Please help stop the demolition of Ailanthus Farm, located at 80 Shore Road, Waterford, CT, within the Hartford Colony Historic District, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The 1830 farmhouse has played an important role in the history of Waterford and Pleasure Beach, a summer colony for Connecticut residents for well over 150 years. This petition has the support of the Historic Properties Commission of Waterford.

The farmhouse has considerable historical, architectural, and cultural value. It was built when the area was still a dairy farming community. In the late 19th century it hosted the earliest summer residents of Pleasure Beach, chief among them the Connecticut Impressionist and landscape painter Henry C. White, founder of the Hartford Colony. He attracted others from Hartford to the area, many of whom also purchased properties. Today the descendants of these families still inhabit this beloved, secluded, and timeless corner of the Connecticut shore. 

The Hartford Colony Historic District includes not only Ailanthus Farm, but sixty other homes and buildings located along Shore Road and New Shore Road in Pleasure Beach. The area remains a well-preserved collection of waterfront houses and cottages mainly in the Shingle and Colonial Revival styles, distinguished by the contributions of two noted Philadelphia architects, Wilson Eyre (1858-1944) and Briton Martin (1899-1983). The community's residents have taken exceptionally good care of their homes over generations, retaining their original character and the integrity of the idyllic seaside setting. The loss of Ailanthus Farm would deal a major blow to the heritage we all hold dear.

Time is of the essence. With your help, we hope to convince the State Historic Preservation Office of CT to explore a reasonable alternative to the demolition of this magnificent historical treasure. Their ability to do so is contingent upon a strong expression of interest on the part of the community and of citizens everywhere who seek to conserve and preserve our history, our cultural heritage, and our natural resources. This petition has the support of the Historic Properties Commission of Waterford.