200-Year-Old House Scheduled for Demolition is Saved

By Dave Matlow

A 200-year-old house on Westport’s Cross Highway reportedly built by a freed black slave that was on the path to demolition has been saved—and sold.

Rachel Ember and Jeff Porter outside their new home. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Known as the Henry Munroe House built in 1805-06 and located at 108 Cross Highway, it has been purchased by a Westport couple, Rachel Ember and Jeff Porter. The price was $895,000.

Word two years ago that it was slated for demolition—it was the WestportNow Teardown of the Day on Nov. 30, 2011—set off frantic efforts by the Historic District Commission (HDC) and others to save it. (See WestportNow Dec. 13, 2011)

“For the past 12 years, we lived in a large house on Eno Lane, and when we decided to downsize and look for a house with a smaller footprint, we started to look for a contemporary style,” said Ember, who runs a management psychology practice.

“However, we saw the Henry Munroe house with its different and unique features, its separate barn—great for our kids and their friends—the pool, the rolling hill property and its proximity to Staples High School and Coleytown Middle School, we thought ‘this is awesome.’” 

The proximity to the schools was especially important, she said.

“I often felt like I served as our family chauffeur at times with frequent 30-minute cross town trips,” Ember said. “This house was for us.”

The house at 108 Cross Highway includes the main house and a separate barn. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

The couple have two children, Emily, 14, a Staples High School freshman, and Jacob, 12, a seventh grade student at Coleytown Middle. Also enjoying the new home are mixed breed dogs, Coco, 1, and Daisy, 7.

The WestportNow Teardown of the Day article cited HDC research as finding the home was one of the few 19th century dwellings documented as being built by a freed black slave, Henry Munroe and his wife Lyzette. The house was said to later have been used as a stop on the Underground Railroad and is the only Freedom Trail house in Westport.

It features four bedrooms, two and and a half baths, three fireplaces, all in more than 2,700 square feet (including a 1969 addition), plus the separate renovated barn with living quarters.

Carol Leahy, HDC secretary said today, “the HDC expresses its appreciation to the family for purchasing this historic house and becoming the stewards of this property.”