This modest house is believed to be as old as the town. There are several indications that it was built in the 1830’s. “Noggin”- a wall of bricks between the inside and outside walls – helped to keep the house insulated and protected from varmints. The structural wood shows hand saw marks; after 1842, a circular saw was used. The house has a shelf chimney which starts three-fourths of the way up the wall and goes to the roof. This simple house has two rooms up and two rooms down with a shed on the back which became part of the house.
In 1839 Irondequoit separated from Brighton and became a new town. The wilderness slowly turned into farms. For more than a hundred years, the house was a home to many families. The first family to live in this house is believed to be a farmer, his wife, seven children and a hired hand. The house had several owners and was frequently a rental dwelling.
This simple little house has been in Irondequoit through the phases of wilderness, farm land and residential town. It was a family dwelling in its first two locations – Ridge Road East & Culver, and 1581 Ridge Road East. In its third location on Portland Avenue, it was a gift shop known as the Strawberry Saltbox. Now it is located on the Town Hall property. The house was moved three times by three generations of Matthews Building Movers.
Mrs. Villard donated the building to the town with the stipulation that it be used as a museum maintained by the Historical Society. On April 11, 1995, the house was moved to the west lawn and three months later, on July 4th, it was dedicated
IrondequoitHistoricalSociety 