41 Main Street

The original part of this house is thought to have been built about 1827 and was owned by Solomon Frost, an early merchant.  In 1829, he sold it to Sodwick Fitch who later sold it to William Hamilton, a prominent attorney.  He moved to Iowa in 1855 and the house was purchased by Hezekiah Allen who managed the estate of William W. Wadsworth.  Improvements were made during his ownership and when he sold it in 1864 to Harmon Howe the house contained “8 fine large rooms.”

Harmon Howe was proprietor of the large American Hotel, which stood just south of this house.  He connected the two buildings with a hall and closed up the intervening space, literally making the two buildings one.  In 1876, Clarence Youngs purchased the entire property.  The American Hotel was completely destroyed by fire in 1886 and this house received severe damage with only the brick walls remaining.  Elijah Youngs, a former sheriff, purchased the remains from his son for $500, rebuilt it, enlarged it and added a mansard roof.  After Elijah Youngs’ death in 1895, the house passed to another son, E. Fred Youngs who lived here with his wife, the former Martha Doty.  They added the porch across the front in 1896.  Mr. Youngs died in 1919 and his widow sold the house to Miss Ida Stewart who ran a tea room at this location.  In 1929 she sold it to Mrs. Harriet Green who opened it as The Fall Brook Inn, specializing in chicken dinners.  In 1941, it was purchased by the late Dr. Julia Delehanty and served as her office and residence for many years.