THE OLD CALEB PRENTISS HOUSE in 1868, shown in this colorized photo, stood on the north corner of Lafayette and Common streets, on the site of the present Town Hall. Caleb Prentiss was the seventh minister of the First Congregational Church, serving in that role from 1769 to 1803. He also fought against the British in the Revolutionary War. Around 1870, when the house was already over 100 years old, it was moved to Traverse Street, where it was later destroyed in a fire. The original photo was taken by C.F. Richardson, whose photos of the town are among the earliest in existence. In addition to his skills in the nascent art of photography, Richardson owned a business in the Perkins Block (near Main and Albion streets) that manufactured gelatin plates for photographs. At the time, he was the only person in New England engaged in that business.
