Page 9 - Wallingford Magazine Issue 46 Winter 2024

been distraught and returned home only to find that involved in the listed properties. I came across an William McKenzie exposed rafters, interior
her father was suffering with incurable cancer. article in the July 23, 1990 issue of the Record- House, 390 North wood beams, and paneling
Following William Becroft’s death in October 1919, Journal titled, “Dead architect leaves researcher Main Street throughout. Near original
Mildred found work teaching music, playing the piano stymied”. I was interested to see that I was not Built by C.F. Wooding condition, it was built in
at the Strand Theater on the corner of Orchard and the only person in Wallingford wanting to gather circa 1915 for William 1912. The former owners
Center Streets, and working as a clerk at Wallace information about this man. Jerry Farrell was involved McKenzie, head of celebrated its 100th birthday
Silversmith. Ultimately these jobs must have been with the Historic District Study Committee at that Wallingford Water Co. with a party in 2012.
unsatisfactory because for the next four years Mildred time and looking for background information on
found some unusual employment opportunities the houses in the district. He put out a plea in the C. Hugo Malmquist Emil Gross House, South Main Street
that probably surprised her Wallingford friends. She paper for anyone with knowledge of William Becroft House, 529 North Designed by Becroft, this was the first house in
must have been an adventurous soul because in to come forward. As Jerry said, “He was no I.M. Pei, Main Street Wallingford to be constructed entirely of blocks of
September, 1920 she left Connecticut, alone, and but his work is still unique. It encompassed several Designed by Becroft concrete. Bungalow in style, it was one-story and
travelled to Keota, Colorado where she worked as a styles from Italianate with flat, box-like roofs finished and built in 1912, this located on South Main Street. Emil Gross had been
primary teacher at Keota School in a tiny town on the with a decorative band of ornate woodworking . . . to is a classic bungalow making concrete blocks for years, collecting them
prairie. Now a ghost town, this desolate place was Swiss Cottage, in which several disparate elements of style house. This was on his property to use in the construction of his new
a stark contrast to Wallingford. Who knows how or other architectural styles are combined.” I would add house around 1907. There is an interesting back story
why she went there? The newspaper reports that she that he also worked in the American Craftsman and part of the Hillcrest Tract, a planned development here too lengthy to include. Suffice it to say that a
occasionally visited friends in Denver and Greeley. Colonial Revival styles. All told, I identified about 40 off North Main Street. It reflects the Craftsman style South American monkey lived with the Gross family for
After two years at Keota, she moved on to Oklahoma houses and buildings that Becroft designed between with its fieldstone foundation, low-pitched gable roof, a while. Let me know if you can find this house.
where she had been hired to teach music to boarding 1895 and 1916. So, here we are 34 years after Jerry and overhanging eaves. It appears to be in original
school pupils at the Eufaula Government School for Farrell first sought information on William Becroft. I condition. The Frederick M. Cowles House,
Creek Indians. Her class was composed of 120 girls. too, am hoping someone with knowledge on this topic Masonic Temple, 143 Christian Street
She also worked with private students. Eufaula was a will contact me to fill in some of the blanks about the Frederick M. Cowles, a First
more robust community with improved resources for life of this interesting Wallingford man. He deserves to 46 North Main Street National Bank officer, bought a
Mildred to employ in her teaching. be remembered. (bobbieborne@gmail.com) Designed by Becroft and large tract of land on Christian
In 1924 Mildred, now 34 years old, returned Since we could not include many photos of built by C.F. Wooding in Street (now subdivided) on which
to Connecticut. Perhaps she was homesick. Or Becroft’s work here, interested readers can use the 1911. Loucks & Clarke to build a grand five-
maybe the hardships of teaching in small western following list to locate examples of his work. did carpentry. Land and bedroom house. In an
communities wore her down. But in September of building cost $30,000. interesting coincidence,
that year, she was hired as an instructor of music at Some Noteworthy Buildings Designed Two commercial stores on ground floor; lodge hall; after I had begun work
the Connecticut School for the Blind. While there she banquet hall and offices on 2nd floor; and offices on on this article I ran into
met John George, a manual training teacher from by William E. Becroft 3rd floor. Becroft’s original blueprints exist and were Rick Tencza, an old
Pennsylvania. They married in 1927, moved to Linsley consulted recently during an elevator installation. This acquaintance. When
Avenue in Meriden, and started a business in public The William building is still in use as a Masonic Hall. we got to talking, I
entertaining with an emphasis on vocal, piano, and Becroft House, discovered that not only
dramatic readings. In the 1930 U.S. Census, she 554 North Main John Webb Blakeslee did he know about the
appears with her husband, now a storekeeper, living Street House, 250 South Main Cowles House, but he
in Lawrence, New Jersey. Soon after that, Mildred Becroft built this Street had also lived in it at one
and John separated; she returned to Connecticut and house for himself Designed by Becroft, time. Furthermore, he
moved in with her mother, eventually to Yalesville. and his family in built by C.F. Wooding revealed that he had the actual house plans and other
Though Mildred Becroft George lived in Wallingford 1916. According in 1910, this house information drawn up by Becroft when the house was
for another 50 years, I could not find any more to his obituary was advertised as “Old built in 1917. The next day he brought them over to let
information about her. I wonder about the interesting in 1919, “This English style, Americanized, and in dimensions of 36 me have a look. What a thrill to hold the actual Becroft
life stories and the adventures she experienced and house has attracted the attention of many people 1/2 x 30 1/2.” Now we would call it Colonial Revival. blueprints!
wish I knew more about her. owing to its unusual design. It resembles the Swiss It’s grand scale and spacious entry hall set it apart.
cottages and is so situated that the landscape view Ralph Russo House, 39 North Whittlesey Avenue
Conclusion adds to the effect beautifully.” Today, this house Henry A. Norton House, 319 South Main Street Designed in 1900 for the dry goods merchant whose
There appears to be no inventory of the buildings continues to attract attention and is even more This Craftsman style eight-room house is unusual shop was at 32 Center St., the two-story house cost
designed by William Becroft. In land transaction architecturally exciting due to the attention of the because it sits sideways on its lot. Features of the $8,000. There were five rooms upstairs, and rooms
records at Town Hall no mention is made of architects current owners. period are evident in the overhanging eaves with in the attic and basement. Guests were welcomed in

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