Danbury Museum and Historical Society facts for kids
 |
|
| Established | 1947 |
|---|---|
| Location | 43 Main Street, Danbury, Connecticut, United States |
| Type | Historical society |
The Danbury Museum and Historical Society is a cool place in Danbury, Connecticut. Its main goal is to collect, protect, show, and explain the history of the Greater Danbury area. This helps people learn, find information, and do research.
You can find the main museum at 43 Main Street. It has five old buildings that are full of history:
- Huntington Hall
- The 1785 Rider House
- The 1790 John Dodd Hat Shop
- The Little Red Schoolhouse
- The Marian Anderson Studio
The Museum also takes care of a sixth building, the Charles Ives Birthplace. It's located on Mountainville Avenue.
Contents
Discovering Danbury's Past
The Danbury Museum and Historical Society started in 1947. It was created when two groups joined together: the Scott Fanton Museum and the Danbury Historical and Arts Center.
How the Museum Began
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, a Danbury businessman named John Fanton and his wife, Laura Scott, traveled a lot. They went all over Europe, Asia, and the Americas. They collected many interesting items from each country they visited. After they passed away in 1921, a museum opened in their home. It was called the Scott-Fanton Museum and showed off their amazing collections.
Twenty years later, in 1941, there was a plan to build a gas station. It was going to be on the spot where the old Rider home stood. This house was built way back in 1785 and was in bad shape. A group of people in Danbury, including the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, decided to save it. They raised money to buy the house. Then, they started the Danbury Historical Society and Arts Center. The Rider house became their meeting place. Their goal was to help people appreciate art, science, history, music, and other fun activities.
Joining Forces for History
In 1947, someone suggested that the Scott-Fanton Museum and the Danbury Historical Society and Arts Center should combine. So, all the collections from the Scott-Fanton Museum were moved to the Main Street location. That's how the Danbury Museum and Historical Society was born!
Over the years, in the 1950s and 1960s, the museum added more historic buildings. They got the John Dodd Hat Shop and the Charles Ives House. They also built Huntington Hall, where many exhibits are now shown. The newest addition is the Marian Anderson Studio. It was carefully restored and opened by the Museum in 2004.
Exploring Huntington Hall
Huntington Hall was built in 1963. This building holds the main offices for the museum staff. It also has a gift shop where you can find cool souvenirs. Plus, it's home to the Museum's research library. Many of the museum's displays and exhibits are shown here.
The Historic John Rider House
The John Rider House is a very old and important building. It was built in 1785 by a Danbury carpenter named John Rider. He was also a captain in the Connecticut militia during the Revolutionary War. He lived there with his wife, Mary. The house stayed in their family until 1925.
In 1941, the Rider House was saved from being torn down. Today, it has been restored to look like it did long ago. You can take tours of the Rider House by making an appointment any time of year.
The John Dodd Hat Shop
The John Dodd Hat Shop was built in 1790 by a Danbury lawyer named John Dodd. Guess what? It wasn't actually a hat shop back then! It was originally used as a legal office. The Museum later changed it into a hat shop exhibit.
Inside, you'll find many different styles of hats. There are also old hat-making machines and materials. Plus, you can see other historical items and learn all about how hats were made in Danbury. That's why Danbury is also known as Hat City! The Museum got this building in 1957. It was moved from lower Main Street to the museum grounds. You can take tours of the John Dodd Hat Shop by appointment all year long.
The Little Red Schoolhouse
The Little Red Schoolhouse is a copy of a typical one-room schoolhouse. These kinds of schools were common in the Danbury area from the late 1700s to the mid-1800s. It was built using bricks from the old Balmforth Avenue School. That school was torn down in the 1960s. You can visit and tour the Little Red Schoolhouse by appointment any time of year.
The Marian Anderson Studio
The Marian Anderson Studio belonged to the famous opera singer Marian Anderson. She lived in Danbury for more than fifty years! Her studio was on her estate called Marianna Farms, on Joe's Hill Road. In 1999, the Museum got the studio and moved it to the main museum site at 43 Main Street.
After a lot of careful work, including putting on a new roof, the studio officially opened in 2004. The Museum offers tours of the Marian Anderson Studio by appointment all year.
See also
