Historical Society Annual House & Garden Tour On Saturday

Newtown Historical Society’s 15th Annual House and Garden Tour will be presented this weekend.

On Saturday, July 17, from 11 am to 5 pm, eight properties that reflect Newtown’s diverse history will be open for visits by ticketholders. Three homes from the 1700s will include The Matthew Curtiss House Museum with costumed docents, and the 1748 home of Matthew’s uncle, Benjamin Curtiss, located in Sandy Hook and filled with period antiques and surrounded by stunning gardens; as well as a 1798 Federal farmhouse with outbuildings and wonderful grounds.

A secluded 1830 farmhouse with pool and gardens contrasts with another unusual 19th Century farm property that was remodeled and expanded in the 1950s by an architect reputed to be a student of Frank Lloyd Wright.

A 1973 contemporary home with a very special hidden garden and a 1995 traditionally designed home with marvelous organic gardens present a contrast of visions from the 20th Century.

At 50 Main Street, a historic barn surrounded by its own remarkable gardens will serve as a gallery for the work of Newtown artists.

Part of the property owned by Shane and George Miller, the circa 1929 barn’s main floor has undergone substantial renovations in recent years. It is a comfortable gathering place.

For Saturday’s tour, a collection of works by Betty Christensen, Bruce Degen, Frank Gardner, Lisa Greto, Ross MacDonald, Grace McEnaney, Dick McEvoy, Ruth Newquist, Linds Pickwick, Michelle Rosenthal and Virginia Zic will be exhibited within the barn.

Outside the barn, George Miller’s continually expanding gardens will also welcome visitors. Mr Miller began building small gardens behind the barn in 2002, and has expanded the project annually with ponds, trails, trellises, birdhouses, and plants that capture his fancy. Additionally, Mr Miller has turned the barn’s lower level into a potting shed that doubles as a winter nursery for some of the plants that would be vulnerable to outdoor winter conditions.

The self-guided tour will take place rain or shine. Tickets are $25 in advance, or $30 on the day of the tour. The number of tickets will be limited to prevent overcrowding.

Tickets are available at Drug Center Pharmacy, 61 Church Hill Road; The UPS Store, 261 South Main Street; and C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street (at the main circulation desk).

On the day of the tour any remaining tickets will be sold only at the Matthew Curtiss House, 44 Main Street, after 10 am. 

Proceeds from the tour benefit Newtown Historical Society and are used to maintain the Matthew Curtiss House Museum and to support the educational programs of the society. Additional information is available at NewtownHistory.org or 203-426-5937.