Page 28 - North Haven Magazine Spring 2021 Issue 18

Dr. Joseph by Susan A. Iverson

Foote Hou
Foote Housese

The Dr. Joseph Foote House, located at the corner of Church Street and Broadway in
North Haven, “makes a major contribution to the aesthetic and historical character
of the Green area in the town center”. So states the report on this structure in the
state’s Historic Resources Inventory. Standing prominently across from the northern
end of our town’s green, the Foote House has always caught my eye. Two details in
particular – the year 1794 emblazoned across its gable end, and its symmetric facade
– hinted at its roots in early history. Indeed, I learned that the house was built and Foote House Today
lived in by the second physician to practice in North Haven, and was later occupied
by Frank Stiles, owner of the town’s largest brick manufacturer.

Historic houses have a certain quality to ried his second cousin Eunice Foote two ven for the location of the Memorial Town
them; sometimes it is the slight flair at the years later and it is her influence over her Hall. Eunice Cowles and her youngest son
eaves or proximity to the street. A prom- husband that has been noted in history. continued to live in the Foote House un-
inent chimney or small-paned windows til both passed away in 1900. Subsequent
are often unique to older structures. The owners included Frank Stiles, the Andrews
Foote house demonstrates all of these. Al- family, Mr. Kehoe, a pharmacist, and Har-
though the interior of the building retains old Pierce who also ran a pharmacy there.
almost none of the original details, the ex- In the early 1960s Anthony Saldamarco
terior speaks to the late 18th century con- bought the property, now only about a third
struction date. What always intrigues me, of an acre in size, and began a rehabilita-
though, is how an early house came into tion of the Foote House. He found panel-
being - who first imagined its construction, ing in many of the rooms, latches instead
who first lived there, what was daily life like of doorknobs, a hand-hewn roof, and pegs
then. Knowing more about Dr. Foote goes instead of nails used in part of the original
a long way toward knowing the story of this Foote House in 1920s construction. Saldamarco removed a porch
house, not just its structural parts. that had been added earlier in the house’s
life and placed the date of 1794 on the gable
Most of Dr. Foot’s work consisted of pro- end of the top floor. He had briefly consid-
viding comfort, not cure, to the ailing – lit- ered taking the dilapidated structure down
tle was known of the cause of disease – and – aren’t we fortunate that he saw beauty and
a soothing “bedside manner” therefore was usefulness in this old home? The Dr. Foote
important to treatment. It is here that his House now serves several small businesses
wife Eunice seemed to help him. It has and continues to be a landmark at the cen-
been said that she could ease his mind and ter of our town.
calm his emotions, probably allowing him
to better do the same for his patients. He
must have been effective, for his patients
Foote House late 1800s were located in Cheshire, East Haven,
Durham, Wallingford, Branford, and Ham-
den, as well as North Haven. He traveled
to their homes by horse, not even owning
Dr. Foot (no “e” at the end yet) reportedly a carriage until he was 50 years old. Occa-
came to North Haven in 1790 from Wall- sionally he would see patients in his home,
ingford “with a watch, a horse, a degree but it would not have been outfitted like a
from Yale, and three years of professional medical office would be today; most likely
medical training”. In the late 18th century, a front room would be utilized for exam-
doctors were trained much like apprentices inations or treatments. Ironically, Dr. Foot
– they first learned how to man the office, died suddenly at age 66 after receiving a
mix remedies, and provide an extra hand wound to his thumb – the doctor could not
to the physician in charge when needed. even cure himself. Shortly after the doctor’s
If observant enough, the apprentice would death his youngest son chose to change the
eventually be able to treat patients himself. spelling of his father’s last name, adding the
After his apprenticeship was considered “e”, like his mother’s maiden name. He be-
complete Dr. Foot purchased a 2-acre lot lieved that the addition of the “e” appeared Foote House in 1944
in 1792, including a small dwelling, at the more genteel. It has been spelled this way
corner of Church Street and Broadway. He since.
charged patients 25 cents for an office visit
and 50 cents for a home visit! These fees After Dr. Foote’s death the house passed to Thanks, as always, to the North Haven
enabled him to tear down the older home the doctor’s daughter Eunice Cowles and Historical Society archives for information
and replace it with the present structure in her husband the Reverend Orson Cowles. about this property.
1794. In 1797 he married Mary Bassett of The Cowles family lived here for many
Hamden, who died only a few years later years. In 1886 a portion of the original two-
after bearing two children. Foot then mar- acre plot was sold to the Town of North Ha-

28 North Haven Magazine - Spring Issue 2021