Wool-on-Wool, Ferraghan, handmade; 6’ 4” x 13’ 7”. < Back Oriental Rug First Floor - Parlor Other Decorative Arts Wool-on-Wool, Ferraghan, handmade; 6’ 4” x 13’ 7”. Featuring a deep alternating border surrounding central design field in natural dyes of red and indigo, with flowerheads and herati motifs. Condition shows several areas of wear, including a 6” repaired tear in the center; circa first quarter 20th century. Previous Next

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

Covid didn't keep St. Nicholas from visiting the Homestead! Children enjoyed a socially distanced visit with Santa and received a stocking filled with old fashioned games. < Back A Visit from St. Nicholas - December 19, 2020 Covid didn't keep St. Nicholas from visiting the Homestead! Children enjoyed a socially distanced visit with Santa and received a stocking filled with old fashioned games. 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

Probably Eastern Massachusetts, 1730-1760. Walnut, white pine; 31” h. x 36” w. x 19 ¼” d. < Back Dressing Table (or "Lowboy") First Floor - Dining Room Furniture and Hard Furnishings Probably Eastern Massachusetts, 1730-1760. Walnut, white pine; 31” h. x 36” w. x 19 ¼” d. The well designed and constructed dressing table has an over-hanging top with molded edges on front and sides, and front corners, over a full-width drawer above three smaller, side-by-side drawers, the middle drawer being shallower, and original brasses. Front skirt is ornately scalloped and includes two turned pendant drops; side skirts also scalloped. Case stands on four cabriole legs ending in pad feet. Condition is good. Previous Next

Acabella celebrated its 20th year with a Spring concert at the Homestead! The group, led by Heather Raker and Carolyn Woodberry, include singers Brooke Beck, Kelly Galvin, Amanda Martocchio, Jennifer Mathissen, Cathleen Morgan (our newest member!), Claire Runyan, Susan Seelert, Rachel Steib, Tere Stevens, Jenny Zonis. View on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matherhomesteadfoundation/videos/588855689504615. Concert starts around 7 minutes < Back Acabella - June 5, 2022 Acabella celebrated its 20th year with a Spring concert at the Homestead! The group, led by Heather Raker and Carolyn Woodberry, include singers Brooke Beck, Kelly Galvin, Amanda Martocchio, Jennifer Mathissen, Cathleen Morgan (our newest member!), Claire Runyan, Susan Seelert, Rachel Steib, Tere Stevens, Jenny Zonis. View on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matherhomesteadfoundation/videos/588855689504615. Concert starts around 7 minutes Previous Next

Coastal Connecticut, 1775-1825. Maple, tulip poplar, rush seat; 46 ¾" h. x 24 ¼" w. x 17 ¾" d. < Back “York” Armchair Second Floor - Entrance Hall Furniture and Hard Furnishings Coastal Connecticut, 1775-1825. Maple, tulip poplar, rush seat; 46 ¾" h. x 24 ¼" w. x 17 ¾" d. The turned armchair, known in the period as a York chair, has a Y-shaped crest above a solid splat, tenoned into a stay rail. The rear posts have elongated baluster turnings above balusters and terminate in urn finials. Shaped arms attach to turned front posts, with baluster turnings between and above double turned front stretchers. Double side stretchers and a single rear stretcher secure the legs. Previous Next

4 ¼” h. x 10 ½” d. with a 1” foot-ring; unmarked; circa late 18th/early 19th century. < Back Chinese Export Porcelain Famille Rose Footed Punchbowl First Floor - Dining Room Ceramics and Glass and Objects of Vertu 4 ¼” h. x 10 ½” d. with a 1” foot-ring; unmarked; circa late 18th/early 19th century. Against a white ground, painted with amethyst and orange floral sprays and swags; interior rim and foot decorated with rose diapered ribbon pattern; polychrome floral spray at interior center. Condition is good; no breaks, chips. Previous Next

