RECTORIES
The first Christ Church rectory was on State Street between the church and Dwight Street. It was a two-story wooden house, like the church in style and color. Raised one story and moved down Dwight Street, it is still standing, and used as a store. The conspicuous acute angle of the projecting Gothic roof, with its lace like trimming, is an arresting feature of this quaint memory-filled dwelling, built over eighty years ago. Hanging from a window of one of the upper rooms, which knew for several decades "the patter of little feet," is the provocative sign, "Doll Hospital."
Mr. Lee was the first to call this old building, a home. He could look from his west windows, and see the historic, old Dwight mansion standing on the opposite corner. From there the nine daughters of Mr. James Dwight had gone forth as brides, and it is said seven generations of that public spirited family had lived within its walls. When it was torn down, the staircase was taken out and placed in the house of the late Judge Shurtleff (in Longmeadow) who had married into the Dwight family. Mr. Henry Sterns, from whom the church lot was purchased also married a Miss Dwight. William W. Lee, brother of Bishop Lee, and one time Clerk of the Parish, once lived in this house, and Mrs. Phoebe Lee, wife of Col. Roswell Lee, either lived, or spent much time there, with her son.
The old rectory is full of pleasant memories for all who lived in the Parish in its early days. Here, the annual meeting was held the Monday after Easter, due notice of which was posted in the vestibule of the church seven days preceding. Here Mrs. Child, Mrs. McKnight and Mrs. Burgess are severally remembered by many older parishioners, as delightful hostesses and personal friends. In their kitchen came the
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