Historic Black Rock is an enclave on the shores of Long Island Sound and has been within the boundaries of the City of Bridgeport, CT since 1870. However, since its founding as a community in 1644 by Thomas Wheeler until 1870, it was part of Fairfield, CT. Since its founding up until modern ship building in the 20th Century when modern ships required deeper harbors, it attracted ship builders and sea captains because of the deep harbor, making it one of the best harbors in CT and sparking an international shipping and trading industry in Historic Black Rock.
One of these sea captains was Captain Ebenezer Knap. According to the local history book titled “History of Black Rock 1644-1955”, in 1813 he “built a house at what is now 482 Brewster Street as prosperity was returning to Historic Black Rock after a disastrous trade embargo during the War of 1812 had been removed. In form, it is like the traditional Colonial “half house”, but in construction and decoration it belongs to the Federal Era. The framing is post-and-beam as in earlier buildings, but the timbers are significantly smaller and contribute to the lightness of scale. The cornice is decorated with a reeded moulding, and the gable encloses the earliest known Black Rock fan window. The doorway is the highlight of the façade, with its elaborate mouldings, sidelights, and crescent-shaped leaded glass transom.
The Captain Knap House has stood through 201 years of protecting generations of residents from blizzards & hurricanes within its still solid roof, walls & floors. It has stood in silent witness to Black Rock men marching off to war, and has seen the gradual transformation of Historic Black Rock from a rural, ship building/seafaring/farming, Puritan/Congregational community into a suburban, residential, multi-faith community.
And now, the Captain Knap House is beginning a new (and hopefully not the last) chapter in its long history. On July 11, 2014, the Captain Knap House was bought by a next door neighbor. A mere 11 days later, the new owner applied for demolition, intent on destroying a part of Historic Black Rock. Sadly the house lies just outside the boundaries of the established Historic District, and so he was granted the permit with a 90 day stay, and no obligation to inform the Community of Black Rock of his intent. Once the 90 day stay expires on October 25, 2014, he can freely demolish the building. The owner has already removed all the windows since July 2014 leaving the house open and vulnerable to the elements, vandals and potential arsonists. Once the new owner demolishes the Captain Knap House, it is his intention to replace it with 2 vinyl clad duplexes which would not fit the character of the neighborhood (other reports are he wants to make it a garden for his private use). The Community of Historic Black Rock does not want this to happen, and wants to preserve the Captain Knap House so that Historic Black Rock can truly be “Historic” as it is part of the charm that attracts people to live in Historic Black Rock.
The current owner has stated he is willing to sell the house to whomever makes him an offer of more than what he paid for it ($121K) before October 25, 2014, otherwise he will demolish as planned because he is determined to make a profit. He has already been quoted as saying “It’s all about the money”. So if anyone wants to save the house by making an offer, PLEASE DO SO!!!
We the Community of Historic Black Rock asks that you sign this petition in an effort to help change the mind and will of the current owner of the Captain Knap House, and likewise asks that you feel free to pass this petition nation-wide. Thank you!!!
Updates
September 22, 2014
I walk past 482 Brewster every single day and the thought of losing this piece of our maritime heritage keeps me up at night. I have been spending my mornings digging through old town records to build a formal case for preservation before the wrecking ball gets anywhere near that doorway. Your stories about growing up near the harbor remind me why this house is worth the fight.
September 22, 2014
Seeing so many people recognize the history preserved in these walls reminds me why I started this fight for Captain Knap's home. The momentum behind saving this piece of Black Rock is overwhelming and gives me hope that we can keep this house standing for another two centuries.
11 Comments
Does anyone know if the historical society has reached out to the owners yet?
Are they really gonna tear this down for more condos? Black Rock is losing all its character lately.
my grandparents lived near brewster for years. its shameful to see this falling apart when it should be a historic landmark.
THEY BETTER NOT TOUCH THIS HOUSE. STOP THE DEMOLITION!!!
the interior might not look like those pictures now considering they took out the windows. it may be completely gutted by now.
