Owned and operated by the Farmington Historical Society, the Old Stone Schoolhouse is a single-room schoolhouse attended by students between the years 1790 and 1872. It was later used as a community center and chapel until 1956. The building is open for tours on Sundays during July and August, and it holds the annual Scarecrow Contest and Fall Festival every fall.
The New Britain Youth Museum is a non-profit educational facility with animal exhibits and nature to explore all around. Natural science programs and classes for children are held throughout the school year. A number of special events for the public are also held all year. Inside, animals, such as ferrets, exotic birds, snakes, fish and more, are exhibited. Outside, you will find the barnyard animals, such as goats, ducks, geese, wild turkeys, chickens and owls. Some of the animals were rescued and need rehabilitation. The museum is open to the public, and you are able to take self-guided tours around the museum and nature trail.
The Old Newgate Prison Museum is the site of Connecticut's first prison, which was built from the remains of an 18th-century copper mine. Copper was first discovered on the site in 1705 and was one of the few commercial mines in the British colonies until it was abandoned in the 1750s. The Old Newgate Prison opened its doors on December 2, 1773, for male prisoners. The first female prisoners of Old Newgate were incarcerated in 1824. Just three years later, in 1827, the prison was shut down due in part to the high cost of operation, but also because of inhumane practices. Today the guardhouse is the only building that is intact; the remains of the other buildings can be seen over the prison's 12-foot walls.
If you are planning a visit as a large group or a school trip, please send an email to [email protected] or [email protected] to schedule your visit. Discounts are available.
The Westport Astronomical Society is an astronomy club that was founded in 1975 to rebuild and maintain the Rolnick Observatory. The group has more than one hundred members, many of whom are teachers, astronomers, researchers and technicians. For additional information about the group, including a schedule of meetings, visit the Westport Astronomical Society Web site.
The Noah Webster House museum is located in the historic house where Noah Webster was born in 1758 and lived as a child. Noah Webster created the first American dictionary and the Blue-Backed Speller, a widely used schoolbook for American children. The Noah Webster Foundation restored Webster's home and opened it as a museum in the late 1960s. About 10,000 schoolchildren and thousands of others visit the museum every year. Workshops, summer camps and a history club are just a few of the activities sponsored by the museum, which is also available for rent for private events. In addition to the museum, the site is the home of the West Hartford Historical Society.
The Philip Johnson Glass House, which is a National Trust Historic Site, is located on a 47-acre campus. It aims to preserve and interpret the landscape, art and modern architecture of Philip Johnson (1906 – 2005) and David Whitney (1939 – 2005), while also serving as a source for experimentation and inspiration.
Tours of the Glass House are open to the public from May 2nd through November 30th, 2012 (closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays). Advanced tickets are available by phone at the number provided. Children must be at least six years of age and accompanied by an adult on the tour. Admission discounts are offered to members of the National Trust for Historic Preservation who presents membership cards upon check-in at the Visitor Center.
The American Historical Society Museum is comprised of a Living Museum, the Pine Grove School, the History Room located at the Avon Public Library and the Derrin House currently under restoration. The Living Museum was originally a schoolhouse that opened in 1823 and used until 1938. Local citizens worked to save it from demolition in 1981 and helped to dismantle and restore the structure where it is currently located on East Main Street next to the Avon Public Library. The Pine Grove School is located along Route 167 at the corner of Harris and West Avon Road. The structure represents an early 20th century schoolhouse.
The Waveny House is a historic Tudor mansion located in Waveny Town Park, managed by the New Canaan Recreation Department. The expansive, beautiful grounds are often host to weddings and special events. Rental rates and information can be found at the provided Web site.
Come to the Salmon Brook Historical Society to find out about Granby's history. The historical society has a research library containing information about many families of Granby and is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 9am to noon. It also features houses built more than 200 years ago, which are now used as museums for the public. These homes have antique artifacts dated back to the 18th century, which are also featured in the gift shop, and are open for tours every Sunday from mid-May through mid-October. Call ahead to arrange tours for large groups. The society also offers a work day for volunteers every Thursday morning.
With a history dating back to 1922, the Silvermine Arts Center offers art classes, workshops and features approximately 20 exhibits throughout the year. Classes include ceramics, sculpture, photography, new media, painting, drawing and jewelry making.
The West Hartford Historical Society is located within the Noah Webster House on South Main Street. It is "dedicated to telling and preserving all the stories that make West Hartford the diverse community that it is today." It has changing exhibits and special events that document the evolution of West Hartford from a colonial parish to a modern suburb. The museum includes the historic house, the Jodik Education Center, two exhibition galleries, a visitor reception center and the Hamilton Gallery.
