Austin F. Williams Carriagehouse and House

Infobox_nrhp | name = Austin F. Williams Carriagehouse and House
nrhp_type = nhl


caption =
location = 127 Main St., Farmington, Connecticut
lat_degrees = 41
lat_minutes = 43
lat_seconds = 21.5
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 72
long_minutes = 49
long_seconds = 40.7
long_direction = W
locmapin = Connecticut
area =
built = 1841
architect = Chauncy Wells and Cephas Skinner
architecture = Greek Revival
designated= August 06, 1998cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1941479679&ResourceType=Building | title = Austin F. Williams Carriagehouse and House |accessdate=2007-09-27|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service]
added = August 05, 1998cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]
governing_body = Private
refnum = 98001190

Austin F. Williams Carriagehouse and House in Farmington, Connecticut is a historic site notable for serving as living quarters for the Amistad Africans and as a "station" on the Underground Railroad.

Austin Williams (1805-1885) and his wife Jennet Cowles Williams were abolitionists. Their property first became important in the Amistad case. When the Mende men who had participated in the revolt on the slave ship La Amistad were released from prison in 1841, they stayed here before their return to Africa. Austin Williams was friends with Lewis Tappan who was assisting the Africans. A dormitory was erected for the men; it is now part of the carriage house. The men did agricultural work during this period. In 1842, the Williams's built their Greek revival house. The cellar of the carriage house served as a hiding place for escaping slaves as a part of the Underground Railroad.

The site was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1998.,citation|title=PDFlink| [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/98001190.pdf National Historic Landmark Nomination: Austin F. Williams Carriagehouse and House] |342 KB|last=Cunningham|first=Jan |date=September 15, 1996|publisher=National Park Service and PDFlink| [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Photos/98001190.pdf "Accompanying 10 photos, exterior and interior, from 1996 and undated"] |3.49 MB] It is located at 127 Main Street in Farmington and may possibly be included in the Farmington Historic District. The house is a private residence and is not open to the public.

References

External links

* [http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/amistad/ Amistad: Seeking Freedom in Connecticut, a National Park Service "Discover Our Shared Heritage" Travel Itinerary]
* [http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/underground/ct1.htm Aboard the Underground Railroad: Austin F. Williams Carriagehouse and House, National Park Service]