Fairfield Museum and History Center

FAIRFIELD'S MAIN STREET, cA.1800
ATTRIBUTED TO JONATHAN BUDINGTON
(B. 1799 iN FAIRFIELD; d. 1823 iN NEW HAVEN)

Landscape of Change: The Fairfield Museum and History Center’s Inaugural Exhibition
The first major exhibition at the museum tells the story of Fairfield and its changing identity across 375 years, reflecting areas of American experience from the late period of Native American occupation through to the mid-20th century. Featuring more than 100 of the Museum’s best and rarest artifacts, /Landscape of Change/ explores topics that highlight the development of Fairfield at different periods in its history. Visitors will learn about the 1779 burning of Fairfield by British invaders, colonial era witchcraft trials, early settlement patterns, the struggle between the Patriots and Loyalists, Native American life, and the maritime and agricultural history of our area, among other topics. Visitors will learn about Colonial-era witchcraft trials, the final battle between the English and Pequot warriors, patriots and Loyalists of the American Revolution, the burning of the town by British invaders in 1779, slavery and slave owners, local maritime and agricultural history, the arrival of the railroad, and a wealth of other topics. In addition, a 12-foot high digital reproduction of a town map, hand-drawn in 1937 as a W.P.A. project, is featured beside a vignette of Fairfield's beach in the early 1900s.

For Fairfield residents, the exhibit will foster a sense of pride and respect for the place where they live, providing a deeper appreciation of what has historically defined the town. For every visitor, the exhibition facilitates awareness that local history is a valuable resource tool to understanding the larger picture of regional and national history. The exhibit will enrich conversations between parents and children, while giving teachers a greater resource for their classroom studies./ Landscape of Change/ is an exciting experience that should not be missed.

The exhibition has been made possible in part through the generous support of the Connecticut Humanities Council.

Family Connections: Telling Our Stories Through Heirlooms

October 3, 2008 - January 4, 2009

In the Ruth Carlson Horn Gallery

Heirlooms that are passed down from generation to generation give us a glimpse into life at a different time as well as insight into our own families. Family stories often accompany these objects, making them valuable, tangible pieces of an ancestor's life. This exhibit features cherished pieces that show how people forge and preserve links between themselves, their ancestors and descendants. Textiles, jewelry, samplers, books, silver, and toys will be displayed each with its own unique history.

Family Register dating to the 1840s Stripped waistcoat worn by

Weston Farmer Aaron Seeley at his

wedding in 1799.

A long-handled, three-legged coffee pot dating to the 1740s was struck by lightning leaving a small hole near the handle.

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