There’s this genteel old house sitting out on St. Albans Road at Manchester Road, way out in Wildwood. It was built in 1913 by J.P. Connell, the president of the Glencoe Clay Company for $1,800.
It was a nice house, with what looks to be stucco, and according to property records, is a wood frame house, but look at that nice terracotta tile roof.
Then, to the north, is this house. I remember this house going back over two decades, when it was still active as a working farm house. Someone is renovating it, which I think is really cool, since it is a very old house and deserves to be saved. It dates to around 1905 on the acreage owned by a J.W. Sappington.
So far the fields, which I remember being planted with crops, have avoided being built upon with houses. I hope it stays that way for a long time.
Sad to tell you that the owners of the JP Connell House, which is St Albans Properties, have applied for a demolition permit. Wildwood has been doing everything they can to change their minds and somehow preserve the historic house, but the owner has refused all proposals. It appears that the demolition will move forward perhaps later this year. Such a shame to lose such a historic treasure.
Thank you for notifying me. I’m sad to hear that.