Take a look on your left at the Richard Alsop IV House. Pretty grand, right? Sitting high atop that gentle rise, behind an iron fence, this old mansion has been silently judging everyone passing by since 1839. If you’ve ever wondered what “high society” felt like in 19th-century Middletown, well... this was the address to envy. Folks called High Street the city’s “Gold Coast”-not for actual gold, but for the sheer style crammed into every mansion along the block.
So, why the fancy digs? Richard Alsop IV built this house for his mother-Maria Dana-who, at the time, had outlived not one, but two husbands. That was no small feat in those days. And Alsop wasn’t stingy. Back then, even building a modest home could cost about $2,000 (think $65,000 or more today). This remarkable house? Let’s just say it was worth a pretty penny-enough for top local builders, designer rumors, and a swirl of high society gossip.
From the outside, the Alsop House is a mash-up, reflecting the passing trends: the sturdy Greek Revival style practically shouts “look at my columns,” while the Italianate details whisper “but let’s do it with a *little* Tuscany charm.” Picture big, square windows, a porch topped with delicate ironwork, and a frieze with cheeky swag-and-tassel details. There are colonnades everywhere-because, apparently, you can never have too many columns.
Inside is where things get really intriguing. Walls painted with scenes so elaborate they practically fool your eyes, like statues peeking out from trompe-l'œil niches. The parlors dress up in classical art, while a side room swaps dignity for whimsy, covered in local birds and insects, Italian villa-style. Whether these were painted by artisans from Italy or Germany-or both-remains a point for the historians to bicker about. But either way, you’d have paid dearly for this level of craft.
After the Alsop family finally moved on, Wesleyan snapped up the mansion in 1948. Since then, it’s housed art, artists, and more than a few academic debates-these days as Wesleyan’s Digital Design Commons. Time marches on, but the walls remember.
When you’re ready, head northwest for about 4 minutes to reach the Samuel Wadsworth Russell House.
