Connecticut Travel

Once again on Saturday, September 28, The Torrington Historical Society is hosting a house tour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This house tour includes the following six houses that provide house tour participants with a variety of architectural styles. Tickets are available online and on the day of the tour. Check-in is at the NW CT Chamber of Commerce located on 333 Kennedy Drive in Torrington. For online tickets https://www.torringtonhousetour.org/touroverview.html.

William Shotola House, 1947
This attractive house in a well-preserved north end neighborhood was built just after WWII for William Shotola, the assistant sales manager for the Torrington Company. It was constructed in the colonial revival style and is unique for the use of clinker brick on the exterior. The home is beautifully decorated with a mix of antique and contemporary furnishings and creative paint colors.

Lorrain Thrall house, ca. 1825
This Greek Revival style farmhouse was built around 1825 by Lorrain Thrall, a successful farmer. The exterior is high style and very well preserved. Over time, the home underwent renovations and additions but the house still has much of its early 19th-century character as evidenced by the original wide board flooring and distinctive wood moldings. It is exceptionally well furnished and decorated.

F.L. Dougal House, ca. 1914
This architect-designed colonial revival home was built in 1914 for F.L. Dougal who was a foreman at the Coe Brass Branch of American Brass. The home has been meticulously restored on the outside retains many of the original interior features including oak woodwork, original chandeliers, butler’s pantry and built-in dining room cupboard.

Homer Thrall House, ca. 1902
This well-preserved historic home in the Wilson Ave neighborhood was built around 1902 for Homer Thrall an employee of the Excelsior Needle Company. This house is architecturally classified as an American Four Square. The house retains its original character outside and inside. The spacious interior features original oak woodwork, hardwood floors, and an impressive fireplace mantel.

William J. Allison House, 1957
A post-WWII boom in new, single-family housing led to the creation of Torcon Drive in the mid-1950s. William J. Allison, a machine operator at the Torrington Company, is listed as the first owner of this house in 1957. His daughter Shirley lived here until 2015. The home has hardwood floors and is furnished in a stylish mid-century modern aesthetic well suited to contemporary tastes.

Doolittle House, ca. 1850
Returning by popular demand from our first house tour, this mid 19th century home is a real gem. The house was constructed in the Greek Revival Style. The current owners have restored the 1850 house with its original moldings and wide floorboards. A new kitchen was created within the historic home and a great room addition was added. The home blends historic preservation with new construction.

The Stamford Art Association will present the “39th Faber Birren Color Award Exhibit” at its Townhouse Gallery, 39 Franklin Street, Stamford CT September 22 through October 24, 2019, and the opening reception will take place on Sunday, September 22 from 4-6 pm.

This amazing show will highlight the work of 45 national artists that will present their interpretations of color in this juried multimedia art exhibit. The exhibit honors Faber Birren, world-renowned color theorist and former Stamford, CT resident. He wrote extensively on color and published 40 books and over 250 articles on the subject. This competition is the only artistic event devoted exclusively to the use of color.

In 1980 Faber Birren endowed the Stamford Art Association with $1000 to create a juried exhibit for an original and creative expression of color. $2000 in cash awards will be presented at the opening reception. Some of the prize money has been donated by the family of Faber Birren and family and friends in memory of Diane Etienne Faxon, a founding member of the Stamford Art Association, who worked with Faber Birren to start the exhibitions.

The juror for this exhibit is Dr. Meridith A. Brown, Senior Curatorial Research Associate in the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where she organizes exhibitions of contemporary art.

The Glass House in New Canaan is inviting guests to a program curated by architect Craig Dykers of Snøhetta, architecture critic Paul Goldberger, and historian John Maciuika for a conversation about preservation, living buildings, and the public realm, including Snøhetta‘s revitalization of the Philip Johnson-designed 550 Madison tower and public spaces in New York. There will be a self-guided tour of the Glass House Site from 5:30 – 6:30 pm, followed by a lecture from 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm and a reception from 7:30 pm – 8 pm.

As one of the Founding Partners of Snøhetta, Craig Dykers has led many of Snøhetta’s prominent projects internationally, including the Alexandria Library in Egypt, the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet in Oslo, Norway, the National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion in New York City, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Expansion in California, and Calgary’s new Central Library in Canada. Recently, Craig has led the design of the new pedestrian plazas in Times Square and The French Laundry Kitchen Expansion and Garden Renovation in Yountville.

