105 1/2 State Street

Built in 1855-56 by Willett S. Main, the Main Building is the oldest building facing the Capitol. It was designed by Stephen Vaughn Shipman. The building was the first major commercial structure west of the Capitol Square. In the past 110 years, it... has served a wide variety of uses, from a dry goods store to a skateboard supply shop. Before its restoration, post-World War II remodeling and a lack of maintenance had taken their toll on the building's grandeur. The stone exterior walls had been painted and some stone details had been lost to weathering. This past summer, owners Maria and Dan Milsted began restoration of the historic structure. The walls were power washed and chemically treated with great care to remove the exterior lead-based paint. Stone was quarried from the original source in the Town of Westport, matching stone window hoods and brackets were carved, and an unneeded doorway was covered. Wooden components of the building were repaired and painted. Future plans call for the restoration of the storefront to a design that resembles the original. Lee mas