Groton— Past and Present 
recently torn down to make 
way for the Public Library, 
was standing, close by the 
roadside — 
with its huge chimney, long 
low roof and square window 
panes. Even as a child my 
imagination used to run riot, 
and I would spend hours 
picturing the days when 
Indians prowled about the 
woods and fields close by it, 
and later on the soldiers in huff 
and blue, marching past on 
their way to Bunker Hill. 
The atmosphere of the place 
was to me a thrilling combina¬ 
tion of romance and history. 
Fancy ran riot through the 
past, and I grew to love the 
people I pictured there—maidens, who, with timid, 
curious eyes, must have gazed through those tiny 
window panes—all of a flutter when the stage-coach 
passed by on its way from Boston, bearing mail bags 
and passengers. One sees it all so vividly—the driver 
in his triple cape coat and bell-crowned beaver, fair 
damsels in hoop skirts and poke bonnets, youths in 
swallow-tailed coats and ruffled shirts—all tired and 
hungry at their journey’s end, and clamoring for 
refreshments from the hospitable and smiling land¬ 
lord who was awaiting them. 
The inn itself is one of the oldest now in existence, 
and contains many interesting things, such as an 
old room, one side of which lifts up and hooks to the 
ceiling, so as to form one long room. This was 
probably the banqueting hall, and the only one of 
the kind I ever saw, or heard about. When the 
house was built, some time before the Revolution, it 
was lived in by a minister, who was afterwards 
driven from the town when the war broke out, for 
declaring that it was foolish to fight the British as 
they were so much stronger than the Yankees. The 
THE OLDEST HOUSE IN GROTON, RECENTLY 
DEMOLISHED—BUILT 1692 
BROOKS HOUSE—GROTON SCHOOL 
enraged townspeople would not allow such senti¬ 
ments given utterance to, and he was obliged to 
depart with all speed. As his is the only case on 
record he must have proved a shining example to his 
fellow men! From that time on, the house has 
been an inn. A second room of much interest to 
visitors is the general living-room or office, with a 
huge open fireplace, great chimney and wide hearth, 
so much needed in those bitter winter days, after 
the long, cold drive over the road from Boston. 
Between two windows is a curious old clock, fastened 
into the wall, very much like those seen in church 
steeples. The low ceiling, deep window seats, old 
wooden shutters and quaint chairs give to the room 
an air of old time hospitality and true comfort which 
no modern art can attain. 
Recently I was shown a very tiny pen and ink 
sketch, which was found among some old papers 
belonging to one who was a minister here in bygone 
days. By the courtesy of her into whose hands this 
quaint relic had fallen I was allowed to copy it for 
these pages. It is the original Academy and in its 
place stands a brick building called Lawrence Acad¬ 
emy. From it we go down through the heart of the 
town, leaving the Main street and finding ourselves 
on Farmer’s Row, a road some two miles in length, 
and forming a boundary line, as it were, for the places 
bordering on it. Most of these extend down to the 
river, which is very beautiful, and reminds one of 
the Thames in its prettiest parts. The Groton 
school is at the further end of Farmer’s Row, and 
has a superb situation, looking across the great 
sweep of valley to the mountains beyond. Apple 
trees and lawns fill the central space, around which 
the buildings form a quadrangle. Down by the 
river a snug boat-house nestles among the trees and 
on a warm afternoon the canoes and boats give just 
the necessary touch of life and color to the scene. 
193 
