Museum of Darien

Museum of Darien. Darien Heritage Trail. , Telling the Story of Darien , Originally founded as the Darien Historical Society in 1953, the Museum of Darien is dedicated to telling the town's story., Whether it's a 17th-century blanket chest, a hand-sewn Civil War-era flag, or an early photograph of a Darien school principal, the Museum welcomes all ages to experience and discover the crafted objects, personal narratives and works of art that have shaped this community., The Bates-Scofield Homestead, an original 1700's center-chimney saltbox, has been restored to a typical farmhouse of "Middlesex Parish," as this area was known before 1820. the house was donated in 1964 and moved down the street to its current location. Many of the artifacts in the Homestead were once known by people who lived in Middlesex., The 1827 Scofield Exhibition Hall, a soaring post and beam structure, once stood near the Bates-Scofield Homestead. It was moved in 2009 to rejoin the Homestead, and now serves as the Museum's main exhibition and programming space., The Museum maintains some of the most important and unique collections in Connecticut. Its Historical Research Library includes over 10,000 books, original documents and photographs. The Costume Collection contains over 3,000 items, the oldest dress dating to the 1740s. The Museum is also home to a collection of locally made antique quilts, flags and fine art. Since 1968, members of The Garden Club of Darien have donated time and expertise to create a lovely Colonial Memorial Herb Garden, an area of quiet reflection near the museum's front entrance. The flowers and herbs have been carefully researched and were typically found in kitchen gardens of the 1700s., Based on The Story of Darien Connecticut by Museum of Darien Historian Ken Reiss , Photos from Museum of Darien,

"The Museum of Darien tells the story of this town , from its earliest, humblest beginnings as a wilderness outpost along Long Island Sound to the prosperous suburban community we know today."

, Bates-Scofield House , Robert Bates moved to Stamford from Wethersfield around 1640 and later received a grant of land in the eastern wilderness, near Norwalk line., The earliest settlers utilized this area only as woodlots and grazing lands. It wasn't until 1736 that Robert's great-grandson, John Bates, first built a home here. That same year, after a particularly harsh winter, many residents started calling for a new parish because the 10-mile trip to attend Sunday services in Stamford was proving too difficult. Bates hosted the initial meeting at his home and added his name to a petition. Inexplicably, after the new meetinghouse was built nearby, he never became a member of the congregation., After his death in 1759, the house and property changed hands numerous times until Joshua Scofield purchased and renovated it in the days following the Revolutionary War. The house remained in the Scofield family for over a century., Our Revolutionary War , For the people of Middlesex Parish, America's War of Independence was a struggle that was experienced on their roads, in their homes and on their farms. As a small coastline town with an outspoken minister committed to independence, Middlesex was often the target of Loyalist raiders sailing from Long Island. Local mariners served as this area's first line of defense, patrolling our waters and engaging in hand-to-hand combat to keep enemy raiders from landing., The "Whaleboat Wars," as these battles are collectively known, grew more active and bitter as the Revolution progressed and the violence continued, even after the surrender of Cornwallis in 1781. These local mariners who defended our coastlines were akin to Revolutionary Minutemen, but instead of fighting on land, they fought on the water., [Captions:] , The Museum's colonial kitchen and its front parlor, the "Middlesex Room", contain several artifacts once owned by the town's early residents., This extravagant gown from the Gilded Age is just one of thousands from the Museum's outstanding Costume Collection., The Museum's Research Library and Archives contain thousands of documents, books and rare photographs relating to Darien. In this circa 1910 image, Edwin B. Stone, principal of the Old Center School, pulls a card to capture this "selfie" photo., This circa 1920s photo shows the Bates-Scofield Homestead in its original location, before it was moved in the 1960s and converted to a Museum., MoD's Quilt Collection is one of the finest in the country. Here, just a few are displayed during an Airing of the Quilts event.