A. Everett Austin House facts for kids
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A. Everett Austin House
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 130 Scarborough Street, Hartford, Connecticut |
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| Built | 1930 |
| Architect | French, Leigh H.; Goodwin, H. Sage |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 94001189 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 19, 1994 |
| Designated NHL | April 19, 1994 |
The A. Everett Austin House is a special historic home in Hartford, Connecticut. It is now a historic house museum, which means you can visit it to learn about its past. This house was once the home of Arthur "Chick" Austin Jr.. He was the director of the Wadsworth Atheneum, a famous art museum.
Chick Austin built this house in 1930. He got the idea after seeing beautiful old buildings in Italy during his honeymoon. Because of its unique design and its connection to Chick Austin, the house was named a National Historic Landmark in 1994. This means it's a very important place in American history.
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Who Was Chick Austin?
Arthur Everett Austin Jr., known as "Chick," was a very creative person. He was the director of the Wadsworth Atheneum from 1927 to 1944. During his time, he brought many new and exciting art ideas to Hartford. He loved modern art, theater, and even magic!
Chick Austin was known for his bold choices. He helped the Atheneum become one of the first museums in the United States to show modern art. His home was a reflection of his unique taste and vision.
A Special Design: The Palladian Style
The Austin House is built in a style called "neo-Palladian." This means it's a modern version of a very old style. It was inspired by the work of a famous Italian architect named Andrea Palladio. Palladio lived a long time ago, in the 1500s.
Chick Austin was especially inspired by a specific villa in Italy. It was called Villa Ferreti and was built in 1596 by Vincenzo Scamozzi. The Austin House is like a tribute to that classic Italian design.
What Does the House Look Like?
The Austin House has a very interesting shape. It is long and narrow, like a rectangle. It is about 86 feet long but only 18 feet deep. This makes it feel very open and bright inside.
The front of the house has a central part with a triangular roof, called a pediment. On each side of this central part are wings. The walls are smooth and flat, which makes the house look very sleek. Tall, flat columns called pilasters go up two stories, adding to its grand look.
There are four stone steps leading to the front door. Some of the windows on the house are "blind," meaning they look like windows but are actually solid walls. This was part of the design to make the house look balanced.
Visiting the House Today
Chick Austin left Hartford in 1946. His wife, Helen Goodwin Austin, continued to live in the house. In 1985, Helen and her children, David and Sarah Austin, gave the house to the Wadsworth Atheneum.
Today, the Wadsworth Atheneum offers guided tours of the A. Everett Austin House. It's a great way to step back in time and see how Chick Austin lived. The house was carefully restored in 2000 to keep its original look.
The Austin House has even been featured on TV! It was shown in a series by Bob Vila called Guide to Historic Homes: In Search of Palladio. This show explored the amazing work of Andrea Palladio and his influence on architecture.
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