1780, the main house received a two-story rear addition approximately five feet deep, giving the building its characteristic slight saltbox appearance. The surviving structure contains evidence of early construction methods, including pitsaw marks, water-powered saw marks, longitudinal summer beams, flared posts, vertical sheathing, and mortise-and-tenon roof framing. The house's central chimney supports four fireplaces serving the principal rooms and cellar, with a smoke chamber in the attic. The original kitchen, now incorporated into the hall, includes a large fireplace and bake oven. The property also contains a barn and other agricultural structures. The main barn lies southeast of the house and was standing by at least 1870, although its precise construction date is unknown. Around 1870, the original kitchen ell was detached from the house. A replacement or altered ell was used as an open shed until its conversion into a shop and office in 1965. Amos G. Avery acquired the homestead from his father in 1946. His interest in the building's earlier fabric led to a major restoration campaign beginning in the mid-1950s and continuing for about a decade. The restoration aimed to return the house to an eighteenth-century appearance. Work included uncovering fireplace elements, replacing wide floorboards, reproducing wainscoting, and removing later Victorian features such as an 1871 staircase balustrade. The effort preserved both the building's material character and its connection to the surrounding farm landscape. In 1970, Amos Avery donated 100 acres of the surrounding land to the Mashantucket Land Trust and retained about 40 acres around the homestead. The landscape includes stone-walled pasture, a pond, and land extending toward Stoddards Wharf Road; Billings-Avery Brook runs through a small valley and eventually joins the Thames River. This setting contributes substantially to the property's historic interpretation because the relationship between dwelling, outbuildings, pasture, water, and stone walls remains legible. The homestead was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. The designation recognized it as a rare surviving late-seventeenth- and early-eighteenth-century farmstead with exceptional integrity of setting, as well as a record of early craftsmanship and domestic life. It is also significant for the Avery family's residence there across more than twelve generations. Amos G. Avery died in July 1998, after which the property passed to his oldest son, Edward Avery. Available reference material does not establish a commercial brand operation, public retail offering, or current institutional owner.
- 1998
Ownership passes to Edward Avery
[1]After Amos G. Avery died, the homestead passed to his oldest son, Edward Avery.
- 1992
National Register listing
[1]Avery Homestead was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1970
Land transferred to Mashantucket Land Trust
[1]Amos Avery donated 100 acres associated with the homestead to the Mashantucket Land Trust while retaining the immediate 40-acre setting.
- 1965
Ell converted to shop and office
[1]The former open shed attached to the property was adapted for use as a shop and office.
- 1955
Restoration begins
[1]Amos G. Avery began a roughly decade-long effort to recover the house's eighteenth-century appearance. The exact start year is approximate, based on the mid-1950s description.
- 1946
Amos G. Avery acquires the homestead
[1]Amos G. Avery obtained the property from his father and later became responsible for its major restoration.
- 1870
Original kitchen ell separated
[1]The original kitchen ell was removed from the main building and became a separate structure; the existing barn is documented in photographs from around this period.
- 1780
Rear addition creates saltbox-like profile
[1]A two-story rear extension made under Theophilus Avery enlarged the main house and altered its exterior profile.
- 1754
Avery family reacquires the property
[1]The Avery family returned the homestead to its ownership after its period with John Wood.
- 1745
Property sold outside the Morgan family
[1]William Morgan Jr. sold the homestead to John Wood.
Products and positioning
A preserved historic farmstead valued for its Colonial architecture, rural setting, craftsmanship, and long association with the Avery family.
Marketing campaigns
- 1970Historic landscape conservation donation
United States
Amos Avery transferred 100 acres of surrounding land to the Mashantucket Land Trust, helping preserve the broader rural setting.
Outcome. The donation maintained a substantial portion of the farmstead's landscape context while Avery retained the immediate homestead acreage.
- 1955Avery Homestead restoration
United States
Amos G. Avery undertook a long restoration campaign to remove later changes and recover the appearance and materials associated with the eighteenth-century house.
Outcome. The restoration strengthened the property's architectural integrity and contributed to its later recognition as an important historic farmstead.
Recent events
- 1998
Amos G. Avery dies and the property passes to Edward Avery[1]
Leadership change
Following Amos G. Avery's death at age 96, ownership of the homestead passed to his oldest son, Edward Avery.
- 1992
Avery Homestead listed on the National Register of Historic Places[1]
Other
The homestead received National Register recognition for its architectural integrity, rural farmstead setting, craftsmanship, and long Avery family association.
Sources1 sources
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