For $6.5m, this Connecticut inn comes with a liquor license in trendy Mystic

Captain Elihu Spicer, who was born in Noank, Connecticut, in 1825, first went to sea when he was nine years old, according to the Noank Library. By the time he was 22, he was a ship’s captain and, before his death in 1891, he founded the Mystic and Noank Library. The home he built for his family in 1853 has operated as a boutique luxury hotel called the Captain’s Mansion for the past 10 years, it; now it is being offered as a turnkey, mixed-use property for $6,495,000.

Although Mystic was an important Connecticut seaport with a now-burgeoning foodie scene, it is actually not a municipality; the west side of the village is in the town of Groton, while the east side is in Stonington. The Captain’s Mansion, in the Groton section, is across the street from the library Spicer built.

The home he built in the center of the village is a 10,335 square foot house in the most fashionable Victorian style of the day. Italianate houses have a rectangular or square massing, very wide eaves usually supported by brackets, low-pitch hip roofs, tall, narrow windows, and, often, a belvedere. Captain Spicer’s mansion has all the hallmarks of the style and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, though it is not located in a designated historic district.

During the early 20^th century and the Great Depression, the house fell into disrepair and was, for a time, subdivided into apartments. However, accretions of the time, like dropped ceilings and wall-to-wall carpets, protected the beautiful original elements, including walnut parquet flooring and plaster ceiling friezes. They have been carefully restored and today the rooms boast a pleasing combination of classic comfort and historic splendor.

The building, which is within walking distance of many of Mystic’s tourist attractions, has an imposing porte-cochere and a private parking lot. There are eight bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathroom, and three half bathrooms. Its features include three grand parlors with hand-painted ceilings, a formal dining room large enough for 30 diners, five ornate original fireplaces that have been converted to gas, French doors leading out to a brick patio, and, important for an inn, a fully equipped commercial kitchen with stainless steel counters. The belvedere at the top of the house is a wonderful place to take in three-state views (New York across Long Island sound; neighboring Rhode Island; and, of course, Connecticut).

The property is zoned for both business and residential use. According to the listing agent, Judith Caracausa of William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, the sale includes ownership of a liquor license. It also includes all the furniture and fixtures. If a buyer wants to continue to operate the inn, the transition promises to be seamless.

If a buyer wishes to return the house to its original use as a luxurious private residence, there are no barriers to that, but those new owners will probably want to remove the reception desk just inside the porte-cochere.

Caracausa said, “This is, hands-down, one of the most historically significant properties in all of Mystic. It’s rare to find this level of preservation, location, and flexibility all in one property.” 

Regina Cole writes about architecture and design for national and regional publications, with a specialty in historic architecture and the history of the decorative arts.