HISTORIC HARRISVILLE INC.

Bethuel Harris House, 1819

Bethuel Harris married Deborah Twitchell, daughter of the first settlers. Their house, the most consciously stylish house in the village, is an unpretentious interpretation of a Federal style Bulfinch Boston house, with hip roof, four side chimneys, large windows, graceful doorway, and fine proportions. As the first village house built of red brick, it set a standard for Harris family houses that followed. The two sides facing the streets are the village's only example of bricks laid in Flemish Bond. The more private sides were laid in common bond, as were all the other brick structures. It is interesting to note that windows lack exterior lintels to support the brick above them; support probably comes from wooden lintels imbedded within the brick walls. The basement level facing Canal Street was once used as the town's post office. Retaining walls of red stone and split granite form garden terraces that surround and anchor the house, and tooled granite steps lead handsomely to the front door. Stone retaining walls are, in fact, a prominent characteristic in the mill village where buildings would otherwise appear to cling precariously along the steep ravine. Privately owned.