Discover 19th Century Inventions at New Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum Exhibit

Technology is a major part of our lives and our culture and the Lockwood Mathews Mansion has put together an exhibit that explores the roots of today’s technology by displaying the “futuristic” inventions of the Victorian Era. 

The Mansion was ahead of its time and one of America's most technologically advanced buildings during the Civil War and the Victorian era so it makes the perfect backdrop for this new exhibit called What is It? Technologies and Discoveries of the Victoria Era.

Victorian era gadgets, technologies and breakthroughs will be on display at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum through October 6^th. What Is It? Technologies and Discoveries of the Victorian Era will tantalize student and adult audiences in the exploration of mid-to-late 19^th century inventions and discoveries in many diverse areas including communication, transportation, manufacturing, medicine, food and recreation. Visitors are sure to be surprised at how some of those historic breakthroughs are still very relevant today.

A highlight of the exhibit allows visitors to view cutting-edge Victorian Era technology that were precursors of some of today’s technologies, including telegraphs, Dictaphones, gas lighting and early examples of telephones, as well as burglar alarms, stock tickers and much more. Visitors will discover items still enjoyed today, from board games to food such as condensed milk and breakfast cocoa. 

Artifacts on display include loans from Connecticut's Mattatuck Museum and the Museum of American Finance, New York City, among others.

About the Lockwood Mathews Mansion

The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum is a National Historic Landmark located at 295 West Avenue in Norwalk. Tours for the museum and exhibit are offered Wednesdays through Sundays, at noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. Admittance is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for children. Children under 8 are admitted free. For more information, visit www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.com, or call 203-838-9799.

New England’s oldest house tour, Open House Day in Litchfield, Connecticut, July 14

Litchfield Center On the National Register of Historic Places (Photo J. McElholm)

Litchfield celebrates its 65^th anniversary on Saturday, July 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the rare chance to visit five prize private properties in the early New England town that is famous for its grand and elegant homes. An impressive roster of homes with architectural and historical distinction is being assembled for this special year. Proceeds benefit Connecticut Junior Republic (CJR), an organization dedicated to helping troubled youths.

The Litchfield History Museum and the Tapping Reeve House and Law School, the first law school in America, will also be included in the admission price of the Tour.  The History Museum is featuring a new exhibition, The Hour of Conflict; marking the anniversary of the Civil War by examining the ways the war im­pacted the residents of Litchfield in the 1860s. The museum will also feature a juried art show sponsored by the Litchfield Visual Arts.

Tapping Reeve House and Law School

 

A Preview Tour will be offered Friday, July 13 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. followed by a cocktail reception in a private home.

Litchfield Aid of CJR, an organization founded in 1911 by 12 Litchfield women to help support the programs and facilities of the Connecticut Junior Republic, sponsors the annual tour.

HOUSE TOUR INFORMATION

The self-guided house tour begins at 10 a.m. on July 14 the Information Booth on the Litchfield Green, where tickets may be purchased for $35. Advance purchase tickets, $30, may be ordered by mail from Litchfield Aid of CJR, P.O. Box 214, Litchfield, Connecticut 06759.  A stamped, self-addressed envelope should be included with credit card information (Mastercard or Visa only), check or money order, made payable to Litchfield Aid of CJR.  Ticket information for the Preview Tour and Party may be obtained by calling the Connecticut Junior Republic, 869-567-9423.

For details of the 65^th Annual Open House Tour and ticket information for the Preview Tour and Party, contact the Connecticut Junior Republic at (860) 567-9423, between 9:00 AM and 4:30 PM, or visit www.litchfieldct.com/cjr/tour.html. 

For information about nearby events and a free copy of UNWIND, a 112-page color guide to lodging, dining and all the attractions in the Litchfield Hills, contact the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, or visit their web site at www.litchfieldhills.com

20 Years of Chamber Music At Keeler Tavern Museum April 22 and May 20

Keeler Tavern a Colonial Gem

The Mid-Hudson Saxophone Quarter will perform in the Garden House of the Keeler Tavern Museum located on  132 Main Street in Ridgefield Connecticut on Sunday, April 22 at 3:00 PM. This is the first of two spring concerts scheduled as part of the Louise McKeon Chamber Music Concert Series held at the Museum for over 20 years. 

The saxophone musicians are Steven Kieley, soprano and alto, Deborah Tice, soprano and alto, Daniel Teare, tenor, and Charles W. Gray, baritone. They will perform a  variety of musical selections suited to this special instrument. All are performing or teaching in the Hudson Valley area schools and colleges and perform at a variety of conventions and with groups in the Hudson Valley and other areas along the Eastern Seaboard.  

Admission at the door is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and students, and $10 for children under 12. All guests are invited to meet with the musicians after the concert and enjoy light refreshments. 

The final concert of the season will take place Sunday, May 20th with members of the Western Connecticut Youth Orchestras performing in the Garden House at 3 PM For further information call 203-438-5484 or visit www.keelertavernmuseum.org.

About Keeler Tavern 

The Keeler Tavern Preservation Society, Inc. founded the Keeler Tavern Museum in 1966 as a living museum of colonial history within the town of Ridgefield, Connecticut.

It is the Society's mission to preserve and protect the Keeler Tavern, a site listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982, that embodies the life of the community from the early 19th century through the mid 20th century.

The Society is committed to promoting Ridgefield's history and heritage by providing educational and cultural programs that interpret the past for present and future generations.

The history of the Tavern and the Town of Ridgefield is reflected in the stories of the families who lived here. The archives of the Museum include extensive documentation and records from the Keeler, Resseguie and Gilbert families.