The Majestic Connecticut River Valley Door

The Connecticut River Valley has been inhabited by humans for at least 6,000 years. Numerous Native American tribes lived throughout the fertile valley before the arrival of European explorers. In 1614, Dutch explorer Adriaen Block became the first European to chart the Connecticut River, sailing as far north as the Enfield Rapids. By 1623, Dutch traders had constructed a fortified trading post at the site of present-day Hartford, Connecticut, known as the "Fort House of Hope."

In the following years, four separate Puritan-led groups settled in the Connecticut River Valley. They founded Hartford in 1635 and Springfield in 1636, two cities that continue to dominate the valley. The fourth English settlement along the Connecticut River resulted from a 1635 scouting party commissioned by William Pynchon, who sought a strategic location for commerce and agriculture. His scouts identified the Pocumtuc village of Agawam, later known as Springfield. This site was advantageous due to its position where the Bay Path trade route crossed the Connecticut River at two major tributaries—the Chicopee River to the east and the Westfield River to the west—just north of Enfield Falls.

As wealth and prosperity flourished in the Connecticut River Valley, so did the refinements of living. During the 150 years before the American Revolution, a series of aristocrats known as the River Gods ruled the region. Their domain developed its own economy and culture, resembling England more than the settlements to the east or west. The River Gods owned vast farms and shipyards, traded with the West Indies, and supplied coastal cities with produce and meat. They supported a large class of artisans, who satisfied their thirst for status by building large houses with elaborate doorways.

These craftsmen filled the River Gods’ homes with fine furniture, paintings, textiles, and ceramics. The highly elaborate front doorways, often referred to as "Connecticut River Valley doorways," became perhaps the most significant architectural innovation developed in western New England. The style of these doorways varied, with some featuring scroll pediments above the door and others with triangular, segmental, flat-top, or other variations of pediments. These unique doorways were unlike any others in the country and were typically found in the homes of wealthy residents of the Connecticut River Valley from the 1740s to the 1800s. The style with the scrolled pediment, in particular, flourished between about 1750 and 1770.

As time passed, many of these distinctive doorways were eventually removed to make way for decorative overhangs or even porches. This shift in architectural trends led to the loss of some of the original Connecticut River Valley doorways, which had been a hallmark of the region's affluent homes. Despite this, a few preserved examples can still be found, offering a glimpse into the area's rich architectural heritage and the influence of the River Gods' era.

Wilbraham, like other communities in the Connecticut River Valley, had homes that featured the majestic doorways characteristic of the region. Some examples include:

1. The Dr. Samuel Fisk Merrick home: Built in the early to mid-18th century, this structure showcases a classic Connecticut River Valley doorway with a Triangular Pediment.

Dr. Samuel Fisk Merrick's house was once located at 603 Main Street, Wilbraham.

2. The Jonah Beebe home: This historic home, dating back to the late 18th- century, features a classic Connecticut River Valley doorway with a Flattop Pediment.

Jonah Beebe's house is located at 421 Glendale Road, Hampden (South Wilbraham)

3. The David Merrick home: Built in the mid-18th century, this structure showcases a classic Connecticut River Valley doorway with a scroll pedimented, reproduction doorway.

David Merrick's home located at 515 Main Street Wilbraham.

These homes are just a few examples of how the distinctive doorway style of the Connecticut River Valley was adopted in Wilbraham, showcasing the area's historical affluence and architectural heritage.

Parmenas King (1713–1800) was born in Hartford, Connecticut. In 1735, he relocated to Harwinton, Connecticut, before settling in Enfield by 1741. That same year, King, recorded as a joiner in a land transaction, married Hannah Terry of Enfield. Around 1764, the couple moved to Windsor, Connecticut, remaining there until 1768, when they ultimately settled in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. It was there that Parmenas King lived out the rest of his life, passing away on November 30, 1800. Both he and his wife are buried in Adams Cemetery.

King's craftsmanship is notably recorded in the account books of Samuel Colton of Longmeadow, Massachusetts, who documented King performing joinery work on his home. Among King’s contributions were triangular window pediments adorned with elm tree motifs. This specific identification suggests that King may have been responsible for other similar pediments on windows and doorways in the surrounding area, demonstrating his influence as a skilled artisan.

Adding a familial connection to his work, Benjamin Terry, a blacksmith from Enfield and Parmenas King’s father-in-law and business partner, may have forged the nails used in the construction of the distinctive window pediments on Colton’s home, highlighting the collaborative nature of trades in early New England communities.

Window pediment from Colton's home. SPNEA Collection

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