Joseph Webb House
The 1752 Joseph Webb House is where George Washington and French General Rochambeau met in May 1781 to plan the campaign which led several months later to the final battle of the Revolutionary War and the defeat of the British in Yorktown, Virginia. The Webb House was later owned by photographer and antiquarian Wallace Nutting. Read more.
Silas Deane House
The Silas Deane House, circa 1770, was built for America’s Revolutionary War diplomat to France as both his residence and as a power base for his political aspirations. The Deane House features an excellent collection of mid-to-late 18th century furniture made in Connecticut. The kitchen and second floor chamber in the rear interpret the life of slaves in this period. Read more.
Isaac Stevens House
The Isaac Stevens House depicts the life of a middle class family in the 1820s and 30s, with many original family possessions and a fascinating period toy exhibit. The interiors have recently been reinterpreted with the installation of reproduction block-printed wallpapers, which had become affordable and were very popular in middle class households at the time. Read more.
Buttolph-Williams House
Within easy walking distance is the Buttolph-Williams House. Owned by Connecticut Landmarks and managed by the Museum, it captures the spirit of Puritan life in New England in the 17th century and is the setting for the Newberry Award-Winning novel The Witch of Blackbird Pond (1958) by Elizabeth George Speare. Read more.
Current Exhibit
‘Wallace Nutting: Preservation Pioneer’ Exhibition is a Centennial Celebration
Among the “ten commandments” Wallace Nutting distributed to workers building his line of furniture was the decree: ‘Let nothing leave your hands until you are proud of the work.” Nutting’s attention to detail and groundbreaking accomplishments in promoting American history and antiques are celebrated in the exhibition, “Wallace Nutting: Preservation Pioneer,” 100 years after Nutting opened the historic Joseph Webb House to the public for the first time. Held in collaboration with The Wallace Nutting Collector’s Club, the exhibition is made possible with financial support from Connecticut Humanities, and will run through October 30, 2016. Admission to the exhibit is $8.
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News & Events
Wallace Nutting Weekend– Sept. 22-24: Lecture, Auction and Conference in Wethersfield
The public is invited to a special Wallace Nutting Weekend in Wethersfield, September 22 -24, 2016, in conjunction with the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum exhibition: “Wallace Nutting: Preservation Pioneer,” which commemorates the 100th anniversary of Nutting’s opening of the historic Joseph Webb House to the public. Hosted by the Wallace Nutting Collectors Club, the weekend includes the group’s fall conference, including a lecture, auction, marketplace and presentations. Admission to all Wallace Nutting Weekend events is free. Tours of the Nutting exhibition at the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum are $8. The exhibition is made possible with financial support from Connecticut Humanities, and will run through October 30, 2016.
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Wallace Nutting Experts to Lecture at WDS
Historian Bill Hosley and Wallace Nutting expert Michael Ivankovich will share their insights on Wallace Stevens this fall during two free presentations at the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum. On Thursday, September 22, at 6:30 p.m. Ivankovich will present: “Wallace Nutting Overview: 1861-1941.” On Thursday, October 13, at 6:30 p.m., Hosley will discuss “Wallace Nutting’s Crusade for the Colonial Past.” Both events will be held in the Webb Barn and be preceded by a wine reception, by donation, at 6 p.m.
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New ‘Digging Deeper’ Tour Examines Revolutionary Soldier’s Life
Seconds after the nine-pound musket is raised to Anthony Riccio’s shoulder onlookers are momentarily riveted by a brilliant flash, billowing smoke and a resounding blast. As the scent of gunpowder clears, a connection with the past is made; the sense of living history is complete. Riccio’s 18th-century musket demonstration serves as the finale of the new “Revolutionary Soldier” Digging Deeper Tour at the Webb-Deane-Stevens (WDS) Museum. Offering an in-depth view of the life of a typical Continental soldier, upcoming tour dates for “A Soldier’s Life” are September 10 and November 12 at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Admission is $15 per person. Space is limited and advance-ticket purchase is recommended.
“Textile Treasures” Digging Deeper Tour
When textile and costume expert Lynne Bassett was invited to consult on a new textile tour at the Webb-Deane-Stevens (WDS) Museum, she was genuinely surprised at the quality of the collection. There, among the brilliantly colored and richly detailed clothing, shoes, and linens dating from the 1690s to mid-1800s, lay several Sarah Noyes Chester crewelwork pieces. To put that into perspective, Chester’s crewelwork bed cover, part of the same set, is at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. For the first time, the public can get a behind-the-scenes view of this historic and remarkably well-preserved collection during the WDS “Textile Treasures” Digging Deeper Tour, on October 8, at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Admission is $15 per person. Space is limited and advance-ticket purchase is recommended.
Witches and Tombstones Tour
The Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum will offer an up-close and creepy examination of all things macabre during their annual Witches and Tombstones Tours on Saturday and Sunday, October 22 and 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission for the 90-minute tour is $15 per person. Space is limited and advance tickets may be purchased below. *Please note – Witches and Tombstones Tours include walking on uneven ground and the use of stairs.
