Talk of the Town: "The Elmwood," Located on Mason Street, Greenwich

DISPATCHES FROM TIMES GONE BY

by Jeffrey Bingham Mead

There it was. 

Moments like these remind me that when we gaze, touch and view what others before us have crafted the experience conjures up memories. They also beg us to ask questions. I suppose its all a natural result of having a sense of time and place.

Known today as Mars Plaza, this sunny yellow jewel of a house is located off Mason Street in the downtown area of Greenwich. I'm not a betting man, but if I were one I'd wager that you've walked and/or driven by dozens of time. 

I confess I have. 

Known originally as "The Elmwood" over a century ago, a news story in The Greenwich Graphic caught my eye recently. 

"Although having been established but a year, "The Elmwood" has attained an enviable reputation." In those days, Greenwich was the scene of a much larger hospitality industry. 

True, there was an assortment of old hotels and what we'd call bed-and-breakfasts catering to summer visitors from New York City, there were those smaller scaled rooming houses all around town. 

The Elmwood was one of them. 

Its central location, "being but a block from the trolley and but a few minutes from the post office" in what was then a hushed, primarily residential neighborhood made for an attractive experience for long-term and short-term guests. Operating "under the management of Mrs. Perkins," guests at The Elmwood gave favorable comment in her "ability to run a first-class house." As meals were served at a "table being especially spoken of because of its home-likeness and for those characteristics what are associated with a refined family table."

Fitted "with every convenience for the purposes for which it is used," this rooming house featured a wide variety of attractive modern conveniences. An on-site "hot-water plant" made it delightfully possible for guests to enjoy the comforts of heat "that will suit the most exacting guest." "Each floor is supplied with bath and all modern improvements" -by 1911 standards and expectations, of course. 

One of the things about early 21st century architectural design is the omission of front porches such as the one this house enjoys. As gazed at the porch of this house in downtown Greenwich I am reminded of this. 

I suppose one of the reasons why we look back at the dawning years of the 20th century with some envy is symbolized by porches such as this one. After all, the true enjoyment of time in those days came with an affluence all its own. I think people far more retained the use of their time because the owned it in their unique way. 

A porch like this one at what was The Elmwood reminds us that there was a time we could go for walks, read the paper shielded from the midday sun, not be coerced into accepting a call, or just rest, enjoying the simple pleasure of watching the world go by and where and when obligations and commitments could be put on hold for another day.