Andrew Barnum Curtiss Victorian Mansion (1893 - Present)

Welcome back, Monroe history lovers. This week’s history takes us to Stepney Depot. Our first supporting image takes us right to the front door of our subject, which is located at 27 Maple Drive. It’s hard to imagine today that this narrow road was once the busiest hub of activity in all of Monroe. Let’s head on over to the southwestern part of town, just north of our shared town border with Trumbull to learn some new history.

The earliest settlers to this area immediately saw the potential in the Western Branch of the Pequonnock River that flows through it. A saw mill was already established on the river by the late 1700s. This mill was later followed by a grist mill, and a plaster mill. The earliest known resident associated with this milling enterprise was Captain Andrew Leavenworth. His home and store stood side by side at the aforementioned address. In 1840, the path of the new Housatonic Railroad rolled right through the area, inspiring the first station there to be named Leavenworth’s Mills. It was at this time that Captain Leavenworth sold half of the milling enterprise and his store to Barnum Curtiss.

When the captain passed in 1846, Barnum Curtiss purchased his former home and the balance of the milling business from the surviving Leavenworth family. Barnum immediately got to work on improving the mills. He then sold the captain’s former store and opened the competing B. Curtiss & Son, a mercantile on the east side of the tracks with his son Andrew Barnum Curtiss. Son Andrew was blessed with his father’s business acumen and built a solid reputation on his ability, unwavering integrity, good judgement and shrewdness in all financial matters. Despite his success, he was still in his father’s shadow. That all changed with Barnum’s passing on Christmas Day in 1891.

Barnum’s passing was Andrew’s opportunity to fully establish himself. His plan was to leverage the successful mills and the railroad to transform Stepney into the shining jewel of Monroe. But something was missing. Andrew needed an attraction of sorts to bring it all together, something that couldn’t go unnoticed by residents and visitors alike. Andrew contracted with the Marsh Brothers construction firm to design and build a grand Victorian mansion, the first of only two built in our town. The decision was made to build it directly across from the millpond on Maple Drive, but his father’s home, formerly that of Captain Leavenworth, was already standing in that desired location. What to do?

In April of 1892, the decision was made to move the existing home just up the road to the north and place it on a new foundation. It stands today at 49 Maple Drive and is seen in our second supporting image. With the old home relocated, work began at a fever pitch to build Andrew’s Victorian mansion. With its architectural design finalized, a team of artisans and workmen were summoned from afar. They descended upon the area where they were housed locally throughout the project. No cost was spared and only the finest materials were chosen, most of which were brought to the building site by rail. The final touches were added to the mansion by the summer of 1893 when Andrew and his family occupied their new abode, rightly considered to be the finest home in all of Monroe.

As was the fashion of the day, the Curtiss family named their new home Beehive, the name inspired by the constant buzz of activity from the railroad, mills, and mercantile. With his new mansion, and later a formal depot established, the area soon came to be known as Stepney Depot. Andrew retired altogether from his business endeavors in 1907 when the Bridgeport Hydraulic Company purchased the lands along the Western Branch of the Pequonnock River, and he died in his mansion in 1909 from a protracted illness. Some of the mill buildings were sold to the highest bidder and relocated. The remainder of the milling operation was razed shortly thereafter. The mansion was eventually sold, and when passenger traffic on the line ceased in the early 1930s, the heyday of Stepney Depot had passed. The once grand mansion, the showpiece of Stepney Depot, was eventually divided into apartments for rent.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s historical spotlight on Andrew Barnum Curtiss’ Victorian mansion. Today, it’s hard to imagine the true grandeur of this fine home across from the tranquil millpond that once powered our earliest industry, but the supporting images will certainly help. Please share this post with your family and friends, and thank you for your continued support and interest in Monroe’s rich history. Until next time. Maple Drive is so much more than a convenient means of avoiding the traffic lights at Purdy Hill Road and Main Street. Now that you know the history of the area, slow down and take a closer look at Andrew B. Curtiss’ Victorian mansion.

Regards,

Kevin Daly
Historian, Monroe Historical Society
www.monroecthistory.org
Our Past is Always Present