West Hartford History: Where Is This House?

If you think you know the answer or have a special memory related to the photo, respond in the "Leave a comment" box below this article. We'll run the answer next Monday, along with a new historical photo. The image has been provided by the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society. For more information on the museum's collection and programs, visit www.noahwebsterhouse.org.

Last week's question was: "What Business Occupied These Buildings?" and it was great to get two very detailed responses.

From Rick Liftig: "Goodwin Pottery was located in Elmwood and produced earthenware from the 1700's into the 20th century. At least one of the original buildings is still used by Abbot Ball Mfg in 2013. As you may know, there was also a thriving brick making business on New Park and Kane Streets – the clay of West Hartford, now a nuisance, was an item of high value back in the day."

Jeff Murray added even more detail, with the following comment: "Also to add to Rick's comment, the buildings burned down in a magnificent fire in 1908 and never recovered. The Goodwin family was very prominent in Elmwood in the late 1800s and early 1900s with the expansion of the pottery business and also with real estate development - one of the grandchildren, Wallace, was the developer of Burgoyne Street in 1915 next to the Elmwood Community Center and several bungalow-type houses on Newington Road. The Goodwin house (1820s) actually still stands at the corner of New Britain Avenue and Westgate Street among the condominium complex in the surrounding area."

Those answers are even more detailed than the official answer from the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society, which is: "This is a view of the Goodwin Pottery buildings looking southeast across New Britain Avenue. Seth Goodwin took advantage of the high quality clay found in Elmwood and opened a pottery business in 1798. The Goodwin family maintained the business until it was destroyed by a third fire in 1908."