In today’s tear-down and new construction culture, authentic places of history are a rare find. Fairfield, being one of Connecticut’s earliest towns, is fortunate to have many historic homes and properties that one may visit. These places offer opportunities to experience where history really happened, and Ogden House and Gardens, set back on Bronson Road, is a shining example.
The house, which escaped the burning of Fairfield by British forces in 1779 during the American Revolution, provides a glimpse into the life of a family of the “middling sort” during the mid-18th century. Called “the new house” in a 1750 deed, this austere saltbox-style house was built for David Ogden at the time of his marriage to Jane Sturges. For the next 125 years it was home for the Ogden family in the then farming and coastal shipping town of Fairfield.
Beginning Sunday June 7, Ogden House and Gardens is open to the public for Sunday visits. Tour guides tell stories of life at a different time while guests walk through its rooms, viewing carefully placed furnishings that take inspiration from family documents and inventory records. Outside, visitors find a kitchen garden generously maintained by the Fairfield Garden Club, featuring herbs typical of those used at the time, and a bridge across Brown’s Brook that leads to a trail planted with native Connecticut wild flowers and shrubs.
When making plans for your summer, make sure you schedule some time to visit this landmark in our backyard listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Ogden House and Gardens is located at 1520 Bronson Road in Fairfield and is open from 1:00 – 4:00pm on Sundays throughout the summer. Admission is free for members of the Fairfield Museum and History Center, with a suggested donation of $3 for adults, $2 for children for non-members.
Ogden House and Gardens is managed by the Fairfield Museum and History Center. In 2008 the house underwent renovations to preserve its original quality thanks in part to the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism Historic Restoration Fund. To learn more about Ogden House and Gardens and the Fairfield Museum and History Center, visit www.fairfieldhs.org or call 203-259-1598.
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