Henry Whitfield State Museum

Built 1639 And The Oldest House In Connecticut And The Oldest Stone House In New England; A National Historic Landmark And Connecticut'S Oldest Museum, Opened To The Public In 1899 · Guilford, Connecticut

Henry Whitfield was a Puritan minister who led a company from Surrey to the Connecticut shoreline in 1639 and built himself a house of local granite with walls over two feet thick, partly as a dwelling and partly as a refuge for the settlement. It is the oldest house in Connecticut and the oldest stone house in New England, and it has been standing for very nearly four centuries. It was restored twice, in 1868 and again in the 1930s, and the second restoration made it more medieval-looking than it had probably ever been - which is itself part of the story the museum now tells. It opened to the public in 1899 as Connecticut's first museum. Guilford around it has one of the finest colonial greens in New England and three other 18th-century house museums within walking distance, which makes the town rather than the house the reason to give it a morning. The museum runs a short week from spring to late autumn and closes for much of the winter, so the schedule is the first thing to check - this is a small state site and a wasted drive is easy.

248 Old Whitfield Street, Guilford, Guilford, Connecticut, 06437, United States

SEASONAL. Generally open from spring to late autumn on a reduced weekly schedule - often Wednesday to Sunday - and closed for much of the winter, with some limited winter opening by appointment. Closed on several state holidays. The grounds and the exterior can be seen whenever, and the Guilford green a few minutes away is public and open. Check before travelling, because this is a small state museum with a short week.

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