31 Decatur Street

This two-story, two-by-three bay gable front house, sits along the south side of Decatur Street, near North Winooski Avenue.  The house features one-over-one, double hung sash windows, aluminum siding, stone foundation, slate roof with raking eaves, and a small, central chimney.  A small, one-story, one-by-two bay wing protrudes from the easterly facade, with a corner porch sheltering the entrance.  Another porch extends along the westerly facade.  The false shutters are not original and were most likely added with the siding.  Three additions protrude from the rear of the house, not visible behind the wooden fence. 

The slate roof with raking eaves, stone foundation and small, central chimney are all indicative of the 1870s.  The aluminum siding is a late 20th Century addition, replacing the original clapboards, and the windows appear to be replacements.

The 1877 Birds-Eye map reveals one small, rear addition.  The other additions appear already on the 1885 Sanborn map.  The first two connect the building to the barn and the final protrudes from the back of the barn.¹  The porches also appears on the 1885 map.  The easterly porch was probably originally open and later partially enclosed.  The turned posts and decorative brackets on the porch are inconsistent with the simplicity of the rest of the house and may, also, be a later addition.

The first inhabitant was most likely Napolean Viens, a Canadian immigrant, his wife Ellen, sons Louis and Joseph and daughter Carrie, in 1871.²  Napolean was a grocer at 147 N. Winooski Avenue and remained at this address until at least 1880.³  The Census records indicate he still lived at this address in 1880, although he cannot be found in the city directories.  It is likely he stayed until 1884, the year of Charles Coty’s subsequent residence.⁴  Coty worked for the Pope and Watson construction company.⁵  Wells S. Howard, a butcher at 147 N. Winooski, resided here from around 1888-1892.⁶  Edward M. Lang, an employee of W & D.G. Crane, resided here from 1899-1903.⁷

See house on 1877 Birds-Eye Map