Picture Ellington - Then And Now

ELLINGTON, CT — Today's edition of this periodic informal series, highlighting businesses from Ellington's past and what those locations look like today, delves into a fascinating picture book entitled Images of America: Ellington. The book, compiled by Lynn Kloter Fahy for the Ellington Historical Society, was first published in 2005, and contains 128 pages of amazing photos and stories of the small town formerly known as "the Great Marsh."

The 2,845-square-foot building featured today was constructed on what is now Maple Street in 1829, according to town property records. In this photo, taken around the turn of the 20th century, the Greek Revival-style structure has two signs: "H.C. Aborn and Son" and "Post Office." The barn behind the store served as a grain warehouse, a bleach house and an ice house.

Harry Aborn, owner of the general store, teamed with his brother Edgar to build a sprawling, medieval English-style hilltop home at 265 Somers Road in 1918; that property is commonly known as Aborn Castle.

New owners bought the building in 1939 and converted it into a private home, with an antiques business called The Old Store located on the ground floor for a time. In 1978, it reverted to a private home again, and remains so today.

Here is a more contemporary look at the house, courtesy of the Ellington assessor's office.

Do you have a photo of an old Ellington business which no longer exists, to which you own the copyright and which we could feature in this column? Email tim.jensen@patch.com.

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