Pliny Perkins, among the town’s first settlers, dominated Burlington’s early development. Arriving in 1837 from Oneida County, New York, he built grist- and sawmills, a woolen mill, and a general store, and he ran the bank. Much of Burlington was built on land he owned. Perkins maintained a farm, but
in town he erected this multicolored cobblestone house, reflecting his regional origins. The V-shaped joints cause the stones to project slightly from the wall plane, creating delightful patterns of sunlight and shade that shift throughout the day. Unusual among cobble stone houses, here the egg-shaped cobbles gradually increase in size, with small stones at the bottom and larger ones at each succeeding layer. Cream brick quoins tie the facade to the random-coursed fieldstone side walls and add an air of formality.