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Charlotte Amalie, USVI < Back Virgin Islands Charlotte Amalie, USVI 1956 Established: Size: 14,737 acres Visitors: 112,287 in 2018 Summary Wildlife Sounds of the Park Things to Do When to Visit Ties to Stephen Mather Fun Fact Previous Next

England; mahogany and veneer; 25 ½” h. x 11 ½” w., first quarter 19th century. < Back Small Chippendale Looking Glass with Applied Prince of Wales Crest Second Floor - Guest Room Other Decorative Arts England; mahogany and veneer; 25 ½” h. x 11 ½” w., first quarter 19th century. Rectangular with a scalloped and scrolled edge; molded inner edge, with Prince of Wales appliqué at center of crest. Condition is good. Previous Next

We took not one, but two visits to Weir Farm (October 2021 and 2022) to learn about Connecticut's only National Park. Weir Farm is a National Historical Park located in Ridgefield and Wilton, Connecticut. It commemorates the life and work of American impressionist painter J. Alden Weir and other artists who stayed at the site or lived there, to include Childe Hassam, Albert Pinkham Ryder, John Singer Sargent, and John Twachtman. Set amidst more than 60 acres of painterly woods, fields, and waterways, Weir described his home as the "Great Good Place." Weir’s farm is a national legacy to American Impressionism, the creative spirit, and historic preservation. < Back Weir Farm - 2021, 2022 We took not one, but two visits to Weir Farm (October 2021 and 2022) to learn about Connecticut's only National Park. Weir Farm is a National Historical Park located in Ridgefield and Wilton, Connecticut. It commemorates the life and work of American impressionist painter J. Alden Weir and other artists who stayed at the site or lived there, to include Childe Hassam, Albert Pinkham Ryder, John Singer Sargent, and John Twachtman. Set amidst more than 60 acres of painterly woods, fields, and waterways, Weir described his home as the "Great Good Place." Weir’s farm is a national legacy to American Impressionism, the creative spirit, and historic preservation. This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Want to view and manage all your collections? Click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Here, you can make changes to your content, add new fields, create dynamic pages and more. You can create as many collections as you need. Your collection is already set up for you with fields and content. Add your own, or import content from a CSV file. Add fields for any type of content you want to display, such as rich text, images, videos and more. You can also collect and store information from your site visitors using input elements like custom forms and fields. Be sure to click Sync after making changes in a collection, so visitors can see your newest content on your live site. Preview your site to check that all your elements are displaying content from the right collection fields. Previous Next

The Mather Homestead was built in 1778 and has been impeccably preserved over two and a half centuries.

Join us for three events celebrating America 250 on September 18, October 14 and November 12. As we approach the momentous 250th anniversary of American independence, our Fall Scholars Series invites you on a journey through the Revolutionary era—from the intimate experiences of ordinary soldiers to the grand sweep of cinematic storytelling, and the hidden histories preserved within our own community. This Fall, we present three events that illuminate different facets of America's founding struggle, each offering unique perspectives on the courage, sacrifice, and vision that shaped our nation. Come to one or come to all! Series tickets available. Please consider becoming a P atron of our Fall Scholars Series Celebrating America250 to help support the Mather Homestead mission of bringing history to life! Your gift will help us to bring this exciting series to audiences in the Elizabeth W. Chilton Education Center on the Mather Homestead property. In addition, we are excited to partner with Connecticut Public to bring The American Revolution preview to Darien and New Canaan Middle School Students. They will view the preview together at New Canaan's Saxe Middle School followed by a presentation by Series Producer Sarah Botstein. Stay tuned for information on additional events including homesteading and literary workshops, kids events and field trips, all to celebrate America's Semiquincentennial! Purchase Series Tickets Discover Connecticut's Revolutionary War Sites and the Preservation Movement that Saved Them Nov 12, 2025, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM Join Christopher Wigren of Preservation Connecticut and Chris Fagan, architect of Darien's newly restored Pond Weed House, for a discussion of Connecticut's Revolutionary Era sites and the preservation efforts that have sustained them, including Bertha Mather McPherson's pioneering work in Darien. Details Upcoming Events: Our Revolutionary Journey Joseph Plumb Martin: The Soldier's Story Featuring Alan Taylor, Two-Time Pulitzer Prize Winner We begin with the raw, unfiltered account of Joseph Plumb Martin—the teenage Milford, CT Continental soldier whose vivid memoir offers the most detailed surviving record of an ordinary soldier's Revolutionary War experience. Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Alan Taylor, Professor Emeritus at the University of Virginia, brings forgotten voices of the American Revolution to life in this gripping portrait of Joseph Martin. Drawing from his renowned expertise in social history, Taylor immerses readers in the raw realities of war—from the brutal winter at Valley Forge to the battlefield hardships that forged American resilience. This vivid, human-centered narrative challenges traditional founding myths and reveals the diverse, multicultural roots of the Revolution, offering a fresh, deeply personal perspective on the birth of the nation. The American Revolution: A Cinematic Vision Preview of Ken Burns' Highly Anticipated Documentary Next, we'll experience an exclusive preview of Ken Burns' monumental new documentary series, "The American Revolution," premiering on PBS November 16, 2025. This six-part, 12-hour epic—eight years in the making—promises to be Burns' most ambitious Revolutionary War project yet. The series weaves together accounts of political leaders with the perspectives of ordinary people who waged and witnessed war, presenting an expansive look at the virtues and contradictions of America's founding struggle. From Lexington Green to Yorktown, this documentary captures the full scope of a conflict that was simultaneously a war for independence, a civil war, and a global struggle that turned the world upside down. This event will include the ~20 minute preview of the film followed by moderated discussion with historians and those intimately involved in the creation of the film. Darien's Revolutionary War Houses and the Preservation Movement that Saved Them Featuring Christopher Wigren of Preservation Connecticut, and Chris Fagan, Architect of the Newly Restored Pond Weed House Our series wraps up with an exploration of Revolutionary War-era architecture in our own community. Nearly 70 years ago, Bertha Mather McPherson—one of Connecticut’s first female architects, a Darien Historical Society co-founder, and dedicated preservationist—worked to identify and protect these historic homes. This presentation will highlight the Revolutionary War houses still standing in Darien today, and the efforts that helped preserve them. Christopher Wigren, architectural historian and Deputy Director of the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, will discuss the preservation movement of the 20th century which ensured that homes would be saved for generations to come. Chris Fagan will share his work to restore the Pond Weed House, one of Darien's oldest homes. A Revolutionary Perspective Together, these three events offer a unique view of the Revolutionary experience: the personal sacrifice of those who fought, the artistic interpretation that helps us understand its meaning, and the physical structures that witnessed it all. From Joseph Plumb Martin's firsthand account of continental soldiers' struggles to the architectural evidence of Revolutionary life preserved in our own backyard, this series connects the grand narrative of American independence to the human stories and local histories that give it meaning. Join us this fall as we explore how the Revolutionary generation's courage, vision, and sacrifice continue to shape our understanding of American identity and democratic ideals. These are the voices—soldier, filmmaker, and preservationist—that help us comprehend not just what happened 250 years ago, but why it still matters today. October 14 CT Premier of Ken Burns The American Revolution The Mather Homestead hosted the exclusive Connecticut Premier of Ken Burns new monumental series The American Revolution, followed by panel discussion with CT Public's Lucy Nalpathanchil and historians Friederike Baer and Thomas Balcerski. Earlier in the day, the film was viewed by Darien and New Canaan High School students at the New Canaan High School. Photos below: Joel Calloway, CT Public

