Webb Deane Stevens Museum to begin reconstruction of historic Silas Deane House piazza

The Webb Deane Stevens Museum will begin the reconstruction of the historic front porch, known as a piazza, at the Silas Deane House on Monday, June 8, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. A ceremony held on the steps of the property at 211 Main Street in Old Wethersfield will mark the start of the project. The initiative will return a primary architectural feature to the National Historic Landmark through an educational partnership with the American College of the Building Arts in Charleston.

The piazza was missing from the front of the Silas Deane House for nearly 80 years. It was removed in the mid-20th century under the mistaken belief that it was a later addition, as porches were highly unusual for New England homes during that era. Architectural, archaeological, and photographic evidence later proved the structure was original to the house, which was completed around 1773.

Initial evidence of the integrated porch framing was noted as early as 1965 by restoration architect John Radford Abbot and architectural historian Abbott Lowell Cummings. In the 2000s, architectural historian Anne Crofoot Kuckro discovered a photograph of the original piazza from around 1875, taken shortly before it was rebuilt with contemporary materials and styling. Throughout the summer construction process, the museum will provide public opportunities to learn about the research and decision-making behind the project.

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The original house design reflected the background of Silas Deane, a Groton native and Yale graduate who rose to become a merchant, lawyer, and delegate to the First Continental Congress. The home featured a floor plan inspired by London townhouses and a piazza similar to those found in the Caribbean and Southern colonies. Deane later served as America’s first foreign diplomat on a secret mission to Paris, where he negotiated arms shipments and the Treaty of Alliance before political gridlock and false accusations led to his displacement. Congress cleared his name and paid restitution to his family 60 years later.

Master craftspeople will complete the construction alongside student apprentices from the American College of the Building Arts. The apprentices will spend the summer on-site through a structured educational partnership supported by the Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation.

Brenton Grom, Executive Director of the Webb Deane Stevens Museum, stated that the project stems from more than 60 years of preparation and combines study, public education, and craftsmanship. Grom noted that the support of Lee and Anne Kuckro helped turn the project into reality.

Other contributors to the project over the decades include restoration architect Jared Edwards and former Executive Director Charles Lyle. TR Revella-Hamilton, Director of Preservation & Collections, joined the museum in 2024 and will provide direct oversight of the construction and interns this summer. Revella-Hamilton stated that physical evidence in the foundation and framing, alongside photographic records, provided the necessary details to return the house as close as possible to its original appearance.

The restoration is funded by Lee Kuckro and his late wife Anne Crofoot Kuckro, with additional support from the Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation and the William and Alice Mortensen Foundation. The Webb Deane Stevens Museum campus includes three National Historic Landmarks within the Old Wethersfield Historic District. The site is owned and operated by The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the State of Connecticut.

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Webb Deane Stevens Museum to begin reconstruction of historic Silas Deane House piazza