1708 House

Now a charming bed and breakfast, this property was originally owned by Jonas Bower who died in 1670 and willed the home to his sons, including Isaac. In 1698, Isaac Bower built a large 12-post dwelling over the original cellar which survived and is now a present day wine cellar. Legend has it that conspiratorial patriots gathered in the cellar to exchange information on the activities of the occupying British forces during the Revolutionary War. The prominent Huntting family, who made their fortune in whaling, owned the house for a while and by 1880, the Fosters, another founding family consisting of doctors and teachers, became the owners through marriage to the Hunttings. Mrs Foster was a kindergarten teacher in the 1960s and 70s and every Halloween she would dress as a very realistic-looking witch and sit on the front porch with candy — if you were brave enough to collect! In 1993, the present owners, Skip and Lorraine Ralph, undertook the painstaking restoration that has preserved one of the village’s most treasured landmarks, which is now a charming boutique inn. The main house consists of four 18th century, one 19th century, four 20th century, and three 21st century accommodations.