Submitted by Elizabeth Malloy, HHS Executive Director.
On Saturday, October 5, 2019 the Haddam Historical Society will host Artistry and Architecture House and Studio Tour from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Visit six architecturally distinct properties in Haddam and Higganum which convey both past and present creative entrepreneurship.
Visitors will tour the Ruby Belle Vineyard and Increase Brainerd House on Spencer Road, which is an amalgamation of structures dating from 1720 to 1972. The grounds feature a vineyard planted with seven types of grapes chosen for Connecticut’s climate.
The Hull Pottery Studio, on Saybrook Road is located on the 18th century farm site of the Whitmore Ely. The property which overlooks the Connecticut River features an early silo and lovely gardens. May Callas Jester, a New York Broadway and movie set designer, lived here in the mid-20th century.
Another property on the tour is the hilltop home of an impressionistic artist whose plein-air paintings capture the soul and heart of local scenes throughout the Connecticut River Valley. The home is a late 19th century dwelling updated in the Colonial Revival style and has recently been restored following a fire.
The Belle Bailey House in Higganum, which has been renovated for an active and artistic family, holds a surprise around every corner. The house was built for Belle Bailey and her husband Ira who worked at D. & H. Scovil Company, manufacturers of the world- famous planters hoe. Today the property is the heart and soul of City Bench, a unique business that creates exceptional handcrafted furniture from reclaimed trees. Each beautiful piece is a statement and has a story.
Tour goers will also see the Spirituality Center operated by the Apostles of the Sacred Heart on Candlewood Hill Road. Originally built by the D. and H. Scovil Hoe Company as Mill No. 2 between 1859 and 1860, the property has seen a number of transformations. In 1932 New York actors Earl and Catherine Benham purchased the property and renovated it to a weekend and summer haven where they entertained friends and family. It has served as a religious retreat location since 1964.
Another stop on the tour is the Hart-Russell House, a stunning Victorian residence of a set designer and contemporary author and screen writer. Once the home to sea and river captains the house was later owned by well-known Haddam resident Belle Dickinson Russell, who is said to be the first woman in the United States to preside over a court after the passage of the 19th amendment.
The tour will run from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and tickets cost $25 in advance and $30 the day of the tour. The tour headquarters is the Haddam Old Town Hall at 21 Field Park Drive, Haddam where participants will pick up their programs and directions. A boxed lunch by the Wheat Market in Chester is available the day of the tour for $15 and must be ordered in advance.
For additional information and to purchase tickets visit www.haddamhistory.org. For additional information email contact@haddamhistory.org or call 860-345-2400.
