Farmington Historical Society

FHS Tour Promo 2024

https://youtu.be/gipdtuOQKYM?feature=shared

FHS Tour Promo 2024

Still time to check out this fun exhibit at the Unionville Museum: Bars, Taverns, and Spirits of Unionville. Running until July 27 on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 2 to 4 PM. Cheers!

Welcome to the Unionville Museum Website! Raise a glass to the past and present at our next exhibit which will feature historical artifacts photographs and memorabilia of Unionville's favorite past and present gathering spots. We'll tell the...

Here's a nice site that highlights many of the historic houses and buildings in Farmington, including Unionville. Check it out!

Farmington - Historic Buildings of Connecticut Unionville Museum (1917) The building at 15 School Street in the Unionville section of Farmington was erected in 1917 as the town’s West End Library. Designed by Edward Tilton of New York, it was one of the many Carnegie libraries built throughout the country from the later nineteenth through the ...

FHS wishes to thank long-time board member Joanne Lawson for her many years of dedication to our organization! Here she is at our recent annual meeting with a gift from us.

Renovations ahead for old Main Street barn…

Historic Barn To Get Major Makeover In Farmington The Farmington Town Council this month voted to waive project bidding rules to expedite a restoration of the crumbling structure.

Coming up: Farmington Cultural District Live Art Walk, Saturday, May 31, 12 PM to 4 PM

Join us for a vibrant celebration of art and community at the Live Art Walk! Throughout the day, artists of all ages and mediums will bring Farmington Village to life as they create stunning works of art live for all to see. Stroll along Main Street, explore the artistic process up close, and enjoy the creative energy of this unique event. FHS is hosting an artist at 138 Main Street!

What to Expect:
Live Art Stations: Watch talented artists as they draw, paint, sculpt, and create along the walk.
Family-Friendly Fun: A perfect outing for visitors of all ages to connect with the arts and create themselves
Local Charm: Discover the beauty of Farmington Village and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of our cultural community.

Event Details:
This event is free and open to the public.
Visitors can explore at their own pace between 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM.
In the event of rain, the event will be moved to Saturday June 7, 2025

Parking:
Visitors can park at Noah Wallace Elementary School - 2 School Street, St. Patrick’s Church - 110 Main Street, and on select side streets between Main Street and Garden Street. Please be mindful of signage and avoid blocking driveways or fire lanes.

Our very popular Freedom Trail tours resume in June! Please join us on most Saturdays this summer at 10 a.m. We meet at First Church of Christ, Congregational, 1652 at 75 Main Street, Farmington, CT. Dates are: June 7, 14, 21; July 12, 19, 26; August 2, 9, 16, 23; and September 6, 13, 27. Cost for the lecture and tour is $20 per person (19 and up), $15 for seniors, and $10 for those under 18. Free for children 5 years old and under. Tickets available online at https://bit.ly/4iD4qrK.

Farmington Historical Society has new headquarters!
Since 1997, we have been headquartered in the small “cottage” at 138 Main Street. We have long sought a larger home. This year finally brought success. In January 2025, FHS purchased 729 Farmington Avenue, in the center of Farmington –– a Tudor-style residence built in 1926 on five acres.

The house sits prominently on the corner above Farmington Avenue next to the Hill-Stead Museum property. It was designed by Heathcote M. Woolsey, a renowned New York architect and built by the R.G. Bent Company, which was one of the largest builders in Connecticut at the time. Initially, it was the residence of Mary Dunham (Barney) Carey and Hiram Bissell Carey. Mr. Carey was the President of the Collins Company and Mrs. Carey attended Miss Porter’s School and Yale University. Of note, FHS has already applied to officially add this historic architectural treasure to the Farmington Historic District.

Over the past seventy years, we have accumulated tens of thousands of items in our collections, including documents, photographs, books, pamphlets, correspondence, paintings, furniture, and other objects and ephemera. The new space at 729 Farmington Avenue will provide ample space to store and archive the collections and make them accessible to the public, as well as provide spaces for permanent and temporary exhibits, and programming. And, FHS hopes that one day the site may be used to reconstruct the Phinehas Lewis house, a home built by Judah Woodruff which FHS now holds in storage.

While FHS has raised more than $1 million from principal supporters and its Board of Directors, it continues to fundraise to help with improvements to the house and outbuildings, as well as for maintenance needs. Contributions may be made through the FHS web site at http://fhs-ct.org/.

A grand opening event is being planned for the fall. The public will be invited.

Join us for the April 2025 Bus Tour!
Way Back When: A Witness to History
Saturday, April 26, 2025, 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM

Visit sites in Barkhamsted, New Hartford, and Collinsville, each providing a fascinating peek into the lives of its residents in the late 1800s and early 1900s through interviews and diaries. Commentary on historic spots along the route will be offered in transit on this comfortable tour bus. A box lunch will be furnished in Barkhamsted between stops. Tickets are $50 per person and include the bus tour, a “goody bag” for the bus, lunch, and a pre-tour lecture (see below) on Thursday, April 24th at 7:00 pm. Reservations are required for the bus tour. Email [email protected] or call 860.841.8344 by April 10 to reserve. Lunch choice: tuna, turkey, or veggie wrap.

Pre-Tour Lecture: The Life of a Typical Farmer in the 1880s
Thursday, April 24, 2025, 7:00 PM
Canton Community Center, 40 Dyer Ave., Canton

Mike Day, author of 19th-century education topics and curator of the Barkhamsted Historical Society’s one-room schoolhouse, presents "The Life of a Typical Farmer in the 1880s." The presentation sets the stage for the first part of a four-part bus tour series, “Way Back When: A Witness to History,” on the following Saturday. The lecture is open to the public; admission is $5 per person for those not joining the April 26 bus tour, payable at the door.

Questions: [email protected] or 860.841.8344

Happy holidays to all! (Many thanks to the Farmington Garden Club for the lovely wreath gracing our Old Stone Schoolhouse.).