The Bellmont Residence on Ashbury Boulevard

The Bellmont Residence stood on Ashbury Boulevard in Connecticut, where the Bellmont family moved in 1909 after purchasing the newly completed mansion following Charles Bellmont’s successful career in importing building materials. The household included Charles, his wife Eleanor, their three children, and later two grandchildren who lived with them during the 1920s. The family’s income depended on regional construction contracts, which supported the property’s upkeep and allowed regular repairs.

Local records described the mansion as a well-maintained residence with active family rooms, occupied bedrooms, and a carefully managed household.

The decline began after the 1929 financial collapse reduced construction activity throughout the region. In 1930, the Bellmont company received a final notice for unpaid supplier accounts, and property records showed delayed municipal taxes. The family reduced expenses by closing the upper guest rooms, limiting heating use, and dismissing household staff who had maintained the large residence. After Charles Bellmont suffered a prolonged illness in 1932, management of the business weakened further. Following his death in 1934, disagreements among the heirs over ownership and inheritance prevented a clear decision about selling or repairing the mansion. Several family members relocated, leaving only Eleanor and one daughter in the house temporarily.

By 1936, foreclosure proceedings began after accumulated mortgage debt, unpaid taxes, and business obligations could not be resolved. An attempted auction failed because potential buyers considered restoration costs too high. Eleanor left the residence that year to live with relatives in another town, and the remaining furniture was only partially removed. The property records show no successful restoration, no return of the Bellmont heirs, and no agreement regarding future ownership. Over the following years, broken windows, damaged plaster, and water intrusion accelerated the mansion’s decline. The Bellmont Residence remains standing but abandoned, with its rooms deteriorating and its final ownership status still unresolved.