Dykers’ work has led to numerous international awards, including the Mies van der Rohe European Union Prize of Architecture, two World Architecture Awards, and the Aga Kahn Award for Architecture. He is a Recipient of the Texas Medal of Arts Award for Architecture, the Grosch Medal in Norway, and the AIA Gold Medal for the National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion.

Paul Goldberger, a contributing editor at Vanity Fair, spent fifteen years as the architecture critic for The New Yorker and began his career at the New York Times, where he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism for his writing on architecture. Goldberger is the author of many books, most recently Building Art: The Life and Work of Frank Gehry, Why Architecture Matters, Building Up and Tearing Down: Reflections on the Age of Architecture, and Up From Zero. Goldberger is also completing a new book on the architecture of American baseball parks to be published next year. He is also the chairman of the Advisory Council of the Glass House and the Joseph Urban Professor of Design and Architecture at the New School.

John V. Maciuika specializes in the history of modern architecture and design. He teaches courses in the history of art, architecture, urbanism, the decorative arts, and design at the City University of New York’s Baruch College and at the CUNY Graduate Center. His research interests include the relationship between architecture and cultural identity; shifting narratives of the “modern” over time in architecture and design; the sociology of the design professions; and the cultural politics of architecture in particular national settings.

On Sunday, September 15, 2019, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum will hold its 12th annual Old-fashioned Flea Market.
The event will offer flea market enthusiasts some of the best deals in Connecticut and an opportunity to hunt, bargain, and buy at more than 70 booths selling antiques, repurposed furniture, collectibles, jewelry, crafts, household items, clothing, toys, and specialty farm-to-table items. The Mansion will manage a White Elephant table, highlighting items generously donated by supporters and offered to the public for as little as $1.

Trendy food trucks will include Cousins Maine Lobster, recently featured on Shark Tank; The Chamo, serving outstanding Venezuelan beach cuisine; and Lucky Dog Food Truck featuring specialty hot dogs, while a classic and antique car show featuring the Connecticut Seaport Car Club will entertain shoppers of all ages.

The event will be chaired by LMMM Volunteer and antique dealer Steve Balser who has been a Flea Market vendor for the past 20 years. Mr. Balzer said, “The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum annual Flea Market continues to attract visitors from all over Connecticut and beyond. A wide variety of dealers from New England and New York display their antiques, crafts, special edibles, and other treasures. Everyone is bound to find something that makes their day!” The Museum will be open for $5 mini-tours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Museum Shop will be open for business and feature new merchandise and a broad selection of gift ideas including fabric totes, monogrammed dishtowels, designer jewelry, elegant scarves, books, and other museum-centered accessories.
All proceeds will benefit the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum. The Museum has donated several booths to area nonprofits who will share their message and mission with attendees.

Vendor spaces are 10×16 ft. and cost $75 per space. Food vendor booths are $150. Deadline is September 1. Vendors wishing to reserve a space or purchase an ad in the program booklet distributed to all visitors should email info@lockwoodmathewsmansion.com or call 203-838-9799 ext. 4.

The Museum’s 2019 Season is made possible in part by generous funding from LMMM’s Founding Patrons: The Estate of Mrs. Cynthia Clark Brown and the Museum’s Distinguished Benefactors: City of Norwalk and The Maurice Goodman Foundation.

The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum is a National Historic Landmark. For more information on schedules and programs please visit http://www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.com, e-mail info@lockwoodmathewsmansion.com, or call 203-838-9799.

Everyone likes a freebie and this fall courtesy of the Smithsonian Magazine’s Museum Day and a collection of Western Connecticut Museums in Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County, visitors, no matter where they are from will get in free with a ticket from the Smithsonian. Museum Day celebrates our boundless curiosity and the wonderful museums across the country, many of them in Connecticut. On September 21, Museum Day participating museums allow visitors with a special Smithsonian Pass in for FREE! The Museum Day pass is easy to get online and provides free admission for two people on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019. To get your ticket click here https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/search/?q=. All you have to do is check the Connecticut box for a list of participating museums and print out your tickets.

