History

Originally deeded to Joseph Murray, one of the first County selectmen in 1792, the property changed hands, in 1799, to the Able Norton Family (namesake for the village of Nortontown), and then in 1830, to William T. Whitford, for $686, along with 50 acres. His grandfather had moved to the area from Providence, Rhode Island in 1802. The Merino wool industry sparked immense interest in keeping and breeding Merino Sheep and by 1835, the wool industry had reached its climax, with Vermont rivaling the best producers in the world. According to the 1850 census, the Whitfords had 195 sheep.

By 1870, the Whitfords had expanded the property to 360 acres, adding predominately cleared land to the pre-existing farmstead. They looked after a small orchard on the south side of the house, remains of which can still be seen today, and they owned one of the longest-lived commercial Merino wool enterprises in the County. They also grew wheat, oats, corn, potatoes and hay, as described in the “Production of Agriculture’s” schedule (below). The family may also have bread “clean-blooded” Lambert (Morgan) horses, for which the billboard alludes (below).

Whitford descendants sold the property to Rupert Grandey in 1938, soon to be abandoned until a young, local couple purchased the dilapidated homestead in 1978 and began a year-and-a half restoration project to save the house from complete collapse. Further renovation and beautification was performed by the following buyers, Bruce and Barbara Carson, who founded “Whitford House Inn”, in the late 1980’s. They also operated a successful, but short-lived restaurant and camping ground. Jeff Nottonson and his wife purchased the property in 2017, adding “Twin View Barn” to the south, in 2020.

“Twin View Barn” is the last remaining structure on the neighboring property, first purchased in 1800 by the Hindes family, early Addison settlers from New Jersey. While little research has been gleaned on this property, the present barn, built circa 1910, was originally outfitted with horse stalls and used as a wagon repair shop. The original homestead dated to 1840 and, as an example of Addison County’s agricultural prosperity at the time, contained many outbuildings, including a granary, horse and sheep barn, sheep barn and garage and pump house. However, the property was eventually abandoned, as were a great many farms, and most buildings were beyond repair when the Decters purchased it, after admiring it as Whitford House guests in the 1990’s.

The homestead sustained a sanctioned “practice burn” by Addison’s volunteer fire department in exchange for beer. The middle section of the post-and-beam barn was significantly repaired, turning the horse stalls into a rustic “camp” kitchen and bathroom. Jeff Nottonson, the current owner, improved on the kitchen, adding reclaimed old-growth wood for cabinet doors, soapstone countertops and a vintage cast-iron sink, removed from a Middlebury College building. A new, standing seam roof, was installed in 2021, removing the original cedar shakes and replacing the old, leaky, galvanized tin roof. Twin View Barn opened to the public as a vacation rental in 2020 and wedding venue in 2021.