The Matthew Elliott House

In 1825, the City of New Haven transformed a six-acre site east of downtown into what is now known as Wooster Square Park. The park was named in honor of David Wooster, a Revolutionary War militia leader born in Stratford, Connecticut. At the time, the development of the site conveyed the eastward momentum the city was experiencing.

As the spaces surrounding the park were developed, it became apparent that the neighborhood would come to display varying styles such as Greek Revival, Federal, Italian Villa, Italianate, Second Empire, and Queen Anne. Despite the stylistic differences, the residential neighborhood maintains harmony in that buildings like the Matthew Elliott House were constructed in the context of their surrounding architecture. In this way, Wooster Square saw a self-perpetuating pattern of buildings that sought to adhere to the quality of design present in the immediate area. To many architects, it was almost seen as a civic responsibility to frame the Wooster Square Park with appropriately contextualized buildings.

Wooster Square’s residential buildings, like the Matthew Elliott House and Henry Austin’s 1845 Willis Bristol House, were seen by many as being worthy of protective status so as to preserve the valuable architectural relevance of the neighborhood. In 1971, following numerous efforts from the New Haven Preservation Trust, Wooster Square was designated under the National Register of Historic Places. After being threatened by demolition in the 1930s and later by plans for Interstate 91, Wooster Square persisted in large part due to the New Haven urban rehabilitation program. In 1965, the program brought about the construction of the Conti Community School. The program also renovated tenements found on Court Street in order to increase positive perceptions of what were seen as the neighborhood’s most unsightly buildings.

Within the current context of the surrounding building materials, 541 Chapel Street stands as one of the few predominantly wooden structures remaining in Wooster Square. In 1886, the adjacent 523 Chapel Street plot was also identified as a wooden structure by that year’s Sanborn Fire Insurance Map. However, by 1911, 523 Chapel Street was partially converted into a brick structure. Soon after, the 1924 Sanborn Map reveals that the remaining wooden half of the site came to be a brick building as well. These maps reveal that in spite of their architectural reverence, many of the initial 19th-century Wooster Square buildings were frequently altered and in some cases demolished entirely. It follows that 541 Chapel Street also saw a series of structural changes and amendments throughout the last 191 years.

1834-1853

Matthew Elliott

N/A

~1853-1860

Charles Goodyear

N/A

1890-1940s

Paul Russo

N/A

1940s-1976

Michael D’Onofrio

N/A

1976-1986

N/A (Unknown/Unclear)

*At this point, individual units within the building began to be sold separately.

N/A

1986

Peter D Thompson (Unit B)

$0

1986

Margery C Thompson (Unit A)

$0

1990-1992

Unknown buyer (Unit E)

$138,500

1992-1993

Unknown buyer (Unit D)

$127,000

1993-1997

Wooster Place Condominium (Unit E)

$0

1997-1998

Michael C & Jennifer D Deakin (Unit C)

$0

1998

Peter D Thompson (Unit D)

$85,000

1998-2000

Michael A Albis & Helen M (Unit F)

$0

2000-2001

Michael A Albis (Unit F)

$0

2001

Jeffrey L Hickey (Unit F)

$146,000

2001-2004

Ivan Szelenyi (Unit C)

$190,000

2004-2006

Daniel J Adamson (Unit C)

$304,150

2006-2007

Mary Lou Aleskie (Unit C)

$399,900

2007-2015

Kara A Haas (Unit F)

$305,000

2015-2018

Peter Thompson & Nancy Henkes (Unit A)

$0

2018-2019

Judith TR Taft (Unit C)

$350,000

2019-Present

Mahima, Prema, & Palanikumarasamy Sukumar (Unit F)

$297,500

The original patron of 541 Chapel Street has not been confirmed. In New Haven, a Guide to Architecture and Urban Design, Elizabeth Brown asserts that Matthew Elliott came to own the house two years after its construction. Others argue that the house was built specifically for Matthew Elliott. Prior to 1832, there are little to no details of the site at 541 Chapel Street given that Wooster Square Park was the main catalyst for its eventual development. As seen by the 1886 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, 61 years after the founding of Wooster Square Park, there remained an expanse of undeveloped land south of Chapel Street.

Despite the building’s historical name, Matthew Griswold Elliott is said to have bought 541 Chapel Street from an unknown owner only two years after the building’s construction. Elliott was born in the rural town of Kent, Connecticut, on November 16, 1805. He moved to New Haven in 1823 where he worked as a clerk for Elihu Sanford, a prominent wholesale grocery tradesman. After only four years, Elliott became Sanford’s business partner.

