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.
Upcoming Events
A Connecticut Curator in the President’s House: Susan Schoelwer Presentation September 20
In 2010, Susan P. Schoelwer, former curator at the Connecticut Historical Society, departed New England for Mount Vernon. Much like Twain’s Connecticut Yankee, she quickly learned that things were vastly different there.On Thursday, September 20, 2018, at 6:30 p.m., Schoelwer will regale an audience with, “Mount Vernon: A Connecticut Curator in the President’s House,” at the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum (WDS). The free event in the Webb Barn will be preceded by a wine reception, by donation, at 6 p.m. View more…
The Wethersfield War: Hunger, Rumor, and the Cost of Battles Fought
Walter Woodward Presentation at WDS
On Thursday, September 27, 2018, at 6:30 p.m., join the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum to see why scholars believe recent discoveries on the grounds of the museum may be among the most important archaeological finds in Connecticut. The free event in the Webb Barn will be preceded by a wine reception, by donation, at 6 p.m.
Thomas Jefferson to Pay a Visit to WDS
From PBS to Comedy Central, whenever Bill Barker takes the stage the crowd is justifiably astonished at his resemblance to Thomas Jefferson. On Thursday, October 11, 2018, at 6:30 p.m., Barker will don his nattiest 19th-century attire and bring the nation’s third president to life in the Webb Barn at Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum (WDS). The free event, “A Conversation with Mr. Jefferson,” will be preceded by a wine reception, by donation, at 6 p.m. More details…
Bone-Chilling Yet Historically Accurate: Witches & Tombstones Tours Oct. 27 & 28
Bone-chilling, yet historically accurate, Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum’s Witches and Tombstones Tours will be held Saturday and Sunday, October 27 and 28. $18 per person. These 90-minute, timed tours leave every 45 minutes starting at 10 a.m. Advance tickets go on sale September 25 and may be purchased here.
*Please note – Witches and Tombstones Tours include walking on uneven ground and the use of stairs and are not appropriate for children under 12.
New at the Museum
New Tiny Treasures at WDS in 2018
Those with a passion for a rare find and an eye for exquisite detail are invited to view what’s new in the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum (WDS) collection as the 2018 season begins. WDS Executive Director Charles Lyle points out several tiny treasures, and a couple of restored favorites, recently added throughout the museum’s three historic homes. From portraits to porcelain, the new acquisitions hail … [Read More...]