As much as I agree that saving a 200 year old home is a worthy cause, I do not agree that it is so sacred in this particular case. Whatever may have been of historic architectural value about this house in the past, it was previously destroyed when this property was remodeled by prior owners in the 1900's. A close inspection of this house today will instruct the visiter that virtually all of what remains has all the signs of being part of the early 1900s remodel. Contrary to what this petitions says, no "leaded glass" has survived to present day. Nothing surrounding the front door appears to be made of materials more than 100 years old. The petition also mis-states that the current owner plans "to replace it with 2 vinyl clad duplexes." This is not at all true. The property is zoned for single family use only. He plans to return it to open space, and plans to landscape it beautifully (as can be believed by anyone who looks at what this very community minded gentleman has done to his personal residence next door). As one who has watched the precarious history of this property over the last three years, from very nearby, I can attest to the comings and goings of countess speculators who have all had opportunities to save this property, but decided it not economically worthy. If any of you want to save this house, then please put your energies into finding a well resourced angel investor who is willing to buy it and do the work. But please do not admonish nor harass this good man of our neighborhood, who has already come forward to stabilize this troubled property. Please realize that his goal of creating a beautiful open space is an honorable "next best solution." If you speak to most of us living closest to 482 Brewster, you might be surprised to find that we support the thinking and intended actions of the current owner. This is because we all know the actual facts, and we know the man and his character and personally trust that he is doing the best that
The person who wrote the description of the situation at 482 Brewster St doesn't know what she's talking about. The new ownerr has no plans whatsoever to build two vinyl-clad duplexes on the property. I was at the meeting and he went into great detail about what his plans are. He is fully aware that the property is zoned for single family only. His intention is to build a beautiful garden on the proerty for his enjoyment and to feed his passion for gardening. Ginning up the public with misinformation is irresponsible. Reading this makes me feel like I'm watching Fox News. I know that the house was viewed by many developers and they all walked away because they realized it was a tear down with the possibility of building only one house. It would be a bad investment. And the realtor who had a buyer that didn't get the mortgage? There's a reason your buyer didn't get the mortgage and it's very possible it's because the cost of repairs and upgrades needed in addition to the mortgage amount was higher than the market value of the renovated home. I was in the house while it was on the market. It was a mess. The previous owners did nothing to preserve the integrity of an antique home. The upgrades were badly done and walls were built where they didn't belong making the home incredibly awkward and dysfunctional. The kitchen needed complete renovation to be useable by today's cook. Expecting the buyer to find and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to renovate this property just because people who didn't step to the plate are feeling bad is naive and absurd. And I question the sincerity of those who stated that they don't care what is done on the inside. They just want the house to stand and look pretty from the outside. That's not historic preservation, in my book. So be happy, Black Rock, that you have found someone who cares about what happens to the property and that beautiful tree. Or come up with the money to buy it. With all due respect, put
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Historic Black Rock is an enclave on the shores of Long Island Sound and has been within the boundaries of the City of Bridgeport, CT since 1870. However, since its founding as a community in 1644 by Thomas Wheeler until 1870, it was part of Fairfield, CT. Since its founding up until modern ship building in the 20th Century when modern ships required deeper harbors, it attracted ship builders and sea captains because of the deep harbor, making it one of the best harbors in CT and sparking an international shipping and trading industry in Historic Black Rock.
One of these sea captains was Captain Ebenezer Knap. According to the local history book titled “History of Black Rock 1644-1955”, in 1813 he “built a house at what is now 482 Brewster Street as prosperity was returning to Historic Black Rock after a disastrous trade embargo during the War of 1812 had been removed. In form, it is like the traditional Colonial “half house”, but in construction and decoration it belongs to the Federal Era. The framing is post-and-beam as in earlier buildings, but the timbers are significantly smaller and contribute to the lightness of scale. The cornice is decorated with a reeded moulding, and the gable encloses the earliest known Black Rock fan window. The doorway is the highlight of the façade, with its elaborate mouldings, sidelights, and crescent-shaped leaded glass transom.
The Captain Knap House has stood through 201 years of protecting generations of residents from blizzards & hurricanes within its still solid roof, walls & floors. It has stood in silent witness to Black Rock men marching off to war, and has seen the gradual transformation of Historic Black Rock from a rural, ship building/seafaring/farming, Puritan/Congregational community into a suburban, residential, multi-faith community.
And now, the Captain Knap House is beginning a new (and hopefully not the last) chapter in its long history. On July 11, 2014, the Captain Knap House was bought by a next door neighbor. A mere 11 days later, the new owner applied for demolition, intent on destroying a part of Historic Black Rock. Sadly the house lies just outside the boundaries of the established Historic District, and so he was granted the permit with a 90 day stay, and no obligation to inform the Community of Black Rock of his intent. Once the 90 day stay expires on October 25, 2014, he can freely demolish the building. The owner has already removed all the windows since July 2014 leaving the house open and vulnerable to the elements, vandals and potential arsonists. Once the new owner demolishes the Captain Knap House, it is his intention to replace it with 2 vinyl clad duplexes which would not fit the character of the neighborhood (other reports are he wants to make it a garden for his private use). The Community of Historic Black Rock does not want this to happen, and wants to preserve the Captain Knap House so that Historic Black Rock can truly be “Historic” as it is part of the charm that attracts people to live in Historic Black Rock.