Soon after, Elliott involved himself in countless civic and commercial affairs. In 1844 he was elected to the Board of Councilmen; In 1848 he became a member of the Board of Aldermen; In 1852 he became President of the New Haven and New London Railway Company; In 1855 he was elected President of the Tradesmen’s Bank of New Haven. He also came to be a Vice-President of the New Haven Savings Bank, director of the Farmington Canal, and a director of the New York and Hartford Railroad. Elliott resided at 541 Chapel Street until the year 1853. Due to his impressive number of positions, he was widely respected and regarded as one of the city’s most influential individuals. His involvement across various industries and civic matters established him as a figure that the majority of the city recognized. For many, his journey from a farming background to being a successful entrepreneur only further increased their admiration.

Elliott was later followed by Charles Goodyear. As a self-taught chemist, he was known as the inventor of vulcanized rubber and he founded the Goodyear Rubber Company. However, he died in 1860, only a few years after moving into 541 Chapel Street. To some, Goodyear played such an important role in the industrialization of New Haven that he was seen to be as influential as Eli Whitney.

In 1890, Paul Russo purchased 541 Chapel Street. Russo was born in 1859, in Viggiano, Italy. His family moved to New York in 1869 and then New Haven in 1872. In 1893, Russo became the first Italian to graduate from Yale Law School. Like Elliott, Russo engaged in a number of business and civic activities. He was in private practice for ten years, made real estate investments, started a bank, and made a newspaper that sought to encourage other citizens to become successful. Russo gained praise among the Italian community for using his influence and business position to push to establish projects like the St. Michael Church. Russo’s place in the development of Wooster Square’s Italian culture was so significant that there is now a small park south of Wooster Square Park with his name.

After Paul Russo, Michael D’Onofrio, also of Italian descent, purchased 541 Chapel Street. Along with his wife, brothers, and friends, D’Onofrio transformed the building into a funeral home. In addition to 541 Chapel Street, D’Onofrio owned and rented out the adjacent 533 Chapel Street. In 1976, D’Onofrio retired after selling off both buildings.

Not much is known about the building’s ownership between 1976 and 1986. After 1986, tax records indicate that the building was split into subunits available for individual purchase. For 1993, these same records point to Wooster Place Condominium as the entity with ownership of the entire property. More recently, Google Street View images indicate that Seabury Hill Realtors has managed the property as early as 2017.

In its stint as a single family residence, the Matthew Elliott House saw some of the most renowned individuals in the history of New Haven. They were pioneers, inventors, and businessmen, each from unconventional backgrounds. In their own ways, each of these enterprising individuals sought to impress their own beliefs and ideas for what the city of New Haven could become.

In 1825, the City of New Haven transformed a six-acre site east of downtown into what is now known as Wooster Square Park. The park was named in honor of David Wooster, a Revolutionary War militia leader born in Stratford, Connecticut. At the time, the development of the site conveyed the eastward momentum the city was experiencing.

As the spaces surrounding the park were developed, it became apparent that the neighborhood would come to display varying styles such as Greek Revival, Federal, Italian Villa, Italianate, Second Empire, and Queen Anne. Despite the stylistic differences, the residential neighborhood maintains harmony in that buildings like the Matthew Elliott House were constructed in the context of their surrounding architecture. In this way, Wooster Square saw a self-perpetuating pattern of buildings that sought to adhere to the quality of design present in the immediate area. To many architects, it was almost seen as a civic responsibility to frame the Wooster Square Park with appropriately contextualized buildings.

Wooster Square’s residential buildings, like the Matthew Elliott House and Henry Austin’s 1845 Willis Bristol House, were seen by many as being worthy of protective status so as to preserve the valuable architectural relevance of the neighborhood. In 1971, following numerous efforts from the New Haven Preservation Trust, Wooster Square was designated under the National Register of Historic Places. After being threatened by demolition in the 1930s and later by plans for Interstate 91, Wooster Square persisted in large part due to the New Haven urban rehabilitation program. In 1965, the program brought about the construction of the Conti Community School. The program also renovated tenements found on Court Street in order to increase positive perceptions of what were seen as the neighborhood’s most unsightly buildings.

Within the current context of the surrounding building materials, 541 Chapel Street stands as one of the few predominantly wooden structures remaining in Wooster Square. In 1886, the adjacent 523 Chapel Street plot was also identified as a wooden structure by that year’s Sanborn Fire Insurance Map. However, by 1911, 523 Chapel Street was partially converted into a brick structure. Soon after, the 1924 Sanborn Map reveals that the remaining wooden half of the site came to be a brick building as well. These maps reveal that in spite of their architectural reverence, many of the initial 19th-century Wooster Square buildings were frequently altered and in some cases demolished entirely. It follows that 541 Chapel Street also saw a series of structural changes and amendments throughout the last 191 years.