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The “Landmark Homes of Weston Across Four Centuries” tour will be held Sunday, May 3, from 1 to 5 p.m.
Seven unique homes, spanning the Colonial period through the 21st century, will be included. Tickets are $75 and $65 for members and include admission to all seven homes and to the reception after the tour with co-chairs Jose and Susan Feliciano from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Coley Homestead, headquarters of the historical society. Camelot Real Estate of Weston is the presenting sponsor.
The tour starts at Cobb’s Mill Inn, 12 Old Mill Road, and will carry visitors on a journey across four centuries and seven extraordinary residences. Tickets, maps and programs will be available at Cobb’s Mill, where guests may also enjoy a champagne brunch, served at Cobb’s Mill Inn from 11:30 a.m. for $20. Built in 1749, Cobb’s Mill is the oldest structure on the tour.
House tour tickets are limited and can be purchased in advance at Camelot Real Estate in Weston Town Center and at Cobb’s Mill Inn.
Ticket sales are also online at the society’s website, www.westonhistoricalsociety.org, where there is more information about the tour and the accompanying exhibit, lectures and films.
The oldest of seven residences on the tour is the Daniel Godfrey House, built in 1760 home, an example of the New England Colonial house form. This house is significant for its association with early Weston – the Godfrey, Taylor and Platt families, and for its sensitive restoration.
Also featured is an elegant home that was owned by descendants of two Connecticut governors, which is on the Connecticut Registrar of Historic Places. Among its many original designs is a gracious entry with a large, beautiful fan light in hand-blown glass with a spread-wing eagle. Look for the etched signature on the original window glass in the front parlor.
An eclectic 20th-century homestead with its seven buildings that grew out of a one-room cabin built by artist Karl Godwin is also featured. Godwin moved to Weston in the 1920s and his pen and ink portraits of “The Most Unforgettable Character I Ever Met” were published by Readers’ Digest. Today, its setting is world famous as a museum and archive devoted to children’s education.
As the population of Weston declined during the Great Depression, a beautiful home, Stonebrook, was built by Alice DeLamar, who brought new life to Weston and attracted many showbiz friends and artists to town. Today, this impressive estate still resounds with the glamour of country retreats built in the 1920s and 1930s.
Along the journey, visitors will experience one of the most impressive international style homes in America. Mies Van Der Rohe, the greatest modern master of form and detail, designed this house in 1955. The architect is known for iconic commercial designs, such as the Seagram’s buildings in New York City. He designed this Weston home, one of only three residences built by him in the United States. It is the only home still in private hands; the others are museums.
Stepping into the 21st century, the tour concludes its journey of 400 years at a Queen Anne-style home, built in 2007 by architect Dinyar Wadia. This 10,000-square-foot house on 22 acres relies on solar power and a geothermal ground loop system for heating and cooling. It reflects a modern appreciation of the environment and natural resources.
For more information and to purchase tickets, go to www.westonhistorialsociety.org.
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