History
Loomis-Wooley House
1874-1973

In 1874, twenty years following the incorporation of West Hartford, the Loomis-Wooley House was constructed as one of the first grand homes on Prospect Avenue. In fact, the design and construction of the Loomis-Wooley commenced the golden age of grand residences on Prospect Avenue. In an area between Farmington Avenue and Fern Street, still surrounded by open agricultural areas, and just south of what was to become The Oxford School, a private girls' school, the edifice was erected in the true tradition of Victorian splendor. With ornamentation, detail, a majestic tower cupola, porches and balanced fenestration, the structure took shape and would dominate the area for nearly a century. The building was home to the Loomis and Wooley families, socially prominent and well to do families of West Hartford. As time marched on, through the turn of the century, world wars, a national depression, and multiple owners, the structure began to show its age. The Robinson School owned the property in its final years. Dr. Robinson, after much deliberation and review, determined that the building had deteriorated beyond repair. Suffering from many years of neglect, and possibly, weakened timbers due to a leaking roof, the house was razed in 1973, almost a century after the first corner stone was laid.