{
  "slug": "richard-alsop-house",
  "title": "The Alsop House: a home becomes a place for art",
  "towns": [
    "Middletown"
  ],
  "counties": [
    "Middlesex"
  ],
  "dateRange": "1838–1952 and later",
  "topic": "Institutions & education",
  "summary": "A High Street house links Middletown’s nineteenth-century domestic architecture with Wesleyan’s twentieth-century art collections. Period survey photographs bring its rooms and details into view.",
  "history": [
    {
      "heading": "A house with a long second life",
      "text": "The HABS catalog dates the Richard Alsop House to 1838–1839. Its photographs include exterior views and interior details, offering a record of an ambitious domestic setting before its later identity as a university arts landmark. The building’s origins provide context for its continuing place in Middletown between 1850 and 1999. The gallery separates the date of construction from the date each photograph was made.",
      "source_ids": [
        "ct0187"
      ]
    },
    {
      "heading": "From family house to university collection",
      "text": "Wesleyan acquired the house in 1948 with support from Harriet and George W. Davison. In 1952, an addition became the home of the Davison Art Center. George Davison’s gifts, built around a large collection of prints, helped turn a domestic property into a setting for looking at and teaching art. The change connected a historic house to a new institutional purpose.",
      "source_ids": [
        "alsop-wesleyan",
        "davisons"
      ]
    },
    {
      "heading": "Rooms, surfaces and careful dates",
      "text": "Joseph C. Berlepsch’s March 23, 1934 photographs in this survey predate Wesleyan’s purchase. They are especially useful when comparing the house’s earlier appearance with its later arts use. Read each image caption individually: a decorated room can reveal an architectural surface, but its photograph alone cannot establish who painted it, when it was restored or how the room was used throughout the building’s history.",
      "source_ids": [
        "ct0187"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "timeline": [
    {
      "date": "1838–1839",
      "event": "Construction date recorded in HABS.",
      "source_ids": [
        "ct0187"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "1934",
      "event": "Dated HABS photographs document exterior and interior details.",
      "source_ids": [
        "ct0187"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "1948",
      "event": "Wesleyan purchases the house with Davison support.",
      "source_ids": [
        "alsop-wesleyan"
      ]
    },
    {
      "date": "1952",
      "event": "The Davison Art Center opens in an addition to the house.",
      "source_ids": [
        "davisons"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "id": "ct0187",
      "title": "Library of Congress: Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "url": "https://www.loc.gov/item/ct0187/"
    },
    {
      "id": "alsop-wesleyan",
      "title": "Wesleyan University: the Alsop House and its institutional history",
      "url": "https://www.wesleyan.edu/about/news/2022/09/alsop-house-to-serve-as-state-of-the-art-digital-design-commons.html"
    },
    {
      "id": "davisons",
      "title": "Wesleyan Davison Art Collection: George and Harriet Davison",
      "url": "https://www.wesleyan.edu/dac/about/davisons.html"
    }
  ],
  "images": [
    {
      "id": "d020b03e8234f0570529",
      "image": "/county-images/b4a6521e4b5053a5524e946a362b0d32f7430bff9f1bdd9fce9b21c82f16f2ea.jpg",
      "title": "1.  Historic American Buildings Survey Joseph C. Berlepsch, Photographer March 23, 1934 NORTH EAST ELEVATION (FRONT) + SIDE - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "alt": "1.  Historic American Buildings Survey Joseph C. Berlepsch, Photographer March 23, 1934 NORTH EAST ELEVATION (FRONT) + SIDE - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "date": "March 23, 1934",
      "credit": "Joseph C. Berlepsch / Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress",
      "creator": "Joseph C. Berlepsch",
      "source": "https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.ct0187.photos.023688p/",
      "rights": "No known restrictions on images made by the U.S. Government; images copied from other sources may be restricted. https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "license": "No known restrictions on federal survey photographs",
      "licenseUrl": "https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": false,
      "originalCaption": "1.  Historic American Buildings Survey Joseph C. Berlepsch, Photographer March 23, 1934 NORTH EAST ELEVATION (FRONT) + SIDE - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "originalImage": "https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/habshaer/ct/ct0100/ct0187/photos/023688pv.jpg"
    },
    {
      "id": "fb6abad83ee853c66662",
      "image": "/county-images/f149c794cbe36bb68f4f83fa0a7257b26ef450791624d7e3111d30f6fc82f337.jpg",
      "title": "2.  Historic American Buildings Survey Joseph C. Berlepsch, Photographer March 23, 1934 SOUTH WEST ELEVATION (REAR) - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "alt": "2.  Historic American Buildings Survey Joseph C. Berlepsch, Photographer March 23, 1934 SOUTH WEST ELEVATION (REAR) - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "date": "March 23, 1934",
      "credit": "Joseph C. Berlepsch / Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress",
      "creator": "Joseph C. Berlepsch",
      "source": "https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.ct0187.photos.023689p/",
      "rights": "No known restrictions on images made by the U.S. Government; images copied from other sources may be restricted. https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "license": "No known restrictions on federal survey photographs",
      "licenseUrl": "https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": false,
      "originalCaption": "2.  Historic American Buildings Survey Joseph C. Berlepsch, Photographer March 23, 1934 SOUTH WEST ELEVATION (REAR) - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "originalImage": "https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/habshaer/ct/ct0100/ct0187/photos/023689pv.jpg"
    },
    {
      "id": "bf62ade9752220dfc7f9",
      "image": "/county-images/bc081ef2639b356849902b22473d41a6782347bec414cebbf610b771f759c1ce.jpg",
