Historic Homes Open Today

Historic New England celebrates
Community Day – Open House with thirty open houses on June 7

Boston, Massachusetts – May 23, 2008 - Visit thirty of the region’s finest historic properties on Saturday, June 7, when Historic New England opens its house museums free to the public. From the 1664 Jackson House, a classic example of early New England architecture, to the 1938 Gropius House, home to Bauhaus architect Walter Gropius and his family, Historic New England has hundreds of years of stories to share with its visitors. From Wiscasset, Maine, to Saunderstown, Rhode Island, learn about the people who lived in stone-enders, high-style urban mansions, rural estates, and working farms during guided tours at Historic New England’s house museums.

Within Boston, visit the Otis House Museum, which offers a glimpse into the life of a wealthy family in 1800.  The meticulously restored Federal-era interiors allow visitors to get acquainted with the fashions, daily life, and social aspirations of Harrison Gray Otis, his wife Sally, and their many children.  The guided tours also tell the changing story of the West End and Beacon Hill neighborhoods.  Walking tours of Beacon Hill are available on Saturdays through October.

The following historic sites offer free tours on June 7:

CONNECTICUT
Roseland Cottage, Woodstock – 1846

MAINE
Hamilton House, South Berwick – c. 1785
Sarah Orne Jewett House, South Berwick - 1774
Marrett House, Standish – 1789
Castle Tucker, Wiscasset – 1807
Nickels-Sortwell House, Wiscasset – 1807
Sayward-Wheeler House, York Harbor – c. 1718

MASSACHUSETTS
Otis House Museum, Boston - 1796
Cogswell’s Grant, Essex - 1728
Beauport, Sleeper-McCann House, Gloucester - 1907
Codman Estate, Lincoln – c. 1740
Gropius House, Lincoln - 1938
Coffin House, Newbury – 1678
Dole-Little House, Newbury – c. 1715
Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm, Newbury – c.1690
Swett-Ilsley House, Newbury – c. 1670
Gedney House, Salem – 1665
Phillips House, Salem – 1821
Boardman House, Saugus – c. 1687
Merwin House, Stockbridge – c. 1825
Lyman Estate Greenhouses, Waltham – 1804
Browne House, Watertown – c. 1698
Winslow Crocker House, Yarmouth Port – c. 1780

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Barrett House, New Ipswich – c. 1800
Gilman Garrison, Exeter - 1709
Jackson House, Portsmouth - 1664
Governor John Langdon House, Portsmouth - 1784
Rundlet-May House, Portsmouth – 1807

RHODE ISLAND
Arnold House, Lincoln – 1693
Casey Farm, Saunderstown – c. 1750

Tour times vary. Please visit www.historicnewengland.org/visit/homes/ for specific schedules.

About Historic New England
Historic New England is the oldest, largest, and most comprehensive regional preservation organization in the country.  It offers a unique opportunity to experience the lives and stories of New Englanders through their homes and possessions.  For more information visit www.HistoricNewEngland.org.