Docent Donn Smith has been busy in the attic and has many stories to tell about the Homestead and its inhabitants

Custer County, SD < Back Wind Cave Custer County, SD 1903 Established: Size: 33,847 acres Visitors: 448,405 in 2020 Summary Wildlife Sounds of the Park Things to Do When to Visit Ties to Stephen Mather Fun Fact Previous Next

7 ⅝” h. x 5 ¾” w. x 3 ⅜” d.; late 18th century. Containing an 18 kt. yellow gold Jules Jürgensen/Copenhagen pocket watch. < Back Watch Hutch with Yellow Gold Jules Jürgensen Pocket Watch Second Floor - Guest Room Other Decorative Arts 7 ⅝” h. x 5 ¾” w. x 3 ⅜” d.; late 18th century. Containing an 18 kt. yellow gold Jules Jürgensen/Copenhagen pocket watch. Cube-form pine box with a tombstone-shaped door and small glazed windows each side; wire hinges on door, carved latch. Watch is stamped: 13453 with patent mark: Patent 1867 January 15, along with maker’s crown/ JJ mark and K/ 18 mark. Condition of watch is very good; working condition is unknown. Previous Next

The history of Mather barns goes back well over 100 years. The most recent iteration, the Elizabeth W. Chilton Education Center, was built in 2020. < Back The Barn Listen to Audio Tour for this location: 00:00 / 01:26 The history of Mather barns goes back well over 100 years. The most recent iteration, the Elizabeth W. Chilton Education Center, was built in 2020. Image Gallery A photo of the barn today, as the Elizabeth W. Chilton Education Center A photograph of the barn built by Joseph Wakeman Mather and William F. Mather, circa 1900 A photo of the barn and garage in 1974 Site Description Joseph Mather and William Mather, his brother, who were both grandson's of Deacon Joseph Mather, constructed a new barn 120 feet west of the house in 1891 to replace the prior structure which dated back to the late 1770s. In 1905 the barn was destroyed by a fire. The pond currently known as ‘Mathers Pond’ had recently been let down in order to repair a dam downstream. Without a supply of water, the barn burned to the ground. A cow was saved, but the fire killed two horses, destroyed the greenhouse as well as a Ford automobile. The first did not damage the other structures on the property. In 1927, Stephen Mather built a new barn which remained on the property until 2020 when it was replaced with the new Elizabeth W. Chilton Education Center. The new barn structure houses lectures, school groups, art exhibits and more, supporting the Mather Homestead’s vision of becoming a preeminent center for historical education in Fairfield County. The 1800 square foot structure resembles an 18th century dairy barn on the exterior with an open interior floor plan in order to maximize the opportunity for gatherings of up to 130 people. Please proceed to the Site #8: The Root Cellar. Previous Next

< Back Donor Appreciation Cocktail Party Thurs., Oct. 27, 6:30 pm Donor Appreciation Cocktail Party Previous Next

Part 2 of our National Park Mystery Series led by educator Samantha Gault! < Back Book Club for Kids! Discovery in Great Sand Dunes National Park - May 13, 2023 Part 2 of our National Park Mystery Series led by educator Samantha Gault! Previous Next

< Back Easter Egg Roll and a visit with the Easter Bun Sat., April 16, 10:30 am Our second annual old fashioned Easter egg roll on the Mather Homestead lawn will involve, of course, egg rolling (wooden egg and spoon provided), plus outdoor games, Easter treats and live music! Previous Next