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Back by popular demand .. our second June 2021 painting class! < Back How to Paint Plein Air with Lisa Thoren - June 28, 2021 Back by popular demand .. our second June 2021 painting class! Previous Next

Dan performs tirelessly around New York's Hudson Valley and beyond, taking the stage at the 2018 Pleasantville Music Festival, the Paramount Hudson Valley (opening for Grammy winner Marc Cohn twice), the Towne Crier (opening for Patty Larkin), Garica's at The Capitol Theater, and more. < Back David Higgins Band - October 8, 2021 Dan performs tirelessly around New York's Hudson Valley and beyond, taking the stage at the 2018 Pleasantville Music Festival, the Paramount Hudson Valley (opening for Grammy winner Marc Cohn twice), the Towne Crier (opening for Patty Larkin), Garica's at The Capitol Theater, and more. Previous Next

Our lectures explore a variety of topics and a variety of formats. Some of our lectures are traditional lecture format, while others involve a bit of hands on learning (e.g., honey tasting). A list of all past Mather Homestead lectures can be found here. Past Lectures Laurence Jurdem - January 21, 2024 The Rough Rider and the Professor Photos Brown Bag Lecture featuring Past Presented - November 9, 2023 Connecticut During the American Revolutionary War Photos Witches in Connecticut - October 25, 2023 Witches in Connecticut! Photos Mattie Kahn & Reena Ninan - October 3, 2023 Young and Restless Photos Brown Bag Lecture - Cloak and Dagger: The Revolution's Secret War! Local Revolutionary War buff, Eric Chandler, educated our audience about the Spies of the Revolutionary War! Photos Connecticut's Historical Gardens - May 17, 2023 Connecticut's Historical Gardens Photos Artscapes - April 19, 2023 American Impressionism Photos Dean King - April 18, 2023 at the Darien Library Guardian's of the Valley: John muir Photos Brown Bag Lunch: Women in the American Revolution - March 10, 2023 Brown Bag Lecture: Women in the American Revolution - putting the "her" in heroics! Photos An Evening at the Mather Tavern - Feb 16, 2023 Tavern Food + Tavern Drink + Tavern History + Tavern Games = Tavern Fun! Photos Keith Simpson - Feb. 8, 2023 Lecture featuring Keith Simpson: Our Changing Landscape over 400 years Photos ArtScapes Robin Hoffman - Jan. 18, 2023 American Vistas - from the Hudson River School to the National Parks Photos Jonathan Waterman - November 16, 2022 A Journey through the National Parks Photos Plum Plums - November 10, 2022 American Farmstead Cheese & Wine Education with Plum Plums Cheese Photos Dayton Duncan - September 11, 2022 The National Parks: America's Best Idea Photos Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt III - June 23, 2022 Great Camp Sagamore and the Rustic Movement, plus stories of the Vanderbilt Family Photos Catie Marron - May 26, 2022 Becoming a Gardener: What Reading and Digging Taught Me about Living Photos Queen Bee Marina Marchese - April 28, 2022 Honey tasting with the Queen Bee Photos Dennis Drabelle - April 14, 2022 The Power of Scenery, online discussion - April 14, 2021 Photos Jonathan Olmsted - March 30, 2022 Celebrating 200 Years of Frederick Law Olmsted Photos Thomas Wickman - January 26, 2022 Winter's Past and Winter's Future Photos Akhil Reed Amar - November 10, 2021 The Words that Made Us Photos Steven Beissinger - October 7, 2021 Stephen Mather and the National Parks Photos Victoria Johnson - June 2, 2021 American Eden: David Hosack, Botany, and Medicine in the Garden of the Early Republic Photos Load More

The Power of Scenery, online discussion - April 14, 2021 < Back Dennis Drabelle - April 14, 2022 The Power of Scenery, online discussion - April 14, 2021 Previous Next

Thank you for visiting the Mather Homestead! < Back The End Listen to Audio Tour for this location: 00:00 / 00:32 Thank you for visiting the Mather Homestead! Image Gallery Site Description This is the end of our tour. Thanks for visiting and we hope you enjoyed it. The Mather Homestead offers many educational events and opportunities to participate. Here is a link to the many events that are planned and we hope you can join us: https://www.matherhomestead.org/happenings The Foundation depends on donations - here are ways to provide support: https://www.matherhomestead.org/support THANK YOU! Previous Next

On the Trail is a modern acoustic quartet that explores everything from bluegrass to contemporary pop, from stunning instrumentals to beautiful songs. The band bonded from their love of bluegrass and the band Punch Brothers, and has already gained recognition and praise for their execution of challenging music, as well as fore their new original music. On the Trail features Darien Middlesex Music Teacher, Austin Scelzo on fiddle and vocals, To Polizzi on mandolin and vocals, Chet Duke on banjo and Charlie Widmer on guitar and vocals. < Back On the Trail - June 13, 2021 On the Trail is a modern acoustic quartet that explores everything from bluegrass to contemporary pop, from stunning instrumentals to beautiful songs. The band bonded from their love of bluegrass and the band Punch Brothers, and has already gained recognition and praise for their execution of challenging music, as well as fore their new original music. On the Trail features Darien Middlesex Music Teacher, Austin Scelzo on fiddle and vocals, To Polizzi on mandolin and vocals, Chet Duke on banjo and Charlie Widmer on guitar and vocals. Previous Next

Sizes range 11 ¾” h. – 7 ½” h.; early 20th century. < Back Three Painted Cast Iron Door Stops First Floor - Parlor Other Decorative Arts Sizes range 11 ¾” h. – 7 ½” h.; early 20th century. Images are flowers, basket, a pair of black kittens; one repainted, none marked. Previous Next

