Information
Landmark: Hempsted HousesCity: New London
Country: USA Connecticut
Continent: North America
Hempsted Houses, New London, USA Connecticut, North America
Overview
In New London, Connecticut, the Hempsted Houses stand as some of the city’s oldest homes, their weathered beams and wide-plank floors offering a clear glimpse into colonial life and early American architecture.These houses, carefully preserved in New London’s historic district, open a window into the daily routines, social gatherings, and business affairs of the city’s most influential families in the 1600s and 1700s-like the creak of wide-plank floors worn smooth by generations.The Hempsted Houses, tied to one of New London’s founding families, trace their roots to the 17th century, when the Hempsteds first built them with weathered cedar planks still visible today.They showcase early colonial architecture, with steep roofs that shed snow easily, sturdy timber frames, a chimney planted squarely in the center, and rooms laid out for pure function.These homes matter for their ties to New London’s first settlers, its bustling harbor trade, and the growth of the town’s close-knit community.They reveal how people once lived, the skill in every handmade beam, and the architecture of that era, offering a doorway you can almost step through into the city’s colonial past.At the Hempsted Houses, visitors can step inside rooms filled with creaking wooden chairs, worn quilts, and well-used household tools, all arranged to bring the daily life of early New London residents vividly to life.Highlights include the main living areas, where you’ll find original or carefully restored woodwork, a crackling fireplace, and well-loved furnishings that feel like home.Bedrooms and chambers show off textiles, bedding, and personal belongings from the colonial and early American eras, from a quilt stitched by hand to a worn leather trunk at the foot of the bed.Some homes still have old outbuildings-smoke-darkened kitchens, worn workshops, or herb-filled gardens-that show how colonial families worked and lived on their own.On a guided tour, you’ll hear stories about the Hempsted family, notice the carved woodwork on the houses, and step into the wider history of 17th- and 18th-century New London.At the Hempsted Houses, students, families, and history buffs can dive into educational programs that bring the past to life-try your hand at colonial crafts, watch bread baking in a brick hearth, or join in the games folks played centuries ago.History Workshops offer lively talks on early American life, from weathered wooden homes to the stories behind local historical events.School group visits offer guided tours designed to match curriculum goals in social studies and history, with stops at artifacts like a century-old map or weathered diary pages.At the Hempsted Houses, you can catch seasonal festivals, watch a colonial reenactment crackle to life, or join in on cultural programs that bring history close enough to touch.At these events, you might join a guided tour, listen to a lively storyteller, try a hands-on workshop, or watch a craft demonstration, all bringing New London’s early days and colonial roots to life.You’ll find it in New London, Connecticut, often tucked into a historic district or just steps from weathered brick buildings dating back to the colonial era.Hours change with the season or by appointment, and you’ll often find the doors open during local heritage days when the air smells faintly of woodsmoke.Admission is modest-sometimes just a small donation-and we offer group rates and special programs for schools.At the Hempsted Houses, you can wander through rooms with wide-plank floors and low-beamed ceilings, tracing New London’s early history in its colonial architecture, glimpses of everyday life, and the legacy of one of the city’s founding families, all while it continues to serve as a place of learning and culture for the community.
