The article profiles Coolwater, a historic estate in Norfolk, Connecticut, owned by the Childs family for over a century. Originally a colonial farmhouse built around 1803, it was purchased by Starling Winston Childs in 1909. The property features a later addition designed by architect Alfredo Taylor, a prolific local designer who created over 50 buildings in the area. The estate is filled with family heirlooms, including Currier & Ives lithographs, a Jubilee-era tapestry, and eclectic decor that blends Adirondack lodge style with Colonial Revival elements. Siblings Starling Winston Childs and Elisabeth Gill, now the family elders, share stories of the house's quirks, such as its poor insulation and a subterranean basketball court.
This article matters because it highlights the preservation of a family estate that embodies a century of American domestic history and architectural evolution. It also brings attention to Alfredo Taylor, a lesser-known architect whose diverse portfolio—spanning Richardsonian, Italianate, and Tudor styles—reflects the ambitions of early 20th-century America. By documenting Coolwater's layered interiors and family traditions, the piece underscores the cultural value of private homes as living archives of art, design, and social history.