The town is close to an agreement that would see the David Bushnell House at 121 South Main Street sold to the town. The item is expected to be on the agenda for a town meeting scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 22.

First Selectman John Hall announced at the Sept. 13 Board of Selectman (BOS) meeting that latest proposal is for the town to buy the property for a price of $1 rather than have the property outright donated.

“That way it covers a whole bunch of legalese we don’t need to get into tonight,” Hall said.

The BOS unanimously voted to allow Hall to pursue the sale, and the potential sale was also approved at a planning commission meeting on Sept. 12. Hall said that if negotiations between attorneys for the town and for the seller go well the potential purchase of the property will be on the agenda of the Thursday, Sept. 22 town meeting for approval.

“I don’t see any roadblocks at this point,” said Hall.

The David Bushnell House is one of the oldest homes in Connecticut. Marcy Fuller, the president of the Westbrook Historical Society told the Harbor News last month that the house, originally built in 1678, “Is one of the five oldest houses in Connecticut.”

Fuller explained that the house was built by Captain Samuel Bushnell, the father of David Bushnell, the inventor of the submarine. However, David never lived in the house – he was born in Westbrook in 1740 but grew up on farm near the intersection of Essex and McVeagh roads.

Instead, Fuller explained that in 1922 the Society of Dependents of Westbrook Settlers, a since disbanded organization, gained control of the property and dedicated the house to the memory of David Bushnell.

At an Aug. 9 BOS meeting Hall told the board that Leighton Lee III, the current property owner, was willing to donate the historic building to the town.

As a condition of the donation, Hall said Lee was interested in a caveat that the building be housed for historic purposes. “I think this is a great opportunity for us,” Hall said.

Assuming the sale is approved, the town will then need to figure out a use for the property. One idea Hall tossed out at the Aug. 9 meeting was possibly moving the historical society into the house once it comes under town control.

According to Hall, finding a use for the building will include public hearings to gather residents’ input.