Homes of Wethersfield

My living room on Christmas Eve; bayberry candles lit, winter tales being read, eggnog cake in the oven. With the hustle and bustle of the holidays now over, the month of January gives us a time to refresh and reflect on the years that have past and what we have looking forward. This is the month of fresh slates, new dreams, and planning for a warmer day. Despite the biting winds and unforgiving weather, it truly is a special time of year.

The Isaac Stevens House (ca. 1788)

Jake and I took the ferry to Connecticut on Sunday to pick up an 18th-century school master's desk and detachable cupboard for our collection, and afterwards took advantage of the trip by paying a visit to a town that has always been on my "New England Bucket List": Wethersfield, Connecticut.

Settled in 1634, Wethersfield is Connecticut's oldest town and holds the state's largest historic district, showcasing over a thousand beautiful historic buildings such as the one above. The neighborhood is a historic preservationist's dream, and being in the smallest sense an "aficionado", I was helplessly smitten with all of it.

The Joseph Webb House (ca. 1752). This house served as Washington's headquarters in May of 1781 where he, alongside of French commander the Comte de Rochambeau, planned their joint victory at Yorktown which ended the American Revolution. If walls could talk!

The Silas Deane House (ca. 1770), built for an American French Diplomat of the Revolutionary War.

First Church of Christ (ca. 1761)

This home is for sale! (Check it out here)

My personal favorite on Main Street. Perfection.

... I fell madly, deeply in love with that door. I still haven't recovered.

And as if one wasn't enough, there was another one on the side!

 More than likely the oldest house in town.

Wethersfield Cove, otherwise known as "Blackbird Pond" during the 18th century. 

This cove and the surrounding area created the setting for the Newbery Award winning children's novel, The Witch of Blackbird Pond.

(Click here to purchase the book!)

The Cove Warehouse, once a hub of activity when Wethersfield Cove was a major shipping port.

Another home for sale! Check out this beauty with an unbeatable view of the Cove here

The Buttolph-Williams House (ca. 1711), another token of inspiration for The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Although it seems much older, architecturally, than it actually is (as if 1711 isn't "old"!), this house is a great example of the enduring popularity of traditional English architecture utilized by New Englanders even into the early 18th-century.

It's easy to say that Wethersfield is a town electrified with history. Walking down it's tranquil streets, you can nearly see the spirits of each home you pass beckoning you to come inside, sit by their fires, and listen to their stories. Jake and I were only there for the afternoon, but both of us agreed that we could happily spend a lifetime exploring those streets, answering their calls.