Committed to preserving the artifacts and archives of the town, as well as the country’s first law school.
Litchfield Historical Society
7 South St., Litchfield
860-567-4501
Instagram: @litchfieldhistory
Committed to preserving the artifacts and archives of the town, as well as the country’s first law school.
Litchfield Historical Society
7 South St., Litchfield
860-567-4501
Instagram: @litchfieldhistory
The Jabez Bacon House is an architecturally significant three-story Georgian house built circa 1760 for the man reputed to be Connecticut’s first millionaire. Acknowledged as one of the finest 18th century houses in Connecticut, the Jabez Bacon house combines an extraordinary level of fine workmanship with well-preserved and uniquely beautiful features in superb original condition. Jabez Bacon was a self-made merchant who bought the property in Woodbury in 1758 at the age of 28. He was a partner in the Derby Fishing Company, which owned ships and traded along the eastern seaboard. Bacon had a store, now a private home next door, and was said to have sold supplies to the yankee peddlers for all of western Connecticut and into New York and Massachusetts.
Jabez Bacon House
30 Hollow Rd, Woodbury
Set in historic Woodbury’s village center, the Glebe House Museum offers the visitor a glimpse of Revolutionary War era Connecticut. The simple but elegant 18th century farmhouse is furnished as the home of the Reverend John Marshall, who lived in here during the American war for Independence. In 1926, famed English horticultural designer and writer, Gertrude Jekyll was commissioned to plan an “old fashioned” garden to enhance the newly created museum. The Glebe House garden includes 600 feet of classic English style mixed border and foundation plantings, a planted stone terrace, and an intimate rose allée.
49 Hollow Road, Woodbury
203-263-2855
glebehousemuseum.org
Founded in 1882, the Winsted Hosiery Company was a small manufacturer of men’s hosiery. By 1936 it had grown to become the largest hosiery manufacturer in Connecticut. The company’s red-brick industrial complex exemplifies the Italianate and Renaissance Revival design influences on manufacturing facilities around the turn of the century. Most of the mill buildings in the Winsted Hosiery complex retain a high degree of architectural integrity.
Winsted Hosiery Mill
101 Whiting St, Winsted
888-831-2107
Completed in 1890, Soldiers’ Monument was erected as a memorial to the men of the surrounding communities who served in the Civil War. The monument is on a crest of Camp Hill on Crown Street overlooking Winsted’s downtown Main Street. During World War II, the monument served as a watchtower for aerial activity to provide early warning protection for our state and nation. Today, the Monument and Memorial grounds continue to serve as a reminder of the sacrifices made by all citizens for freedom and provide a location for reflection and rest.
Crown St, Winsted
Gideon Hollister, a leading early resident of Washington, built this house about 1765 for his son Preston. In addition to farming, the enterprising Gideon operated a sawmill, a trading post, and a potash works; he also held civic and military posts. Succeeding generations of Hollisters occupied the house until the middle of the 20th century and continued to be important in Washington. Open fields, barns and other outbuildings on the property bear witness to the homesteads ongoing use as a farm. In the latter part of the 20th century, the house became, like many other Litchfield County farmsteads, a weekend home.
Because Washington was still remote in the mid-18th century, the house’s architecture is simple. Its saltbox form is uncommon in the region (only three exist today in Washington), and the finishes are plain. Later additions maintained this overall simplicity. Although it is not old enough to contribute to the homestead’s historic significance, the garden is noteworthy. The gardens were begun in 1979 by George Schoellkopf and planned to compliment the old house and the surrounding landscape. The garden unfolds in a successive series of “rooms” bordered by walls and hedges which create an architectural framework for the romantic abundance of the plantings. The garden is open to the public late April to mid-October.
300 Nettleton Hollow Road, Washington
860-868-2200
hollisterhousegarden.org
Instagram: @hollisterhousegarden
The iconic theater presents dance performances by The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, movie showings, Metropolitan Opera performance simulcasts, stage company performances, and special events.
Warner Theatre
68 Main St, Torrington
860-489-7180
Built by the Hotchkiss Brothers Company in 1900, this queen Anne-style Victorian house features elaborate woodwork, stenciled walls, original furnishings and a decorative art collection. The museum highlights local history and the carriage house features a working machine shop. Upon completion of the home in 1900, the Fylers and Hotchkisses quickly settled in. The residence remained in the family until the last occupant, Gertrude Fyler Hotchkiss, died in 1956. In her will, Mrs. Hotchkiss bequeathed her estate to the Torrington Historical Society. This extraordinary gift included the Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum and grounds, the adjacent house (now the history museum), and the Carriage House.
Hotchkiss Fyler House Museum
192 Main St, Torrington
860-482-8260
The Gay-Hoyt House, built in 1775, is considered a typical example of a Yankee village home of the better kind, built of brick rather than wood, with its central hall, end chimneys, conventional fenestration and room plan. The use of brick in Connecticut was never very common. The front and south walls are laid in Flemish bond, and the north and rear are so-called American. So strong was the Yankee tradition that instead of running the end walls above the gable end, as in Dutch houses, the overhanging sloping gable was preferred. The fine points are the interesting treatment of the window heads, the simple light over the front door with a slight arching of the brickwork above. The stringcourse was added to break the monotony of the wall surface and to mark the stories. The front porch is an addition, built a few years later than the house.
18 Main St, Sharon
860-364-5688
Originally serving as a 19th century Iron making complex, Mine Hill Preserve is now maintained by the Roxbury Land Trust and includes 360 acres of hiking trails, a restored blast furnace, roasting ovens, granite quarries, abandoned mine shafts, and a stone bridge.
Mine Hill Preserve
32 Mine Hill Rd, Roxbury
860-350-4148
