HISTORIC RESOURCES INVENTORY BUILDING AND STRUCTURES Norwich Heritage Trust, Inc, P.O.Box 185 Norwich, CT 06360	This Building sponsored by Rose City Renaissance
Building Name: Good News Bookshop	Historic Name: Timothy Ayers House
Town/City: Norwich	County: New London
Address:88-90	Street: Main Street
Owners:B. M. & L. Realty	Public
Present Use: bookstore	Historic Use residence
Exterior is viewable to public	Interior is accessible	Explain: open during business hours
Style of Building: Georgian; Italianate alterations	Construction Date: c. l753, l860s
Materials Clapboard	Structural System Wood Frame
Roof Gable Asphalt Shingle
Stories: 3	Dimensions: 30 x 50
Structural Condition: Fair	Exterior Condition: Fair
Alterations: Building rebuilt mid l9th cent. facade altered
Outbuildings:
Environment: commercial High Building Density

Interrelationship of Building and Surroundings:

This building is in a continuous row of buildings of similar scale and proportions.

Features:

The facade has been covered with vertical boards. The first floor has a modern storefront. Paired 1-over-1 windows and a single 1-over-1 window all with double-hung sash, are on the second floor. The third floor no longer has any window openings. A wooden cornice is supported by corner brackets and modillions. In the rear, the building has 6-over-6 double-hung sash.

Architect:

Builder:

Importance:

The Timothy Ayers House was built about l753 and passed through several hands before it was acquired by Alpheus Davison in l778. In l784, it was moved several feet for the new road (present Main Street). From l796 until the l860s, it was owned by Capt. Elijah Clark and his family. During the l860s, Henry Allen purchased it for his business. Allen was an undertaker, coffin maker, and furniture dealer. It was at this time that both this and the Marvin house next door were altered from residences to commercial structures and given Italianate characteristics.

Sources:

Art Work of Norwich, l898 photo

Assessor's Records Norwich, l98l

Caulkins, History of Norwich, l874 ed. pp. 407, 458.

Norwich Land Records vol. 30 p425; 28 p182; 34 p68; 23 p99; l6 p5l; l3 p2l8; 11 p340; 12 p244.

U. S. Census, l790

Evaluations:

Threats None