The Henry Townsend House

The Henry Townsend House is a beautiful site. Built in 1830 by Henry Townsend himself, this historic home sits on an acre and a half of land. It is part of the West Neck Historic Road Historic District with many other homes and buildings from the 19th century.

Surrounded by a picket fence the property includes a garage, smokehouse, well, shed and a privy which is an outside bathroom. You will see a lot of exterior toilets with older homes in this area. From 1858 to 1909 it was owned by the Scudder family and later the Conklins until 1911. The home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 at which W.B. Young was the owner.

From first glance, there is a lot to take in. The house is very elaborate in its design and has a great amount of decorative elements that really bring it to life. With one-and-a-half stories, it features a center-hall plan and a one-story side wing. This wing received exterior alterations in the 1850s such as the overhanging eaves above the porch. The glass porch in the back of the home is a much recent addition.

The front porch is held up with posts that feature scrolled corner braces. This design element is continued throughout the entire home. You will notice it significantly on the street side in the carved rafter ends of the home. This Swiss-inspired detailing creates a doll house look and adds an artistic feel to the overall design.

The garage was originally a carriage house built with clapboard design as well. This too has exposed rafter ends included in its one-and-a-half story plan. The six over six sash windows are also very common for this time period.

Because it is part of the West Neck District, the Henry Townsend House is of great significance. It expresses a love for design that you can clearly see. It's nice to know that the current owners have kept it in such amazing shape. With the colorful flowers and lush foliage, they have brought life to the home, making this historic piece of art a modern day dream.