Question: I understand that the current home standing at 18 Forest Lane is not original to the lot. How did the house get there and what are some examples of architectural elements that were used in the design of 18 Forest Lane, contributing to the "historically accurate" new home?
ANSWER: The Smith homestead is a very unusual--and happy!--marriage of the antique and the contemporary. It was painstakingly built on an empty lot, in three sections, by my late husband, Walter Roswell Truman Smith, a master-builder, building historian and noted preservationist of Wilton history. The antique portion of the home was a merchant’s house (c. 1815) that originally stood at the corner of Kent Road and Route 7, which served as the commercial route between Norwalk and Danbury since colonial times, before the birth of the railroad. In the late 1980's, the merchant’s house was slated for demolition to make way for a commercial building.
My husband saw its beauty and historical significance and was determined to preserve it. He and his crew took the house down, board by board, and reconstructed it (over an all-new concrete foundation) here at 18 Forest Lane, exactly as it had stood 200 years ago: a dining room and parlor downstairs, and two bedrooms upstairs, each with a working fireplace. Much of the original fireplace stonework was also preserved and reassembled, as showcased in the dining-room fireplace hearth, complete with bake-oven and crane. We hand-rubbed the woodwork in the two bedrooms, restoring the original blue and yellow milk-paint.
In the antique portion of the home, the timber framing and floorboards are also original. Obviously, plumbing was absent in early 19th century living. So the new section of the home, built in 1990, houses its three full bathrooms and the kitchen (with cabinetry handcrafted by Walt in butternut wood, his favorite); plus a master bedroom upstairs, a family room on the main floor, and a spacious, multipurpose, walk-out lower-level as well as a roomy two-car garage. Most historic homes have musty spaces and “ancient” mechanicals--but not this one! It really is the best of both worlds, with fully modern plumbing, electrical, heating, cooling systems and appliances throughout.
The third element of the house is another beautiful antique structure, attached via an open breezeway: a dramatic post-and-beam hay barn and loft (c. 1830). This 32' x 26' building was also taken down by Walt, transported from a farm in Bethel, CT, and painstakingly reassembled. These were true labors of love for him: preserving Connecticut’s history, and creating gracious spaces for our growing family to gather.
Question: What were some of your favorite spaces here -- either to spend time alone, as a family, or when you entertained guests?
ANSWER: For family-time, I love the antique dining room, where we ate all of our meals. The timeless beauty of that room would make even the simplest meal memorable; we’d eat by candlelight, and in wintertime, Walt would build a toasty fire. We were fortunate to have four of our five offspring living right here in the neighborhood and raising their own families here. Many nights we’d pull extra chairs up to the table as the children, grandchildren and even their friends dropped in for supper. “First-timers” invariably requested a tour of the rest of the house after dessert! Personally I enjoy the cozy dressing room adjacent to my bedroom, with its handsome and ample cedar closets.
But when it comes to hosting a big crowd...the barn is this house’s crown jewel.
Question: I noted that the barn has two roomy garage bays underneath. How else have you leveraged the barn during your time here?
ANSWER: Every Thanksgiving, the barn has been the site of festive sit-down dinners with a guest list that hovers around 40, complete with three enormous turkeys, 10 pounds of mashed potatoes, a gallon of gravy and a dozen homemade pies-- a collaborative effort worthy of Martha Stewart. We’ve departed from tradition by holding the annual “Smith Barn Thanksgiving” on Saturday evening instead of on Thursday, so that everybody (including grandchildren who are now far-flung) can be present—and they are! Who wouldn’t treasure an entertainment space that’s big enough to hold such a crowd, create lifelong memories and keep a big family close?
The barn was even the scene of an impromptu wedding in August of 2011, the weekend that Hurricane Irene came barreling up the east coast. One of our granddaughters had her formal wedding scheduled at a venue in New York State, but the only way to beat the storm was to hold the event a day earlier than planned, and move the reception to our barn. With only hours to pull everything together, the barn was transformed, food was prepared by all of us, and people poured in for a celebration no one would forget. That barn shines when it is filled to the rafters with loved ones.
Walt also held demonstrations there for collectors of early American woodworking tools, and school groups. My grand kids have commented that it would make a perfect yoga or art studio or writer’s retreat, too.
Question: During your time here, have you leveraged Wilton's public or private schools, and if so, how was that experience for your family?
ANSWER: All of our children were well prepared for college (including Yale) in Wilton public schools, but of course that was a long time ago. The fact that they chose Wilto
n schools for their own children--well, that says a lot. I know that the excellent public school system continues to be one of the biggest draws to Wilton for young families. Several of our grand kids participated in outstanding theater programs, even traveling to Edinburgh, Scotland, to perform in the “Fringe” festival. One of ours who has dyslexia benefited enormously from award-winning special services offered by our schools. This house’s convenient North Wilton location also makes it an easy and picturesque “country drive” into New Canaan and North Stamford, where there are highly regarded private and parochial school options as well.
Question: Since buyers sometimes come from outside of our region -- and even abroad -- it's always important to give them some understanding of what it's like to live here. What can you share with potential buyers about what it's like to live on this street, in this neighborhood and as part of the broader Wilton community?
ANSWER: Our neighborhood and street are beautifully multi-generational. Once upon a time Walt and I set down roots here as young parents, and our adult children later did the same thing. (We actually raised our family in the house across the street; back then, the lot at number 18 held our vegetable garden and a barn for the kids’ ponies!) Somehow I became the great-grandma on the block who buys Girl Scout cookies from the newest generation of neighborhood kids, and watches them get on and off the school bus. When my great-granddaughters visit, they love the children’s programs at the Wilton Library. The Wilton Family Y has one of the top competitive swim teams in the U.S. At the same time, we also have a very active senior center.
My husband’s stamp as a builder and community leader can be found on so many Wilton landmarks -- our Village Market (which has the best prepared foods you’ll find anywhere), the swim pond in Merwin Meadows Park and playground; Ogden House, which has affordable housing for the elderly; in 1976 he even re-shingled the steeple atop the Congregational Church for the first time since it was erected in 1790!
It’s true that life in Wilton is in many ways a throwback--but it’s more than that. As I look around town, I love the fact that Wilton is an inclusive and welcoming community for diverse families, nontraditional families, couples and individuals. The varied religious institutions in town speak to that too. And it’s only about an hour-and-a-quarter by train from our Wilton or Cannondale stations (where the parking is free) to all the cultural riches of New York City. One of my sons is among the many Wiltonians who commute in daily for work.
Seventy years ago I came here as a bride from Mitchell, South Dakota, to join an old Wilton family. I’d say I’ve been blessed. I think that whoever writes the next chapter of 18 Forest Lane will be blessed too.
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