Join staff and guest speakers this summer for special talks exploring the history of the property. On August 2, site administrator Peg Shimer will lead a discussion about those who worked on the property by force or by choice. The talk will share stories about those who were enslaved and indentured to Reverend Bellamy and who were in service to the Ferriday family.
Experience the work of artist and art instructor Scott Rhoades. Raised in Coventry, Rhoades’ work has been published in several magazines and his school mural program was nationally recognized. He will receive a first-place prize from Marlborough Arts Center for the painting pictured above, which also won the 2024 Painting Award at the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts. Stop by on Sundays in August to visit Rhoades, who will be onsite working on his latest artwork and answering questions.
Experience the work of artist and art instructor Scott Rhoades. Raised in Coventry, Rhoades’ work has been published in several magazines and his school mural program was nationally recognized. He will receive a first-place prize from Marlborough Arts Center for the painting pictured above, which also won the 2024 Painting Award at the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts. Stop by on Sundays in August to visit Rhoades, who will be onsite working on his latest artwork and answering questions.
Join staff and guest speakers this summer for special talks exploring the history of the property. On August 9, discover more about Aaron Burr’s formative years in Litchfield County in partnership with the Litchfield Historical Society. Guests will learn more about Burr’s time spent at the Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden as a student of Reverend Bellamy and his time at the Litchfield Law School.
Step inside the museum to be transported to the 18th and 19th centuries and learn about the lives of those who built, lived in, and preserved the house. Understand the role of Connecticut in the American Revolution, examine colonial era trade and commercial exchange, consider land and real estate speculation and Indigenous people’s land rights, and observe the ways we display wealth and status in our homes. Stop into the visitor’s center for the Pastel Paintings exhibition by artist Gina Trusiewicz.
Bring a lawn chair and a picnic dinner while you enjoy music in the lovely setting of the Butler-McCook House & Garden. Plus, be sure to stay for a free tour of the house’s first floor! Audio tours are available via the IZI.Travel app for the historic garden. The Amos Bull and Butler-McCook Houses will also celebrate featured artist exhibitions. Concerts happen rain or shine. In case of inclement weather, the concert will move indoors to the Amos Bull Community Room.
Explore this beloved family home to learn about the booming industries and culture of Hartford in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, understand medical practice and public health at this time, and learn more about the Isham and Terry families through the items they owned.
Step away from the chaos of daily life and clear your mind at a drum circle facilitated by Kenny “Doc” Frazier. A drum circle encourages empowerment and success while inspiring creativity through rhythmic drum play. Participants are encouraged to bring their own drums. A limited number of drum pads will be available to borrow.
Join Daniel Newman, historical researcher and reenactor spanning 40 years, to experience the surgery of an 18th-century physician and learn about the latest medical techniques from England while discussing remedies and cures that would have been available during that time.
Visit the Butler-McCook House & Garden is the only 18th-century home remaining on Hartford’s Main Street for a guided tour to learn about the McCook family, who loved music, art, and travel through explorations of the museum’s collections which include paintings, Japanese samurai armor, furniture, and toys.
Bring a lawn chair and a picnic dinner while you enjoy music in the lovely setting of the Butler-McCook House & Garden. Plus, be sure to stay for a free tour of the house’s first floor! Audio tours are available via the IZI.Travel app for the historic garden. The Amos Bull and Butler-McCook Houses will also celebrate featured artist exhibitions. Concerts happen rain or shine. In case of inclement weather, the concert will move indoors to the Amos Bull Community Room.
Join Beverly Willnauer, a forty-plus year veteran in the reenactment community and member of the Nathan Hale Homestead, as she discusses and demonstrates a day in the life of an 18th-century midwife.
Join us for our second annual Pipes & Cider event, where the rich traditions of Scotland come alive! Enjoy barrel-aged cider and whiskey tastings from Yankee Cider Co. Coreyanne Armstrong and the Portland & District Pipers will perform a lively set, accompanied by a short trail walk around the beautiful Palmer-Warner grounds (weather permitting). Bring your friends and test your knowledge with a round of pub trivia. One of the three trivia categories will feature questions based on the historical fantasy television series, Outlander, which takes place in Scotland. Attendees are encouraged to dress in Outlander attire. Prizes will be awarded to the top two teams. Raise a glass, embrace the music, and celebrate the magic of Scotland!
Phelps-Hatheway House & Garden's 2025 artist in residence Gina Trusiewicz will give a brief presentation of the materials and processes involved in creating pastel paintings. Samples of pastel papers and pastel sticks will be displayed, and the concept of underpainting will be discussed. The artist’s paintings will be featured in the Visitor Center Gallery through October and available for purchase. Come meet Gina and learn more about this centuries-old technique that is prized for its brilliant and saturated colors. Tours of the museum will be offered at 2 pm and 3 pm with regular admission. Purchase tour tickets here.
Join staff for a journey through colonial New London. Visit sites that our diarist frequented, including those of Joshua Hempsted’s relatives, and view the Stonington Farm property from across the river. As we stop at local destinations on our way back to the Hempsted Houses, you will hear about Adam Jackson, who Joshua Hempsted enslaved on the property. Visitors will also learn about Jackson’s family, including his parents, Joan and John Jackson, and their three decade long court case to free their nine children.