      "title": "PANEL OF DANCING GIRL - FIRST PARLOR - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "alt": "PANEL OF DANCING GIRL - FIRST PARLOR - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "date": "Photograph date not specified in the individual catalog caption",
      "credit": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption / Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress",
      "creator": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption",
      "source": "https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.ct0187.photos.023690p/",
      "rights": "No known restrictions on images made by the U.S. Government; images copied from other sources may be restricted. https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "license": "No known restrictions on federal survey photographs",
      "licenseUrl": "https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": false,
      "originalCaption": "PANEL OF DANCING GIRL - FIRST PARLOR - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
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    {
      "id": "948e1571ac22afe3c50d",
      "image": "/county-images/953e40cef98d995de402754a52e1cbe72042abe2e290b7e1039075814411eecc.jpg",
      "title": "OVER MANTEL FRESCO IN 1ST PARLOR - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "alt": "OVER MANTEL FRESCO IN 1ST PARLOR - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "date": "Photograph date not specified in the individual catalog caption",
      "credit": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption / Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress",
      "creator": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption",
      "source": "https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.ct0187.photos.023691p/",
      "rights": "No known restrictions on images made by the U.S. Government; images copied from other sources may be restricted. https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "license": "No known restrictions on federal survey photographs",
      "licenseUrl": "https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": false,
      "originalCaption": "OVER MANTEL FRESCO IN 1ST PARLOR - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
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    {
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      "image": "/county-images/01e229c778ff0d9142ceee659b03854f42fae50ad3f2cae64a8115758ef16f9a.jpg",
      "title": "CEILING OF FIRST PARLOR - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "alt": "CEILING OF FIRST PARLOR - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "date": "Photograph date not specified in the individual catalog caption",
      "credit": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption / Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress",
      "creator": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption",
      "source": "https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.ct0187.photos.023692p/",
      "rights": "No known restrictions on images made by the U.S. Government; images copied from other sources may be restricted. https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "license": "No known restrictions on federal survey photographs",
      "licenseUrl": "https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": false,
      "originalCaption": "CEILING OF FIRST PARLOR - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "originalImage": "https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/habshaer/ct/ct0100/ct0187/photos/023692pv.jpg"
    },
    {
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      "image": "/county-images/c815ab9e986d9ed34965a16bb19297458bf9ad04d8b74341314551e6504aa5c3.jpg",
      "title": "OVER MANTEL FRESCO IN 2d PARLOR - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "alt": "OVER MANTEL FRESCO IN 2d PARLOR - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "date": "Photograph date not specified in the individual catalog caption",
      "credit": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption / Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress",
      "creator": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption",
      "source": "https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.ct0187.photos.023693p/",
      "rights": "No known restrictions on images made by the U.S. Government; images copied from other sources may be restricted. https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "license": "No known restrictions on federal survey photographs",
      "licenseUrl": "https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": false,
      "originalCaption": "OVER MANTEL FRESCO IN 2d PARLOR - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "originalImage": "https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/habshaer/ct/ct0100/ct0187/photos/023693pv.jpg"
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    {
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      "image": "/county-images/f4b627222ca363b62041042116416ed47d2c83ef5c601fdb155621ffa4553a5c.jpg",
      "title": "CEILING OF SECOND PARLOR - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "alt": "CEILING OF SECOND PARLOR - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "date": "Photograph date not specified in the individual catalog caption",
      "credit": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption / Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress",
      "creator": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption",
      "source": "https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.ct0187.photos.023694p/",
      "rights": "No known restrictions on images made by the U.S. Government; images copied from other sources may be restricted. https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "license": "No known restrictions on federal survey photographs",
      "licenseUrl": "https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": false,
      "originalCaption": "CEILING OF SECOND PARLOR - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
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    },
    {
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      "image": "/county-images/3b5f0ac5cf11d4adf2d29f591aee6be44c39c1997c8467d24db3b630eed1977e.jpg",
      "title": "PANEL IN PARLORS - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "alt": "PANEL IN PARLORS - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "date": "Photograph date not specified in the individual catalog caption",
