106 Central Street
(1887) – a 2-1/2 story, hip-roofed, Shingle Style dwelling with a veranda, a gabled pavilion at the east end of the main façade, and a 3-story polygonal central bay with a conical cap. It was built for the Misses Gwynne of New York (Edith and Cettie), sisters of Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt, the wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt II (builder of the Breakers in Newport.)
In 1886, Cettie Moore Gwynne and Edith Olivia Gwynne bought the property upon which Sunnymead was built from the widow of Daniel Caswell. Both sisters married in 1888, with Edith marrying William Fearing Gill and Cettie marrying William Edgar Shepherd. In 1892, Edith renounced her share of Sunnymead to the Shepherds.
The Shepherds hosted many social events at Sunnymead, including the August 24, 1918 wedding of their daughter Maude Gwynne Shepherd to Ernest (Buck) Harrah. Maude was a prominent debutante in her day and a goddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt.
The house remained in the Gwynne family until 1973. Sunnymead underwent major renovations in 2007. The front porch, turret and shingling were restored, while the kitchen and other interior rooms were updated. Original details, including beautiful stained glass windows and a butler’s pantry off the kitchen, were carefully maintained.
For approximately 125 years, Sunnymead has been a lively gathering place for family and friends.