The Stockmayer House provides an excellent example of mid-century modern design, not only evolving from previous styles but attempting to use new materials and techniques to create a unique space that takes advantage of its surroundings. Walter Stockmayer, a notable chemist, purchased the property upon his appointment to a professorship at Dartmouth. Desiring a home that was in harmony with its surroundings, Stockmayer, upon getting a recommendation from a friend, commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright protege Allan Gelbin to design the house. Writing in his memoir Magic, Gelbin says of the Stockmayer House; “I had to figure out what would fulfill their invisible inner wishes as they related to their surroundings both inside and outside. Answers were found by way of the liberation of the space within—the greatest lessons learned from Mr. Wright…and the simplicity of genuine, basic, time-tested materials uncovered by paint or one material falsely imitating another. That liberation came by way of a roof that echoed the slope of the surrounding hills running in counterpoint to the great sheltering flat room. Music at work in structure!” (Norwich History) The open floor plan, with bedrooms radiating off of shared spaces, as well as the plentiful windows allowing sweeping views (as well as being part of a passive solar strategy) emphasize not only the respect of the natural surroundings but the themes of Usonian design. The residence was purchased by its current owners in 2015 and has been undergoing extensive renovations based on original documents and plans from the Allan J. Gelbin papers.

The Stockmayer house is possibly most easily visualized by its use of yellow cypress woodwork. The exterior features horizontal board-and-batten siding as well as a tar and gravel roof on both the flat and gabled portions (recently replaced with rubber membrane). The desire of the Stockmayer's to have a home that was a "work of art in harmony with the magnificence of their surroundings" can be seen through the placement of the home as well as the centering of the outdoor space and views provided by its location. The interior kitchen features red Mircata countertops, mosaic floors, and cypress plywood cabinets. The presence of built-in cabinets and furniture extends into the living and dining space, with heavily decorated woodwork accenting the furniture, light fixtures, cabinets, planters, and bookshelves. Gelbin even designed two custom light fixtures for the interior space. The house also contains a radiant floor heating system consisting of copper tubing embedded in concrete slabs to warm the surface of the floor. The original system in the master bedroom and bathroom has been updated, however, the original radiant floor heating system still functions throughout the rest of the building.

"The Stockmayer House, 1960." Norwich Historical Society and Community Center. 31 August 2022. https://norwichhistory.org/the-stockmayer-residence-1960/

Stockmayer House National Register nomination form