      "credit": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption / Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress",
      "creator": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption",
      "source": "https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.ct0187.photos.023695p/",
      "rights": "No known restrictions on images made by the U.S. Government; images copied from other sources may be restricted. https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "license": "No known restrictions on federal survey photographs",
      "licenseUrl": "https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": false,
      "originalCaption": "PANEL IN PARLORS - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
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    },
    {
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      "title": "PANEL IN PARLOR - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "alt": "PANEL IN PARLOR - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "date": "Photograph date not specified in the individual catalog caption",
      "credit": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption / Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress",
      "creator": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption",
      "source": "https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.ct0187.photos.023696p/",
      "rights": "No known restrictions on images made by the U.S. Government; images copied from other sources may be restricted. https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "license": "No known restrictions on federal survey photographs",
      "licenseUrl": "https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": false,
      "originalCaption": "PANEL IN PARLOR - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
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      "title": "PANEL IN PARLOR - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "alt": "PANEL IN PARLOR - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "date": "Photograph date not specified in the individual catalog caption",
      "credit": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption / Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress",
      "creator": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption",
      "source": "https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.ct0187.photos.023697p/",
      "rights": "No known restrictions on images made by the U.S. Government; images copied from other sources may be restricted. https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "license": "No known restrictions on federal survey photographs",
      "licenseUrl": "https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": false,
      "originalCaption": "PANEL IN PARLOR - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "originalImage": "https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/habshaer/ct/ct0100/ct0187/photos/023697pv.jpg"
    },
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      "title": "PANELS IN MORNING ROOM - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "alt": "PANELS IN MORNING ROOM - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "date": "Photograph date not specified in the individual catalog caption",
      "credit": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption / Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress",
      "creator": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption",
      "source": "https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.ct0187.photos.023698p/",
      "rights": "No known restrictions on images made by the U.S. Government; images copied from other sources may be restricted. https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "license": "No known restrictions on federal survey photographs",
      "licenseUrl": "https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": false,
      "originalCaption": "PANELS IN MORNING ROOM - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
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      "title": "PANEL IN MORNING ROOM - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "alt": "PANEL IN MORNING ROOM - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "date": "Photograph date not specified in the individual catalog caption",
      "credit": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption / Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress",
      "creator": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption",
      "source": "https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.ct0187.photos.023699p/",
      "rights": "No known restrictions on images made by the U.S. Government; images copied from other sources may be restricted. https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "license": "No known restrictions on federal survey photographs",
      "licenseUrl": "https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": false,
      "originalCaption": "PANEL IN MORNING ROOM - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "originalImage": "https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/habshaer/ct/ct0100/ct0187/photos/023699pv.jpg"
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      "title": "OVER MANTEL PANEL IN MORNING ROOM - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "alt": "OVER MANTEL PANEL IN MORNING ROOM - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
      "date": "Photograph date not specified in the individual catalog caption",
      "credit": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption / Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress",
      "creator": "Photographer not specified in catalog caption",
      "source": "https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.ct0187.photos.023700p/",
      "rights": "No known restrictions on images made by the U.S. Government; images copied from other sources may be restricted. https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "license": "No known restrictions on federal survey photographs",
      "licenseUrl": "https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html",
      "kind": "photograph",
      "later": false,
      "originalCaption": "OVER MANTEL PANEL IN MORNING ROOM - Richard Alsop House, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT",
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}