Darling House Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Thomas Darling House and Tavern
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1907 Litchfield Turnpike, Woodbridge, Connecticut |
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| Built | 1774 |
| Architect | Abiel Gray |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 79002639 |
| Added to NRHP | January 17, 1979 |
The Darling House Museum is a cool old house in Woodbridge, Connecticut. It's now a museum where you can learn about history. The Amity & Woodbridge Historical Society takes care of it. You can visit by making an appointment or during special events.
Contents
A Glimpse into the Past: The Darling House
The Darling House Museum is a historic house museum located at 1907 Litchfield Turnpike. It helps us understand what life was like long ago. This special house is owned and managed by the Amity & Woodbridge Historical Society.
Building a Home in the 1770s
In the early 1770s, a man named Thomas Darling wanted a new home. He hired Abiel Gray, a builder from West Hartford, Connecticut. It took two years, from 1772 to 1774, to build this house. It was built in a place called Amity Parish, near New Haven, Connecticut.
Unique Features of the House
The Darling House has a special roof shape called a gambrel roof. Inside, it has a central hallway with rooms on either side. The ceilings are very tall, about 9 feet, 3 inches high! The walls in the hallway and front rooms have fancy wood panels. You can also see cool tiles from the 1700s above one fireplace. These tiles show pictures from the Bible.
The Darling Family's Legacy
Many of the items and furniture inside the museum belonged to the Darling family. They lived in this house and owned the land around it for a very long time. The family owned the property until 1973. After that, the town of Woodbridge bought the land. The Amity & Woodbridge Historical Society then started taking care of the house.
Exploring the Property
The property around the house has several old buildings. There's a big barn from the 1700s. There's also a horse barn from the 1800s. You can find a carriage shed, a chicken coop, and a pig house too. There's even an old-fashioned outdoor toilet called a privy from the 1800s.
The town keeps the fields near the house neat. You can also find easy walking trails nearby. These trails go along the bottom of West Rock.
What You Can See at the Museum
The Amity & Woodbridge Historical Society has many interesting things on display. In the horse barn, you can see a large collection of old farm tools. Inside the house, you can view beautiful quilts and linens. There are also examples of clothing from the time period when the house was built.
See also