The current owner has stated he is willing to sell the house to whomever makes him an offer of more than what he paid for it ($121K) before October 25, 2014, otherwise he will demolish as planned because he is determined to make a profit. He has already been quoted as saying “It’s all about the money”. So if anyone wants to save the house by making an offer, PLEASE DO SO!!!
We the Community of Historic Black Rock asks that you sign this petition in an effort to help change the mind and will of the current owner of the Captain Knap House, and likewise asks that you feel free to pass this petition nation-wide. Thank you!!!
Updates
September 22, 2014
I walk past 482 Brewster every single day and the thought of losing this piece of our maritime heritage keeps me up at night. I have been spending my mornings digging through old town records to build a formal case for preservation before the wrecking ball gets anywhere near that doorway. Your stories about growing up near the harbor remind me why this house is worth the fight.
September 22, 2014
Seeing so many people recognize the history preserved in these walls reminds me why I started this fight for Captain Knap's home. The momentum behind saving this piece of Black Rock is overwhelming and gives me hope that we can keep this house standing for another two centuries.
11 Comments
Is it possible to see the interior if we are interested in purchasing it from the current owner?
Does anyone know if the historical society has reached out to the owners yet?
Are they really gonna tear this down for more condos? Black Rock is losing all its character lately.
my grandparents lived near brewster for years. its shameful to see this falling apart when it should be a historic landmark.
THEY BETTER NOT TOUCH THIS HOUSE. STOP THE DEMOLITION!!!
the interior might not look like those pictures now considering they took out the windows. it may be completely gutted by now.
As much as I agree that saving a 200 year old home is a worthy cause, I do not agree that it is so sacred in this particular case. Whatever may have been of historic architectural value about this house in the past, it was previously destroyed when this property was remodeled by prior owners in the 1900's. A close inspection of this house today will instruct the visiter that virtually all of what remains has all the signs of being part of the early 1900s remodel. Contrary to what this petitions says, no "leaded glass" has survived to present day. Nothing surrounding the front door appears to be made of materials more than 100 years old. The petition also mis-states that the current owner plans "to replace it with 2 vinyl clad duplexes." This is not at all true. The property is zoned for single family use only. He plans to return it to open space, and plans to landscape it beautifully (as can be believed by anyone who looks at what this very community minded gentleman has done to his personal residence next door). As one who has watched the precarious history of this property over the last three years, from very nearby, I can attest to the comings and goings of countess speculators who have all had opportunities to save this property, but decided it not economically worthy. If any of you want to save this house, then please put your energies into finding a well resourced angel investor who is willing to buy it and do the work. But please do not admonish nor harass this good man of our neighborhood, who has already come forward to stabilize this troubled property. Please realize that his goal of creating a beautiful open space is an honorable "next best solution." If you speak to most of us living closest to 482 Brewster, you might be surprised to find that we support the thinking and intended actions of the current owner. This is because we all know the actual facts, and we know the man and his character and personally trust that he is doing the best that
The person who wrote the description of the situation at 482 Brewster St doesn't know what she's talking about. The new ownerr has no plans whatsoever to build two vinyl-clad duplexes on the property. I was at the meeting and he went into great detail about what his plans are. He is fully aware that the property is zoned for single family only. His intention is to build a beautiful garden on the proerty for his enjoyment and to feed his passion for gardening. Ginning up the public with misinformation is irresponsible. Reading this makes me feel like I'm watching Fox News. I know that the house was viewed by many developers and they all walked away because they realized it was a tear down with the possibility of building only one house. It would be a bad investment. And the realtor who had a buyer that didn't get the mortgage? There's a reason your buyer didn't get the mortgage and it's very possible it's because the cost of repairs and upgrades needed in addition to the mortgage amount was higher than the market value of the renovated home. I was in the house while it was on the market. It was a mess. The previous owners did nothing to preserve the integrity of an antique home. The upgrades were badly done and walls were built where they didn't belong making the home incredibly awkward and dysfunctional. The kitchen needed complete renovation to be useable by today's cook. Expecting the buyer to find and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to renovate this property just because people who didn't step to the plate are feeling bad is naive and absurd. And I question the sincerity of those who stated that they don't care what is done on the inside. They just want the house to stand and look pretty from the outside. That's not historic preservation, in my book. So be happy, Black Rock, that you have found someone who cares about what happens to the property and that beautiful tree. Or come up with the money to buy it. With all due respect, put
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Is it possible to see the interior if we are interested in purchasing it from the current owner?