The Greenwich Historical Society will once again participate in the Connecticut Office of Tourism’s 12th annual Connecticut Open House Day, set for Saturday, June 11. The one-day statewide event is designed to showcase Connecticut’s diverse world of history, art and tourism. It’s a perfect opportunity for all Connecticut residents to discover or rediscover the wealth of treasures in their own backyards and to share their enthusiasm with family and friends.
There will be free admission to the Historical Society’s current exhibition “Close to the Wind: Our Maritime History,” which examines the town’s coastal roots from its early days to the present through photos, objects and paintings. Visitors will also be welcome to take a free, family-friendly tour of Bush-Holley House at 1:00, 2:00 or 3:00 pm. Bush-Holley House is Greenwich’s only National Historic Landmark and the centerpiece of the Greenwich Historical Society’s site on Cos Cob Harbor. It features two distinct time periods–the New Nation (1790-1825), when the house was owned by a wealthy, local merchant and later (1890-1920), when it became a bohemian hub for the Cos Cob art colony. Its period rooms highlight art, furnishings and objects from the two time periods and include works by American Impressionist artists Childe Hassam, John Henry Twachtman and Elmer MacRae. It also features an attic slave quarters, something rarely documented in New England historic homes.
Children of all ages can enjoy two free craft projects: creating nautical flags fashioned from felt and learning to make and race paper boats.
Plan to visit Bush-Holley Historic Site on CT Open House day, bring guests and become an ambassador for your local Historical Society!
Saturday, June 11, 2016
Noon to 4:00 pm
Bush-Holley Historic Site
39 Strickland Road, Cos Cob, CT 06807
(203) 869-6899, greenwichhistory.org
Admission is free. No reservations needed.