England, 20th century Elmwood; 13” h. x 34” l. x 14” d. < Back Six-Board Chest Second Floor - SW Bedroom Furniture and Hard Furnishings England, 20th century Elmwood; 13” h. x 34” l. x 14” d. Fitted top over case with molded flat base; strap hinges, new metal handles. Scrapes and finish losses. Previous Next

< Back Field Trip to the Keeler Tavern Museum, Ridgefield Date TBD If you find the Mather Homestead to be fun and interesting, I bet you'll love the Keeler Tavern Museum! Let's take a visit together! Previous Next

Local Revolutionary War buff, Eric Chandler, educated our audience about the Spies of the Revolutionary War! < Back Brown Bag Lecture - Cloak and Dagger: The Revolution's Secret War! Local Revolutionary War buff, Eric Chandler, educated our audience about the Spies of the Revolutionary War! Previous Next

The Mather Homestead Foundation relies on contributions from community members who are dedicated to the preservation of the Mather Homestead and its important and unique place in Darien's history. Donations support the following: Ongoing maintenance of the Mather Homestead and property, Educational programs, Public tours, and Oversight of the Mather Homestead. HELP US BRING HISTORY TO LIFE! The Mather Homestead Foundation relies on its generous supporters to fund the ongoing operations of the Homestead as well as special projects related to preservation and beautification. We also rely on our volunteers who generously offer their time - get involved! The Mather Homestead Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All gifts to the Mather Homestead are considered tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Annual Fund The Mather Homestead relies on annual contributions from our Mather friends who recognize the importance of the Mather Homestead in our local and national history and are dedicated to the preservation of the 1778 home and surrounding seven acres as a place for historical education. SUPPORT Membership When you become a member of the Homestead your support our mission and help us secure our future. Members enjoy discounted/free tickets to events and free private tours. SUPPORT 1778 Restoration Project In 2022, the Mather Homestead Foundation completed a "Condition Assessment" of the historic house and other buildings on the property. The resulting 152 page document concluded that while the ~250 year old house was well maintained by the Mather-McPherson family, there is still much work to be done to keep the house in shape with projects totaling $400 - $500K. SUPPORT Beautification The Mather Homestead property was originally 100 acres of farmland. The property now consists of seven acres, surrounded by Land Trust property which was also part of the Mather farm. In 2023, The Mather Homestead Foundation hired Heritage Landscapes to conduct a Cultural Landscape Report of the property. The report will provide a better understanding of the property, its history and usage, and inform a Master Plan for the future. The Mather-McPherson family has seeded a fund which will enable us to execute our Master Plan. Please consider a gift to help us plant and beautify the property! Our goal is to create a park like setting to be enjoyed by the community. SUPPORT Sponsor The Mather Homestead Foundation offers many opportunities for sponsorship and appreciates the support of our business sponsors who have contributed with financial and in kind donations. Donors are recognized in various ways - through our events, social media and publicity, and signage at the Homestead. SUPPORT Planned Giving We appreciate individuals who will consider the Mather Homestead in their giving plans through bequest, life insurance beneficiary or trust. Help us to secure the future of the Mather Homestead for another 250 years! SUPPORT Volunteer We welcome the help of volunteers and offer many wants to get involved - join us as a docent, lend us your green thumb, help us plan events ... and more! Thank you to our volunteers! VOLUNTEER T hank you to the McPherson Family The Mather Homestead Foundation thanks the McPherson family (descendants of the Mather Family) for their generous contribution of the Mather Homestead and its six acres of property in 2017, plus an additional acre of property in 2021, for the benefit of the Darien community. The family has maintained and preserved the Mather Homestead for over two and a half centuries. Now, future generations will enjoy the homestead and be educated about its important place in Darien's rich history. Thank you to the Chilton Family The Mather Homestead Foundation thanks the Chilton family whose generous contributions have made possible the creation of the Mather Homestead Foundation in 2017, the building of the Elizabeth W. Chilton Education Center in 2020, the seeding of the new endowment in 2021 which will ensure the long time sustainability of the Mather Homestead, and the creation of the Stephen Tyng Mather exhibit in 2022. Thank you to The Darien Foundation The Darien Foundation proudly supports The Stephen Mather Foundation. "Whether a harvest festival for families or a scholarly lecture over tea in the garden, Mather caters to a range of ages and local constituencies, preserving the past and making history relevant to the future." - Sarah Woodberry, Executive Director, The Darien Foundation Thank you to our grantors We are grateful to CT Humanities, the 1772 Foundation & Preservation CT, Baywater Properties and the First County Bank Foundation for their generous support of the Mather Homestead. T hank you to our Lead Sponsors The Mather Homestead Foundation appreciates the support of Rings End, in kind donor to the 1778 House Restoration Project and BMW of Darien, lead sponsor of the Fall Harvest Festival. Many other sponsors have contributed to various events and projects and we are very grateful. Thank you to our Donors! The Mather Homestead Foundation appreciates the support of the 600 donors who have supported us since inception in 2017. We hope you will help us continue to "bring history to life!" 2024 supporters below.

New York or New England, 1835-1865. Cherry, tulip poplar; 26 ¾” h. x 16 ½” l. x 20 ½” w. < Back One drawer stand First Floor - Entrance Hall Furniture and Hard Furnishings New York or New England, 1835-1865. Cherry, tulip poplar; 26 ¾” h. x 16 ½” l. x 20 ½” w. A slightly overhanging top, over one drawer with a replaced Chippendale-style brass; standing on turned tapered legs with rings above and below, and tapered feet. Fair condition. Previous Next