Traverse the streets and sites of Frederick Law Olmsted’s Hartford to commemorate this illustrious native son. Highlights include the Butler-McCook House & Garden, Olmsted’s birth site, Bushnell Park, the Capitol Grounds, High Street, Ann Street, and Keney Clock Tower, with optional visit to Olmsted’s gravesite in Old North Cemetery at the conclusion.
Make a wall cabinet inspired by Connecticut Landmarks’ Collections. Join CTL interpreter and historical cabinet maker John Baron for a workshop and furniture-focused tour of the Palmer-Warner House. Participants will build a wall cabinet to take home and learn more about furniture craftsmanship in the 18th and 19th century. Bring a bagged lunch and enjoy the beautiful Palmer-Warner grounds between sessions.
Located at the juncture of the Little River and the Connecticut River, Hartford’s downtown includes numerous historic bridges and walkways. Explore the unique histories of these landmarks and engineering marvels, including the Little River Bridge, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, the Bulkeley Bridge, and the G. Fox walkway, among others, in this new walking tour for the 2023 season.
Join students from Suffield Academy as they install and dedicate the Witness Stones memorializing two enslaved people listed under Oliver Phelps’ 1790 census record. Their research showed that when Lewis and Barbara Butler later moved to Canandaigua, NY, they helped their daughter Patience and her husband Austin Steward establish deep ties to the Underground Railroad network in the Rochester area, a community that later assisted Frederick Douglass with his abolitionist work in the region.
Please join us as we usher in the 51st season of programming at the Phelps-Hatheway House and Garden! Meet artist Lynne Centore, whose vibrant textile art will be on display in our visitor center gallery. Step inside the museum to be transported to the 18th and 19th centuries and discover newly-acquired furniture from Emma and Sumner Fuller, who were instrumental in preserving the house. A stroll through the Hatheway garden is a must, as the lilacs reach their peak bloom in May.
Join Professor Natalie Shibley for a lecture as she offers an overview of military policy towards LGBTQ service members in the Cold War era and traces the history of challenges to the ban on LGBTQ personnel. The talk will consider how suspects and accusers experienced these events and tell this history by focusing on a Florida Air Force Base in 1948, a 1975 lawsuit challenging the expulsion of gay personnel, and the 1987 expulsion of a Naval Academy midshipman before discussing the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy and its subsequent repeal.
When you think of the Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden you think of lilacs. Our gardens are famous for these fleeting spring blossoms. Each spring, the stunning variety of lilacs planted by Caroline Ferriday and her mother scent the gardens and show off their signature shades of purples, pinks, and even whites. Our tour will take you through the gardens and show you the numerous varieties of lilacs, how we care for them, and tips on how to care for your own lilacs.
When you think of the Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden you think of lilacs. Our gardens are famous for these fleeting spring blossoms. Each spring, the stunning variety of lilacs planted by Caroline Ferriday and her mother scent the gardens and show off their signature shades of purples, pinks, and even whites. Our tour will take you through the gardens and show you the numerous varieties of lilacs, how we care for them, and tips on how to care for your own lilacs.
When you think of the Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden you think of lilacs. Our gardens are famous for these fleeting spring blossoms. Each spring, the stunning variety of lilacs planted by Caroline Ferriday and her mother scent the gardens and show off their signature shades of purples, pinks, and even whites. Our tour will take you through the gardens and show you the numerous varieties of lilacs, how we care for them, and tips on how to care for your own lilacs.
Hello, Spring! Phelps-Hatheway House and Garden is pleased to host Suffield Garden Club’s 45th Annual May Market. The 1867 Hatheway Barn and adjacent lawn will be filled with friendly and knowledgeable vendors and town committees offering exquisite wares and gardening tips for everyone!
Expand your knowledge of Hartford’s architectural treasures beyond Main Street, as we venture to the east of Main Street to appreciate the history along South Prospect beginning with the 1788 Amos Bull House, the Hartford Times Building, BPO Elks, and the Hartford Club, as well as to the west of Main Street, including Gold and Elm Streets.
Join us as we place and dedicate a Wintess Stone to commemorate the enslaved people who lived on our property. We welcome the students of The Woodhall School to share their experiences, along with our community partners and staff, as we uncovered this hidden story with The Witness Stones Project.
Join an easy 1.5-mile walking tour on the sidewalks of Hartford’s historic Main Street from the Butler-McCook House & Garden to the G. Fox Building to learn how the city has evolved through its significant structures: City Hall, the Wadsworth Atheneum, the Travelers Tower, the Old State House, Center Church and the Ancient Burying Ground.
Spend a Sunday afternoon with New York Times best-selling author Martha Hall Kelly as she shares tales from her latest novel, The Golden Doves. Hear a book talk from the author of Lilac Girls, Lost Roses, and Sunflower Sisters and take a special timed tour of the Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden, the property that inspired Martha Hall Kelly back in 2006.
Join us for a walking tour of the Hempstead Historic District, one of New London’s first African-American neighborhoods. Hear the stories of the people who lived in this neighborhood and explore how this diverse area evolved. The neighborhood grew up around the Joshua Hempsted House, built in 1678. Residents have included slaveholders, civic leaders, abolitionists, a Revolutionary War hero, and at least two enslaved people. Advance registration required.
