Constructed prior to 1869, 312 Colchester Avenue is a one and one-half story, three-by-two bay, frame dwelling. The house faces south with the gable front roof oriented toward the street. Quadruple shed roof dormers are present on either side of the gable. A one-story shed roof porch with a central pediment projects from the front façade. There is a one-story ell on the rear of the building.
312 Colchester Avenue is listed on the 1869 Beers Atlas map as "C. Benns." Benns owned four houses along Colchester Avenue that were present on the 1869 atlas map, three of which appear to have been built after 1857. From 1865-1872 Burlington city directories list C. Benns as residing at a house on Main Street, east of Church Street. C. Benn's Colchester Avenue properties were most likely rental properties.
The 1890 Hopkin's map of Burlington identifies "Guy Chambers" as the owner of 312 Colchester Avenue and 314 Colchester Avenue. Chambers is listed in the 1890-1893 Burlington city directories as an employee of the Burlington Wool Company. From 1900-1905, John H. Chambers, a janitor, resided at 312 Colchester Avenue. Charles F. Parrow, a tool sharpener, is listed in the 1910 Burlington city directory at 312 Colchester Avenue, thus ending the Chambers occupation of the dwelling.
By 1920, A Eusebe Mittigue (Mitiguy), a traveling salesman,
was occupying 312 Colchester Avenue. In addition, several University
of Vermont students are listed as boarding with and renting from
Mittigue. The Sanborn Fire Insurance map from 1926, revised in
1938, is the first Sanborn map to include 312 Colchester Avenue
and shows a one and one-half story shingle roof dwelling. The
1930 Burlington city directory identifies Wight H. Davis, a New
England Telephone and Telegraph employee, at 312 Colchester Avenue.
Davis remains in the 1940 Burlington city directory, although
he became an employee at the American Woolen Company in Winooski.
(1) Waite, L. P. and Company. Burlington City Directory and Business Directory (Burlington, Vermont: The Free Press Association, 1900-1905).
(2) Manning, H. A. Burlington, Winooski, Essex Junction Directory (Springfield, Massachusetts: H. A. Manning Company, 1920).
(3) Ibid.