Rev. John Ely House


The Rev. John Ely House is a historic house at 54 Milwaukee Avenue in Bethel, Connecticut. It is a 2-1/2 story wood frame structure, five bays wide, with a large central chimney, a side-gable roof, and a stone foundation. Its main entrance is centered on the front facade, and is sheltered by a Federal-style portico supported by slender columns, with a decorated soffit. The interior has retained significant amounts of original 18th-century woodwork. The house was built c. 1792, and is a well-preserved local survivor of the period. It is also noted for a succession of residents who played significant roles in the growth of Bethel during the 19th century, including two ministers and three businessmen, the latter including Oliver Shepard, a figure instrumental in the separation of Bethel as a separate town.
The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.
The barn on the property has been modernized and utilized as a studio for performing arts and photography/videography.