CT Historic Garden's Day

Stanley-Whitman House is one of fifteen distinctive historic sites and gardens in Connecticut that will be offering tours as part of Connecticut Historic Gardens Day, Sunday, June 25th from 12 - 4 pm.

The Museum will be offering free historic garden tours in its "Museum Without Walls" which include its dooryard garden, hops and dye garden, and early settlers garden.

Our garden guides will talk about the utilitarian, culinary, and medicinal uses of plants grown in our 17th Century inspired Early Settlers and Hops and Dye Gardens and in our 18th Century inspired Dooryard Garden by pointing out the plants that colonists brought over with them from the Old World and those that they were introduced to by Indigenous peoples.

Dooryard gardens were areas of active seasonal work, such as laundry, soap- and candle-making, butchering, and dying. Far from formal beautiful spaces, these garden areas served functions that were messy, smelly, and often crowded with people, animals, and equipment.

What visitors experience at Stanley-Whitman House on June 25 will provide an interesting juxtaposition to historic gardens of later periods, which were primarily places of beauty and contemplation.

Reservations are needed and can be made online.

At Stanley Whitman House, our commitment to accessibility is paramount. While not all of our programs are free, we strive to offer as many as possible at no cost, thanks to the generous support of our underwriters. If you wish to assist us in this mission, we welcome donations, which help us to expand further and diversify our range of activities. Your contributions play a crucial role in maintaining and increasing the accessibility of our programs.

In 1935, Stanley-Whitman House was established as Farmington's first museum. It is a nationally recognized historic house museum and living history center that teaches through the collection, preservation, research, and dynamic interpretation of the history and culture of early Farmington, Connecticut. Programs, events, classes, and exhibits encourage visitors of all ages to immerse themselves in history by doing, acting, questioning, and engaging in colonial life and the ideas that formed the foundation of that culture.

Located in the historic village of Farmington, the museum facility centers on a circa 1720 National Historic Landmark house furnished with period antiques to reflect the everyday activities of Colonial life in Connecticut. Surrounding the house are period-raised bed gardens, an apple orchard, and heritage stone walls.

The public service areas of the museum, constructed in 2004, include a modern classroom, a period tavern room, a post-and-beam Welcome Center, a research library, an exhibit gallery, the Nancy Conklin History Gallery, and a collection storage area.

In addition to managing Memento Mori, Farmington’s ancient cemetery on Main Street, and the Village Green, located at the intersection of Routes 4 and 10, the museum also oversees the Scott Swamp Cemetery on Route 6. The Stanley-Whitman House is supported in part by the Farmington Village Green and Library Association.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Stanley-Whitman House, 37 High Street, Farmington, United States