▁Gordon ▁Hall ▁once ▁contained ▁a ▁secret ▁room ▁in ▁the ▁bas ement , ▁accessible ▁through ▁a ▁trap ▁door ▁on ▁the ▁south ▁por ch ▁and ▁from ▁conce aled ▁open ings ▁in ▁craw l spaces ▁under ▁the ▁other ▁por ches . ▁ ▁Although ▁the ▁trap ▁door ▁was ▁removed ▁during ▁rem od eling ▁and ▁the ▁" secret " ▁room ▁had ▁doors ▁cut ▁to ▁it , ▁the ▁pass ages ▁to ▁the ▁craw l ▁space ▁remain ▁in ▁the ▁house . ▁ ▁Samuel ▁D ex ter ▁lived ▁in ▁Gordon ▁Hall ▁until ▁he ▁died ▁on ▁January ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 8 6 3 . ▁ ▁Mill is ent ▁D ex ter ▁and ▁some ▁of ▁their ▁children ▁continued ▁to ▁live ▁in ▁the ▁house . ▁ ▁Mill is ent ▁made ▁some ▁alter ations ▁to ▁the ▁structure , ▁most ▁significantly ▁removing ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁wings ▁and ▁adding ▁a ▁four - story ▁tower ▁in ▁its ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 0 s . ▁ ▁Samuel ▁D ex ter ' s ▁business ▁operations ▁were ▁passed ▁to ▁W irt ▁D ex ter , ▁his ▁only ▁son . ▁ ▁W irt ▁sold ▁off ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁surrounding ▁land , ▁so ▁that ▁by ▁ 1 8 7 5 ▁the ▁estate ▁was ▁down ▁to ▁about ▁ 7 0 ▁acres . ▁ ▁On ▁June ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 8 9 9 , ▁Mill is ent ▁D ex ter ▁died . ▁ ▁Her ▁will ▁specified ▁that ▁Gordon ▁Hall ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁sold , ▁with ▁the ▁proceed s ▁of ▁the ▁sale ▁being ▁split ▁among ▁her ▁daughters . ▁