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PROPERTY HISTORY
3236 CONGRESS STREET
May 25, 2009 from Phil Halligan (Resident Gardner, ―Hill House‖)
to Donna Brody (Hidden Garden Tour)
Donna,
Herewith is a bit of information on the property, the Gardens and myself.
The Property currently exists as a 10 acre parcel but was a 48 acre parcel when I
arrived in 1988. Sixteen acres were donated to the Aspetuck Land Trust around
1990. It is currently referred to as the ―Hill House‖. Remaining acreage was par-
celed off upon the death of the previous owner, Ernest Hillman, in 2002. The cur-
rent 10 acre parcel is a mix of lawn, gardens, woos, an old orchard, a main
house, a gardener‘s cottage, a three bay double story barn, potting shed, in-
ground pool and pool house.
The Owners:
Mr. and Mrs. Luther Blake were horse people. An outdoor oval cinder exercise
track, or at least its remnants, exists on the northern edge of the property. Mr.
Blake had a hand in the development of the stock market in the early 1900‘s. He
created the company Standard Statistics, which supplied information to those
buying and selling stocks. Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Baxter, Jr. owned the property
next. He was a Scotsman, born at sea and developed the Federal Paint Compa-
ny which tended to the major ocean going vessels of that day. It was under Mr.
Baxter‘s guidance (he had a scholar‘s interest in gardens, trees and plantings –
especially Asiatic and exotics – that the property developed as is. Mr. and Mrs.
Henry Berlin, Jr. followed as owners. Ruth Berlin was extremely active in various
organizations and fundraisers in the Fairfield and Westport area. Ernest Hillman,
Jr. and John Davis Skilton purchased the property in 1968. Both men were active
art enthusiasts and patrons locally, regionally and worldwide. Mr. Skilton was a
fine arts expert, specializing in Pre-Revolutionary American prints. He was a highly
recognized and decorated WWII Veteran and one of the Army‘s ―Arts and Mon-
uments‖ men. Mr. Hillman who served as a liaison to the Australian Navy in WWII
was educated at Yale, received an MBA at Harvard, but was known mostly as a
philanthropist, patron of the arts and author. Mr. Skilton died in 1993 and Mr. Hill-
man in 2002. Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Tallman purchased the estate upon Mr. Hillman‘s
death. Mr. Tallman is the President of Tallman Builders, a well-known and respect-
ed company. The current house, built by Tallman Builders, is a newly constructed
home and is currently on the market. Mrs. Tallman is the real estate agent repre-
senting the property.
www.VANDERBLUE .com 203-259-8326
3236 CONGRESS STREET
May 25, 2009 from Phil Halligan (Resident Gardner, ―Hill House‖)
to Donna Brody (Hidden Garden Tour)
Donna,
Herewith is a bit of information on the property, the Gardens and myself.
The Property currently exists as a 10 acre parcel but was a 48 acre parcel when I
arrived in 1988. Sixteen acres were donated to the Aspetuck Land Trust around
1990. It is currently referred to as the ―Hill House‖. Remaining acreage was par-
celed off upon the death of the previous owner, Ernest Hillman, in 2002. The cur-
rent 10 acre parcel is a mix of lawn, gardens, woos, an old orchard, a main
house, a gardener‘s cottage, a three bay double story barn, potting shed, in-
ground pool and pool house.
The Owners:
Mr. and Mrs. Luther Blake were horse people. An outdoor oval cinder exercise
track, or at least its remnants, exists on the northern edge of the property. Mr.
Blake had a hand in the development of the stock market in the early 1900‘s. He
created the company Standard Statistics, which supplied information to those
buying and selling stocks. Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Baxter, Jr. owned the property
next. He was a Scotsman, born at sea and developed the Federal Paint Compa-
ny which tended to the major ocean going vessels of that day. It was under Mr.
Baxter‘s guidance (he had a scholar‘s interest in gardens, trees and plantings –
especially Asiatic and exotics – that the property developed as is. Mr. and Mrs.
Henry Berlin, Jr. followed as owners. Ruth Berlin was extremely active in various
organizations and fundraisers in the Fairfield and Westport area. Ernest Hillman,
Jr. and John Davis Skilton purchased the property in 1968. Both men were active
art enthusiasts and patrons locally, regionally and worldwide. Mr. Skilton was a
fine arts expert, specializing in Pre-Revolutionary American prints. He was a highly
recognized and decorated WWII Veteran and one of the Army‘s ―Arts and Mon-
uments‖ men. Mr. Hillman who served as a liaison to the Australian Navy in WWII
was educated at Yale, received an MBA at Harvard, but was known mostly as a
philanthropist, patron of the arts and author. Mr. Skilton died in 1993 and Mr. Hill-
man in 2002. Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Tallman purchased the estate upon Mr. Hillman‘s
death. Mr. Tallman is the President of Tallman Builders, a well-known and respect-
ed company. The current house, built by Tallman Builders, is a newly constructed
home and is currently on the market. Mrs. Tallman is the real estate agent repre-
senting the property.
www.VANDERBLUE .com 203-259-8326
