Darling House Museum
Encyclopedia
The Darling House Museum is a historic house museum located in Woodbridge, Connecticut
, and is owned and operated by the Amity & Woodbridge Historical Society. The house is open by appointment and during special events.
In the early 1770s, Thomas Darling
hired Abiel Gray of West Hartford, Connecticut
to build a new home in Amity Parish, outside of New Haven
. Gray took two years (1772-1774) to finish the project. The house has a gambrel roof, is built on a central hall plan and has some unusual features. Paneling and woodwork in the hallway and front rooms are richly detailed under 9-foot, 3-inch ceilings. The influence of 18th-century New York is suggested by the imported tiles of Biblical scenes over one fireplace.
Much of the furniture and many items in the home were owned by the Darling family, which owned the house and surrounding land until 1973, when the property was sold to the town of Woodbridge and the Amity & Woodbridge Historical Society began caring for the structure. The property includes a large 18th century barn, a 19th century horse barn, a carriage shed, a chicken coop, a pig house, and a 19th century privy.
The town maintains several fields near the house, and some easy walking trails skirt the base of West Rock.
The Society has a large collection of farm implements on display in the horse barn. Quilts, linens, and period clothing are also displayed in the house.
Woodbridge, Connecticut
Woodbridge is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,983 at the 2000 census. It is one of the wealthiest towns in Connecticut, ranking 16th in the state in terms of per capita income, and is home to many of the faculty of Yale University...
, and is owned and operated by the Amity & Woodbridge Historical Society. The house is open by appointment and during special events.
In the early 1770s, Thomas Darling
Thomas Darling
Thomas Darling was a businessman and elected official in 18th century Connecticut who was acquainted with Benjamin Franklin, Ezra Stiles, Roger Sherman, and Benedict Arnold.-Life:...
hired Abiel Gray of West Hartford, Connecticut
West Hartford, Connecticut
West Hartford is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The town was incorporated in 1854. Prior to that date, the town was a parish of Hartford....
to build a new home in Amity Parish, outside of New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
. Gray took two years (1772-1774) to finish the project. The house has a gambrel roof, is built on a central hall plan and has some unusual features. Paneling and woodwork in the hallway and front rooms are richly detailed under 9-foot, 3-inch ceilings. The influence of 18th-century New York is suggested by the imported tiles of Biblical scenes over one fireplace.
Much of the furniture and many items in the home were owned by the Darling family, which owned the house and surrounding land until 1973, when the property was sold to the town of Woodbridge and the Amity & Woodbridge Historical Society began caring for the structure. The property includes a large 18th century barn, a 19th century horse barn, a carriage shed, a chicken coop, a pig house, and a 19th century privy.
The town maintains several fields near the house, and some easy walking trails skirt the base of West Rock.
The Society has a large collection of farm implements on display in the horse barn. Quilts, linens, and period clothing are also displayed in the house.
External links
- Thomas Darling House - Amity & Woodbridge Historical Society