The Richard Douglass House is part of the Downtown New London Historic District which encompasses more than 600 acres and 130 buildings was deemed in 1979 to be significant enough in United States History that it received an official listing on the State of Connecticut Register of Historic Places as well as the National Register of Historic Places. The Richard Douglass House at 77-79 Green Street is part of that listing and is also listed independently.

The Richard Douglass House is located at 77-79 Green Street a quiet side street in the center of Historic Downtown New London, Connecticut and is at the center of the re-urbanization efforts in the city of New London.


(1876 Etching of Downtown New London)- 79 Green Street Circled

Built in the Gambrel Cape Style common in the period 1750-1820 the house seen above has been dated to 1801 when Richard Douglass purchased a plot of land from Timothy Green, New London's printer and avid Patriot during the American Revolution. Richard Douglass, sometimes spelled with one "s" built a 2 story Saltbox next door at 102 Golden Street in 1786 also on land purchased from Timothy Green whose printing shop still stands on on nearby State Street and dates to as early as 1740.

Green Street was laid out in 1786-7 by Timothy Green and runs parallel to Bank Street (also known as "The Bank") while meeting State Street one of two main Streets in Downtown New London Historic District.

At the time of The Richard Douglass House's construction New London was a thriving maritime town with not less than 80 ships registered calling New London a home port each trading with the West Indies and Europe. Green and Golden Street were two "newer" communities that grew off of State and Bank Streets and were inhabited by relatively well to do working people like Richard Douglass a cooper, a very profitable and honorable trade at the time. The Reverend Samuel Seabury and later the Reverend Samuel West, the first American Episcopalian Bishop lived around the corner at a house still standing on Green's Alley.
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Rev.Seabury           Rev.Seabury House & Rev. Samuel West House on Green's Alley.

One tale has it that the printer Timothy Green built a home for his mistress during the time of the American Revolution where Green's Alley meets Green Street also can be referred to as "his backyard". This house still stands today and is neighboring The Richard Douglass House. Green & Golden Streets were teeming with activity and homes of similar style until re-development in the mid 1800s and 1900s began to change the face of the area. However Green Street still narrow looks very much as it did in 1801.

The Richard Douglass House has been painstakingly restored to it's 1801 style after having been abandoned for nearly three decades and having been "modernized" haphazardly in the 20th century. This website tells the story of this house, this neighborhood, this family and the city of New London.

The Restoration

For a complete presentation on the restoration please click on the logo below:


NEW: Recently (August 2009) unearthed in the yard of the Douglass House a what appears to be a .50 caliber musket ball or artillery (grape shot) ball was found in about 7 inches of dirt. Further evaluations are ongoing but the type was standard to the British Artillery from 1770 to 1815. More information will be posted.