A $1.45 million house that once held Benjamin Franklin‘s son under Revolutionary War confinement has undergone a dramatic restoration that returned it to its centuriesold origins—while cultivating a unique mix of historical charm and modern elegance.
Located in Connecticut, the so-called Ebenezer Grant House last changed hands in 2024, when it sold for just $399,000. In the two years since, however, it has been given a top-to-bottom renovation that left it looking unrecognizable—while turning it into one of the most polished pieces of 18th-century real estate in the state.
As a result, the asking price for the home, which sits on over 5 acres in South Windsor’s historic district, has more than tripled since it was last sold.
Built circa 1757 by Ebenezer Grant, a prosperous merchant, the home incorporates a rear wing—called an ell for its shape—that dates to 1695.
That older portion was built by Ebenezer’s grandfather Samuel Grant, son of Windsor founder Matthew Grant, and it helps make the property one of the state’s oldest surviving Colonial structures. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.
“The best part about the home is the history,” says listing agent Jacob Wint, of William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty. “This was one of the grandest houses built at the time, and you can see that in the scale of each room.”
The pedigree runs deep. During the Revolutionary War, the house served as a place of confinement for both British general Richard Prescott and William Franklin, the loyalist governor of New Jersey.
One feature in particular also lends it extra status in the world of historical architecture: a celebrated design that surrounds the front door. Referred to as a Connecticut River Valley doorway, the intricate arch was seen as the ultimate symbol of Colonial wealth in its day.
The example found at the Ebenezer Grant House is considered among the finest examples in the U.S., and is one of only two that remain.
“Only one of two, I believe,” Wint says. “The other one is in Deerfield, MA.”
The home also bears a loose tie to the American presidency, courtesy of the family tree of its builders, which bears a very famous branch.
President Ulysses S. Grant was a direct descendent of Samuel Grant, the man who built the home’s first structure. Though the 18th U.S. president was born more than a century after Samuel, he was, in fact, his great-great-great-nephew.
While renovating the property, its owners were careful to ensure that all of that rich history was reflected throughout every inch of the dwelling, restoring and even adding authentic design details that have transformed it into the luxurious sanctuary that exists today.
The four-bedroom, 2.5-bath, 4,480-square-foot home retains seven fireplaces, original Georgian paneling, custom woodwork, a central staircase with original spiral-turned balusters, oversized windows, and hand-hewn beams—all under a slate roof.
The house itself was moved 25 feet back on its lot in 1913, but the stone steps at the front and two side entrances “are well over 250 years old,” Wint says.
The renovation, which included all-new electrical, plumbing, and zoned HVAC, treated the original architecture with care.
“The kitchen was original from the 1800s, with hand-cut beams,” says Wint. “The owners completely gutted the space, preserved the beams, and pulled original floorboards from the attic for the flooring.”
The fully custom chef’s kitchen now features professional BlueStar appliances, a Miele espresso machine, and a butler’s pantry with a two-zone wine cooler.
A new powder room off the kitchen was built around the original chimney, and a later sunroom addition was removed entirely, replaced by an oversized stone patio with retaining walls built to look true to the period. Every bedroom fits a king-size bed, and the sightlines are part of the draw.
“You can really envision what it was like living there back in the day, but still enjoy central air,” says Wint.
Outside, the grounds include an authentic tobacco barn and historic outbuildings. Wint sums up the result simply: “It’s essentially a brand-new house with historic charm dating back to the 1700s.”
Get real estate news in your inbox
