The Phelps-Hatheway House & Garden will re-open on Saturday, May 1 for its 49th season! Many repairs and enhancements have been completed, including our 18th-century Pine Room basement, which has been cleared and stabilized (you might like a peek!). Our interiors have been painstakingly cleaned and refreshed, the garden beds tidied and cheerful pansies have been added to our urns. After a year with limited visitation, we are eager to see our neighbors and community members again.
The Phelps-Hatheway House & Garden is open for the 2021 season, by advance reservation only, by calling (860) 558-0055. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $5 for children. The start of the season is a perfect time to purchase a Connecticut Landmarks Membership, which offers free admission to many of our historic properties, including the Nathan Hale Homestead in Coventry, the Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden in Bethlehem, and the Butler-McCook House & Garden in Hartford.
This year brings a new season of programs, some new and some that have become favorites in our community. On Opening Day, Saturday, May 1 from 1 – 4 p.m., a new art exhibition will be installed in our Visitors Center Gallery. “Visions of Suffield” will celebrate the talents of Suffield artists, many of whom have previously displayed their work at our property. On Saturday, May 15, Phelps-Hatheway will host the Suffield Garden Club’s May Market from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. During the market, stop in to the Visitors Center and reserve a tour of our historic interiors.
With the arrival of longer days, June will be an equally exciting month to visit our site with several free programs. Walking tours of Suffield’s Historic Main Street will be offered on Connecticut Trails Day, Saturday, June 5, and tours of our historic interiors will be offered to all on Connecticut Open House Day, Saturday, June 12. We also invite you to take in the splendor of the Hatheway Garden at its peak on Connecticut’s Historic Gardens Day, Sunday, June 27 from 12 – 4 p.m.
New this season, the “Littlest Historian” Story & Sharing Time seeks to introduce children ages 3-5 and their caregivers to the wonders of historic preservation and collections. The sessions will take place on Wednesday, June 2, 16, and 30 from 10 – 11 a.m. The cost for each visit is $5 for children, adults are free! An accompanying craft kit and book may also be purchased in our gift shop. Our beloved summer camp will return on July 12 – 16 from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. each day. This year the theme will be “Summer History Lab,” where we will explore portraiture, paper and diaries, Indigenous Peoples’ traditions, and a chance to try our hand at wood carving. Our week will end with a look into the history of cocoa and a celebration of chocolate (parents might want to join as well!).
As August arrives and the summer sun fades, the Hatheway Garden will be the perfect setting for our first classical concert series. Join us Sunday, August 15 and 22, from 4 – 6 p.m. for Music in the Hatheway Garden, featuring musicians from the Connecticut Classical Guitar Society.
For complete program information and to register, visit www.ctlandmarks.org/events, https://www.facebook.com/PhelpsHathewayHouseAndGarden, by emailing phelps.hatheway@ctlandmarks.org, or by calling (860) 668-0055.