Participating Museums

American Clock & Watch Museum
100 Maple Street, Bristol, CT 06010
860-583-6070
10 am – 5 pm
Get a ticket click here https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-2019/american-clock-watch-museum/tickets/

Step back in time with a visit to the American Clock & Watch Museum in the world-renowned clock making city of Bristol, Connecticut. The Museum houses one of the largest collections of American clocks and watches in the world with approximately 6,000 timepieces in its collection. As visitors travel through the museum’s eight galleries, many timekeeping devices chime and strike upon the hour. Located in the historic “Federal Hill” district of Bristol, the museum is housed in an 1801 Federal-style home with a sundial garden that is beautifully maintained by the members of the Bristol Garden Club.

Danbury Museum and Historical Society
43 Main Street, Danbury, CT 06819
203-743-5200.
10 am – 3 pm.
Get a ticket click here https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-2019/danbury-museum-and-historical-society-authority/tickets/

Enjoy a free tour of these historic buildings located in the heart of Danbury during Smithsonian Museum Day from 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. Visit the John & Mary Rider House (c.1785), the John Dodd Hat Shop (c. 1790), The Marian Anderson Studio and The Little Red Schoolhouse. The Danbury Museum and Historical Society Authority acquires, preserves, exhibits, interprets Danbury’s past. Situated in downtown Danbury, the museum preserves the John and Mary Rider House (c. 1785), the Dodd Hat Shop (c. 1790), the Marian Anderson Studio, the Old Kingstreet Schoolhouse, the Little Red Schoolhouse, and the Charles Ives Birthplace. Huntington Hall, a modern exhibit building, contains the museum offices and a research library.

Danbury Railroad Museum
120 White Street, Danbury, CT 06810
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
203-778-8337
Get a ticket click here https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-2019/danbury-railway-museum/tickets/
The Danbury Railroad Museum located in the historic station and rail yard in downtown Danbury, Connecticut, offers railroad history, tours, train rides, a collection of original and restored rolling stock, and opportunities for hands-on railroad work at “12 inches to the foot” scale.

EverWonder Children’s Museum
31 Pecks Lane, Newtown, CT 06470
11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
203-364-4009
Get a ticket click here. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-2019/everwonder-childrens-museum/tickets/

Explore the beauty and wonder of science through hands-on experimentation at one of Connecticut’s newest museums for children. Many of EverWonder’s permanent exhibits were developed by the Sciencenter of Ithaca, New York, and the Rochester Museum & Science Center, Rochester, New York, with funding from the National Science Foundation and engage and educate children in creative play.

Fairfield University Art Museum
1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield, CT. 06824
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Get your ticket here https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-2019/fairfield-university-art-museum-D7D/tickets/
The Fairfield University Art Museum (FUAM) is a dynamic space for engagement with the visual arts on the campus of Fairfield University. In its Bellarmine Hall Galleries, FUAM presents its small but choice permanent collection of European and American paintings, drawings, prints, and photographs, as well as Asian, African and Pre-Columbian objects. Objects on long-term loan include antiquities and medieval pieces from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Penn Museum, the Worcester Art Museum, and the American Numismatic Society; Asian art on loan from the Columbia University Collection; and European paintings and objects borrowed from private collections. FUAM presents special exhibitions showcasing works of art in all media from a broad swathe of time periods and world cultures, ancient to contemporary, in both the Bellarmine Hall Galleries and the Walsh Gallery in the Quick Center for the Arts

Imagine Nation, A Museum Early Learning Center
One Pleasant Street, Bristol, 06010
Fall Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 9:30am-5pm
Get a ticket click here https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-2019/imagine-nation-a-museum-early-learning-center/tickets/

Imagine Nation, A Museum Early Learning Center is a hands-on, interactive children’s museum designed for ages 2 to 8, and an innovative NAEYC accredited, Reggio-Emilia inspired Preschool Program. On a daily basis, 126 children attend our preschool, while children and families from across Connecticut and beyond visit to explore three levels that feature 12 interactive Museum Studios with a weekly schedule of STEAM-based initiatives and educational workshops.

The Glebe House Museum & Gertrude Jekyll Garden
49 Hollow Road
Woodbury, CT 06798
1 pm – 4 pm
Get a ticket click here https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-2019/glebe-house-museum-gertrude-jekyll-garden/tickets/
Hours for September 21st: 12-4 pm
Glebe House will be open with free tours of the main floor of the museum. Costumed docents will be on hand to answer questions. The Glebe House is one of the earliest historic house museums in the nation. Its architecture, outstanding regional furniture collection, and Gertrude Jekyll Garden combine to create one of the most authentic house museums in Connecticut. Through tours, educational programs, and special events, The Glebe House Museum & Gertrude Jekyll Garden continues to give visitors a sense of what life was like in the 18th century.

