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EAST LYME’S THOMAS LEE HOUSE AND
LITTLE BOSTON SCHOOL HOUSE
Photos by Skip Broom
East Lyme is home to the Thomas Lee House, built between 1660 and 1664. One of the oldest wood frame houses in Connecticut, it remains in its primitive state.
Shortly after 1700 the house was doubled by adding the West Parlor and West Chamber. About 1765, the final change was made. The lean-to with the kitchen and its adjoining rooms was added.
Thomas Lee was a major landholder in the East Lyme of the early 1700s and was appointed Justice of the Peace. He held court in his home, which is how the first floor of the Lee House became known as Judgement Hall.
On June 19th, 1915, in a ceremony featuring former President William Howard Taft as guest speaker, the Thomas Lee House was opened to the public. Today, it continues to be owned and maintained by the East Lyme Historical Society. The house is furnished with period antiques. |
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Originally located on the north side of today’s Route 156, some 500 feet east of the Lee House, the Little Boston School House dates to 1805. The school was given the name “Little Boston” because the quality of the education was considered to be comparable to that of Boston. Classes were held here until 1922. The building was moved to its present location next to the Lee Houselater in the 1920s. In 1926 the building and land were deeded to the East Lyme Historical Society,\. In 1973 it was restored to its appearance in the early 20th century and opened to the public.
The Thomas Lee House and the Little Boston School House are located at 228 West Main Stree (Route 156) in the Niantic Section of East Lyme. Both buildings, along with a period garden and the Barn, which houses educational exhibits and a small gift store, are open Wednesday through Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. during July and August. Special tours may be arranged at other times through the spring and fall. |
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