The well served as the source of water for the house—as well as a crucial hiding place during Tory raids. < Back The Well Listen to Audio Tour for this location: 00:00 / 00:37 The well served as the source of water for the house—as well as a crucial hiding place during Tory raids. Image Gallery Photo of the well today 1929 photo of the well with the sunken garden in the background Site Description The well was the source of water for the house when the home was built in 1778. In addition to being used as a water source, it had a very special use as a place to hide valuables from the Tories. Sarah Mather hid over 100 pounds of clothing and silver belonging to both the Mather family and their neighbors. Clothing was very valuable as they made it themselves from the flax and other materials grown on the property. The Tories raided this house in 1781. They stole clothes, animals, silver and other valuables. Some silver that was hidden in a secret compartment inside the house was not stolen. Please proceed to Site #3: The Garden - which is only a few feet away. Previous Next

< Back Join lecture with the Garden Club of Darien: Celebrating 200 years of Frederick Law Olmsted Weds., March 30, 7 pm, Barn, free Celebrating 200 Years of Frederick Law Olmsted The 200th celebration of Frederick Law Olmsted’s birth is causing reflection and discourse about his work all over the country. The famed “Father of American Landscape Architecture,” and his family firm, had a definitive hand in over 500 commissions, that included 100 public parks and recreation areas, 200 private estates, 50 residential communities, and campuses for about 40 academic institutions. Among them, the creation of New York’s Central Park (1857), the Buffalo Park System (1868), Boston Park System (1870) and the United State Capitol (1874), are standouts in American landscape design. When he went on to do Belle Isle Park in Detroit, the 1880s, Lawrenceville School in 1883, and Stanford University in 1886, his fame caused his firm to win the bid for the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, Bryn Mawr College in 1895 and the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina from 1895 to 1900. Therefore, it is our privilege to welcome Jonathan Olmsted, one of Frederick’s descendants, to highlight the life and works of his vaulted ancestor, illustrated with stunning visuals including photos and plans. Both Frederick Law Olmsted, commonly referred to as FLO, and Jonathan Olmsted, were descended from James Olmsted, who came to America from England in 1632, and was one of the founders of Hartford, Connecticut, where FLO was later born. Jonathan Olmsted was born in Boston in 1942, attended Phillips Exeter Academy, graduated from Stanford University in 1964, and for the last 45 years has lived in Darien, Connecticut with his wife Janet. He was a banker in New York, London, and San Francisco for 15 years. Then he was President of Cameron Communications, a small presentation consulting firm for 30 years before he retired. His scintillating presentation will highlight at least a dozen of Olmsted’s major projects. Please join us for this event celebrating Olmsted's remarkable legacy. Previous Next

American, probably Southern New Jersey or farther south, 1790-1810. Walnut; resinous pine; 28 ½" h. x 30" w. x 19 ¼" d. < Back Dressing Table Second Floor - SE Bedroom Furniture and Hard Furnishings American, probably Southern New Jersey or farther south, 1790-1810. Walnut; resinous pine; 28 ½" h. x 30" w. x 19 ¼" d. Rectangular standing on four square, slightly tapered legs without inside chamfers. Case holds a wide center drawer flanked by nearly square drawers, all of which have scratch-beaded edges. Case skirt is scalloped in a Philadelphia-area design. Two-board top is a replacement made of reused walnut; evidence of hinges visible on the underside of one board suggest former use as table leaves, now reshaped and remolded. Proper left front leg has a mortise partially cut inside the drawer cavity; probably a mistake by the maker. Brasses are replacements. Previous Next

England, 1875-1925 Mahogany; 35” h. x 25” w. x 21” d. < Back Open Armchair Second Floor - SW Bedroom Furniture and Hard Furnishings England, 1875-1925 Mahogany; 35” h. x 25” w. x 21” d. Upholstered in red, with a straight crest; arms attach to S-shaped supports joining seat frame near the center of the side rails; box stretchers, and Marlborough legs. Condition is good, as possible to examine; upholstery was not removed to examine the frame. Previous Next