The Pardee-Morris House - Morris Cove New Haven CT - Save This Historic Treasure!

Not far away from where I live is the Pardee-Morris House a historical treasure located at 325 Lighthouse Road in the Morris Cove neighborhood of New Haven CT.

The original 6,000 square foot Thomas Morris House was built in 1680 and during the Revloutionary War on July 5, 1779 was burned down during the Battle of New Haven when British troops invaded New Haven. 

Captain Amos Morris rebuilt the house the following year using materials that were salvaged from the original structure.

William Pardee bought and restored the Pardee-Morris House in 1915 and bequeathed it to the New Haven Historical Society in 1918. 

The Pardee-Morris House was open to the public as a house museum and on December 4, 1972 was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the City of New Haven Connecticut.

Owned by the New Haven Museum and Historical Society the Pardee-Morris House has been closed since 2000 due to lack of funds until further notice.  The house needs extensive restoration work and the New Haven Museum and Historical Society is working on getting state bonding funds.

This once beautiful home over the years has deteriorated with peeling paint on the inside and out and has many broken windows.  Residents of the East Shore community have been diligently working for serveral years to get answers on what the future holds for the Pardee-Morris House and are ready to volunteer their time in helping to restore and reopen the house.

A meeting held at the Morris Cove firehouse between the leaders of the New Haven Museum and Historical Society and 50 neighbors of Morris Cove was highlighted in an article in the New Haven Independent authored by Allan Appel titled "Knock, Knock. Anyone Home at Pardee-Morris?."

Over the past few weeks, trucks and workmen have been on the property cutting the grass, trimming the hedges and making some repairs to the building.

It would be a terrible loss not only to the City of New Haven but to the Morris Cove neighborhood if this neglected treasure of history were to fade away. 

The Fort Nathan Hale Restoration Projects Inc. is a non-profit wants to work with the New Haven Historical Society, residents of East Shore and anyone else to help restore the Pardee-Morris House.  A meeting will be scheduled for anyone interested to discuss potential solutions and options.

For anyone who is interested in becoming part of this project please contact William M. MacMullen, AIA, President, Fort Nathan Hale Restoration Projects Inc. by email at WMACHQ@aol.com

Having lived in Morris Cove for most of my life I share in the belief of the historic importance this house holds to the City of New Haven and  to Morris Cove. It is wonderful to see the how the commuity is working together to save the Pardee-Morris House.

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