Institute for American Indian Studies
38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT 06793
860-868-0518
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
To get your ticket click here https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-2019/institute-for-american-indian-studies/tickets/

Located on 15 woodland acres the IAIS preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs. They have an outdoor replicated 16th c. Algonkian Village and an award-winning Wigwam Escape Room. The Museum has temporary and permanent displays of authentic artifacts from prehistory to the present that allows visitors to foster a new understanding of the world, the history, and culture of Native Americans. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut.

Kids Play Children’s Museum
61 Main St., Torrington, CT 06790
860-618-7700
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Click for tickets here https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-2019/kidsplay-childrens-museum/tickets/
KidsPlay Museum is a place where children learn through hands-on and multi-sensory activities and is geared toward children ages one to ten. We offer exciting programs in areas including science, arts, and literacy with the goal to spark curiosity and encourage learning.

Litchfield Historical Society & Tapping Reeve Litchfield Law School
7 South Street, Litchfield, CT 06759
860-567-4501
11am – 5 pm
For tickets click here https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-2019/litchfield-historical-society/tickets/
The Litchfield History Museum exhibits the evolution of the town of Litchfield, CT from its settlement in 1719 to today. Through changing exhibits, artifacts and archives, as well as hands-on areas, visitors can explore the diverse history of the town. Litchfield was a bustling commercial, political, and educational center and is a case study for the evolution of New England towns following the Revolutionary War. The town’s history includes that of the center village, Bantam, East Litchfield, Milton, Northfield, and pre-1850s Morris. Tapping Reeve is the first Law School in America opened in 1784.

Lockwood Mathews Mansion Museum
295 West Ave., Norwalk, CT 06850
203-838-9799
12 noon to 4 p.m.
Click to get your ticket here https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-2019/lockwood-mathews-mansion-museum/tickets/
The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum is regarded as the earliest and most significant second Empire Style country house in the United States. Built during the Civil War era as a summer residence for renowned financier LeGrand Lockwood and his wife Ann Louisa, the Mansion, with its unparalleled architecture and interiors, illustrates magnificently the splendor of the Victorian Era. The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum is both a National Historic Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places.

New Canaan Museum and Historical Society
13 Oenoke Ridge Rd., New Canaan, CT 06840
203-966-1776
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
For tickets click here https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-2019/new-canaan-museum-historical-society/tickets/
The New Canaan Museum & Historical Society has 5 museums on its campus at 13 Oenoke Ridge: The Cody Pharmacy, an early drug store; the Rogers Studio, the former studio of the sculptor John Rogers, which is a National Landmark; the 1764 Hanford-Silliman House, which includes a period Tavern; the 1799 Rock School; and the Tool Museum of building and agricultural tools. On exhibit is Shoes, an exhibition of more than 200 pairs of shoes from 1750-1930, all curated from the Society’s permanent collection, along with information on the shoe industry in New Canaan. There is also a permanent exhibition of the paintings of New Canaan resident Augusta Simon.

The Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art
258 Main St., Ridgefield, CT 06877
203-438-4519
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Click to get your tickets here https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-2019/the-aldrich-contemporary-art-museum/tickets/
Photo: Jason Mandella.
Founded by Larry Aldrich in 1964, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum is dedicated to fostering the work of innovative artists whose interpretations of the world around us serve as a platform to encourage creative thinking. The Aldrich is one of the few independent, non-collecting contemporary art museums in the United States and the only museum in Connecticut devoted to contemporary art, and engages its diverse audiences with thought-provoking, interdisciplinary exhibitions, and programs.

The New England Carousel Museum
95 Riverside Ave., Bristol, CT 06010
860-585-5411
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Click to get your tickets here https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-2019/the-new-england-carousel-museum/tickets/
This amazing one of a kind museum collection includes carousel ephemera plus vintage firefighting gear, Greek art & indoor working carousel. The New England Carousel Museum is dedicated to the acquisition, restoration, and preservation of operating carousels and carousel memorabilia and the creation of new carousel material, for the education and pleasure of the general public.

This is an excellent way to explore the cultural heritage and history of Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County this fall courtesy of the participating museums and institutions and the Smithsonian.