The Oldest House in Guilford
Oldest House in Guilford, ca. 1880
Guilford Historical Society
Text by Belle-Natalie Wingert and Elaine Riitano
Images from the Guilford Historical Society
Before the Wharff house was built the land was all wooded area that the town had decided to change to farmland in order to build a house, which turned out to be the oldest house in Guilford, and may still be the oldest in the county. After they cut down all the trees in the 1790s, they built the house on a ledge. The foundation was made out of granite blocks, wood and posts and beams. The house was Victorian influenced and was one-and-a-half stories tall, which some people called a bungalow. The house was considered a farm house.
Guilford Center House, 1983
Guilford Historical Society
Over the years quite a few people lived there and many renovations and changes have been made; the house is still being renovated. It was purchased in 1998 and is still occupied by the same owners. At that time, it had eight rooms, four bedrooms and one bath. It was heated by oil and an old-fashioned wood stove despite the two fireplaces, and has 14 acres surrounding it. When the current owners bought it the real estate ad said: “Ideal location to pasture a horse, raise your children or just enjoy living in the solitude of a country home. Some TLC is required, but what a place once it is done.”
Across the road from the Wharff house is the Valley Grange Hall and seen through the back kitchen window, the Guilford Center Baptist Church. Over the years it was used as a store, church, parsonage, meeting house, home, and even a working farm!