HEARTHSTONE CASTLE THE FRIENDS OF TARRYWILE PARK, INC

THE FRIENDS OF TARRYWILE PARK, INC

     HEARTHSTONE CASTLE
          DISCUSSION PAPER FOR NEWS 12 - CT

                                     10/7/2013

The attached information is taken from the study of the Hearthstone Castle Report and
Recommendations, dated September 2013. This report was prepared in cooperation with the
State of Connecticut, Department of Economic and Community Development, CT Trust for
Historic Preservation, City of Danbury, Tarrywile Park Authority and The Friends of Tarrywile
Park, Inc. for the review and recommendations of the Hearthstone Castle in Danbury
Connecticut

Importance & History of the Castle
Hearthstone Castle, completed in 1899, was an impressive three-story edifice of 16
rooms and landscaped grounds. It is one of Danbury’s significant
historic buildings, one of only a few in Danbury listed on the National
Register of Historic Places, including the Main Street Historic District, the
Charles Ives House, Union Station (now the Danbury Railway Museum), and
several others. Its qualifications for historic recognition are three: as a home for
prominent Danbury citizens, as an example of the castle building period in
America, and as a landmark within the City.

The Former Home of Prominent Citizens in Danbury’s History
E. Starr Stanford, the first owner and resident of the Castle, was a descendent of
one of the founding fathers of Danbury. He was a self-taught photographer who
started his successful studio in Danbury and moved on to New York where he
became an acclaimed photographer of actors and society members, including the
Astors and Vanderbilts. He also is credited with inventing an advanced motion
picture camera that revolutionized the film making industry.

Stanford bought the 16-acre property for the castle in 1895, commissioned
an architectural design for it, cleared two acres as the building site, and
returned to residency in his hometown when it was completed in 1899. He
and his wife lived in the castle till 1901 – she found it not to her liking. The
property was sold in 1902 to a New York industrialist, Victor Buck.

The next owner of the Castle was Charles Darling Parks. He was prominent in
Danbury where he began his career as a dealer of hides and tallows, added
ownership of a company that treated fur products used by hatters and eventually
acquired other companies which manufactured hatter’s furs, hats, and the glue
used in their production. With his wealth, he purchased “Tarrywile” as his country
estate in 1910. In 1918, he purchased the adjacent Parks home and property,
renaming it Hearthstone Castle supposedly for its many fireplaces. He gave
Hearthstone to his daughter, Irene Parks Jennings who lived there until her death
in 1976. Her heirs, Richard and Constance Jennings, lived on in the Castle until
1983.
In 1985, the City purchased the property and added it to Tarrywile Park. The
Castle was unused and not maintained. In time, it deteriorated and the roof and
floors collapsed.

   Gillette Castle, East Haddam, CT; Winnekenni Castle, Haverhill, MA; and Castle Craig, Meriden, CT

An Important Example of the Castle Building Period in the Region
Over the period from 1840 to 1930, many towers, memorials, fortresses, and
mansions were constructed from stone in the Northeast United States. Out
of more than 100 of these castle-like structures constructed during those years,
many were lost to fire or demolished due to high maintenance costs.
There are presently at least 35 castle-like structures in the Northeast open to the
public for visiting or as commercial ventures.
Hearthstone Castle is significant not only for its refined design, a possible influence
on the Gillette Castle in East Haddam built almost two decades later, but for the
quality of its construction and the harmonious relationship it establishes with its
grounds and the neighboring woods. It is representative of the similar buildings
from its era. It also demonstrates the newly-crowned business-barons’ fascination
with the exotic, the rustic, and the impressive, as well as their desire to replicate
the historic castles they saw on visits to Europe.

A Prominent Historic Landmark in the City
Hearthstone Castle was built on the crest of one of highest hills in Danbury so as to
have commanding views over the City and the region from its porches and large
windows. From below, the view was also important, allowing the hilltop aerie to be
seen by many in the streets of the City. It was memorable. People recall after all
these years the impressiveness of seeing the Castle’s lights, especially at Christmas,
atop its hill. It may not have been as
important a view as the Parthenon was to Athens, but its similar
impressiveness had a differing symbolism. It represented the wealth and
importance of those who were among the leading businessmen and
contributors in Danbury. These were important contributors to the growth,
development and prosperity of Danbury. The Castle is a most important
representative of the period in the City’s history when the hatting industry was
king, and generated the name by which Danbury is still remembered – Hat City.

Due to years of neglect, Hearthstone Castle requires immediate attention to simply
stabilize the structure and keep the walls from collapsing. The walls must be
buttressed to protect them from toppling and repaired to be sound. Without
stabilization, what is left of the Hearthstone Castle will be lost within a few years.
With stabilization, the historic landmark will remain as three-story high walls

without a roof. Only the exterior grounds outside the walls would be open to the
public. The interior would remain closed from access and the ruins visible only
through iron barred windows. The stabilized structure is capable of standing for
more than another century, as long as the building has already stood.

The following is a brief summary of the Structural Condition Assessment found in
Appendix 1.

Load Bearing Masonry Walls
The stone portions of the exterior walls are overall in good condition, although
the mortar joints are deteriorated and need to be repointed. Vegetation and vines
at the base of the wall and a coating of asphalt need to be removed. The interior
stone walls have been damaged by freeze-thaw cycles. The complete extent of
this damage cannot be determined without accessing the basement, which is
filled with debris, and observing the upper walls when it is safe to do so. It is
likely that the hollow clay tile and brick in the walls may need to be removed and
replaced in their entirety.

Interior Basement Walls
These walls may have been protected by a coat of paint that protected them from
the weather. The debris must be cleared out before an accurate assessment can
be made.

Lintels, Sills and Arches
The stone slab lintels are generally in good condition. All sills with cracks
should be repaired. Exterior stone arches should be cleared of vegetation and the
coal tar coating over their mortar joints removed. There are two stone arches that
are partially collapsed requiring rebuilding/repointing. Interior terra cotta tile
arches and those behind window frames need to be

replaced where damaged. The railroad lintels are in fair condition requiring only
cleaning and coating with rust inhibitive paint.

Interior Wood Framing
The collapse of the interior wood framing and roof has resulted in a large pile of
debris within the castle walls. Lateral support from the framing no longer braces
the exterior masonry walls. An analysis of the out-of-plane stability of the walls
(as freestanding elements) must be completed now to assure that the walls will
continue to stand. Temporary shoring of the walls may be required if the
freestanding walls cannot support the anticipated wind loads.

Chimney Stacks

The three chimneys appear to be overall in good condition with brick
replacement, repointing and removal required in places.

Retaining Wall

This wall is irregularly shaped and dry-set
with sections in collapse. While providing
for drainage, the wall does not offer as
much strength
and stability as stones set in mortar, a
possible reason for collapse and settlement
of portions of the veranda. If the retaining
wall is not repaired, more of the veranda
will fail and the castle will likely start to
settle.

Veranda

Excessive soil loss has caused settlement of the walls and piers on the east veranda,
resulting in the veranda walls cracking and moving down and away from the castle.
Cracks have split the porch walls which endangers the stability of the porch. The veranda
will require shoring soon with some sections rebuilt to ensure future stability. In addition,
mortar joints need to be repointed.

Wood Deck

The porch’s wood deck has collapsed in places, the result of the porch wall
settlement. The deck no longer provides any stability to the porch walls and piers.

Cost estimates are given below.