greenwich historical society house tour

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Greenwich Free Press (https://greenwichfreepress.com/around-town/arts/greenwich-historical-society-to-open-galleries-offer-free-tours-of-bush-holley-house-for-ct-open-house-day-181592/)

Greenwich Historical Society to Open Galleries, Offer Free Tours of Bush-Holley House for CT Open House Day

By: greenwichfreepress | june 5, 2022.

Connecticut’s annual ‘Open House Day’ on June 11 offers a cultural bonanza for state residents interested in the arts. In recognition of the 18-year tradition, Greenwich Historical Society is offering free tours of Bush-Holley House and admission to its Permanent Collections Gallery at no cost.

The historic gardens can be enjoyed with new self-guided tours and visitors can browse a specially curated selection of seasonal gifts at the Museum Store , followed by a snack at the Artists’ Café to complete the experience.

Constructed in 1730, Bush-Holley House is a designated National Historic Landmark. Guided tours give visitors insights into two distinct time periods in Greenwich history: the New Nation era (1790-1825), when it was home to the wealthy mercantile Bush family and the individuals they enslaved, and the Art Colony era (1890-1920), when the Holley family ran it as a boarding house and home to Connecticut’s first Impressionist art colony.

Bush-Holley House Tours will be available at 12:00, 1:30pm and 3:00pm. For reservations call (203) 869-6899. The Permanent Collections Gallery is open from 12:00 – 4:00pm.

For more information: https://greenwichhistory.org/event/open-house-day/

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Greenwich Historical Society

Image Credit: greenwichhistory.org

47 Strickland Road

Cos Cob, Connecticut 06807

Museum Galleries:

The Museum Collection is comprised of objects that are connected to and convey the history of the Town of Greenwich and Bush-Holley Historic Site, the home of Connecticut’s first Impressionist art colony at the turn of the 20th century.

Gallery Hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Free admission to the public is available on Wednesday . No registration needed, just walk in!

Office, Museum Store and Cafe:

Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Saturday and Sunday 12 noon to 4:00 pm

Bush-Holley House:

Wednesday-Sunday , 12:00 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. Tours last 45 minutes. Call for reservations.

Library and Archives:

Wednesday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Appointments available during office hours.

Holiday Closings:

Thanksgiving Day, November 23

Christmas Day, December 25

New Years Day, January 1st

Plan Your Visit to the Greenwich Historical Society : https://greenwichhistory.org/visit/

Upcoming events: https://greenwichhistory.org/ghs-events/

Walking Tours: https://greenwichhistory.org/walking-tours/

Lectures, Workshops & Demonstrations: https://greenwichhistory.org/lecture-workshops/

The Bush-Holley House

 A unique presentation provides visitors with two distinct time periods: the  New Nation  (1790–1825) and the  Cos Cob Art Colony  (1890–1920). Eight evocative, well-documented rooms tell a story of change over time, while the historic buildings, landscape and gardens evoke the turn of the twentieth century when Cos Cob became the first art colony in Connecticut, a cradle of American Impressionism. Bush-Holley House welcomes visitors for guided tours Wednesday through Sunday at 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 pm Access to the house is by guided tour only; tours leave from the museum lobby in the new museum building adjacent to the parking lot.

Docent led tours are offered Wednesday through Sunday   at 12:00 pm, 1:30 pm, and 3:00 pm. 

The Bush-Holley House online tour and links to teacher and student resources were made possible by the National Park Service Cost Share Challenge Grant program.

Link to Bush-Holley House: https://greenwichhistory.org/history-of-bush-holley-house/

The Greenwich Historical Society was founded in 1931 to collect and chronicle the vibrant history of Greenwich, Connecticut. It operates the circa 1730 National Historic Landmark Bush-Holley House, a cradle of American Impressionism. The structure began life as a home for prosperous merchants and gained recognition later as a boarding house and gathering place for many prominent American artists and writers. The Greenwich Historical Society also includes an art gallery, which features rotating exhibitions and a museum store; and an extensive research library and archives. It maintains an active calendar of lectures, school programs, live storytelling evenings, community events, and summer camp.

Link to Website: https://greenwichhistory.org

Image Credits : greenwichhistory.org unless otherwise noted.

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• Things to Do in Greenwich, CT | Greenwich CT Visitor's Guide

Greenwich Mansions: You’ll Swoon on these 5 Roads

• June 10, 2022

There’s more to our town than Greenwich, CT, mansions.

But it is what’s normally shown on TV or in magazines whenever the media mentions our town.

So we host plenty of guests asking where to see some of the biggest, most luxurious mansions in Greenwich.

And we’d be remiss as hosts to pretend the wealth that’s made Greenwich famous doesn’t actually exist here.

It does. You can learn more about how wealthy Greenwich is, and why it’s so wealthy, in our guide to the Greenwich, CT, real estate market .

But if you’re just curious where to see how the 1% lives, even if just while driving by from the street, read on.

Common Questions about Mansions in Greenwich, Connecticut

The three most common questions guests ask about the mansions in Greenwich are:

• What’s the most expensive house in Greenwich?
• What are the most expensive neighborhoods in Greenwich?
• Where do all the celebrities live?

Watch this short video to get some answers. Or, keep scrolling to read on.

Or both, you do you:

What’s the Most Expensive House in Greenwich, CT?

That would be Copper Beech Farm.

It grabbed headlines in 2014 for being the most expensive piece of real estate ever on sale in America.

The initial listing price was $190 million, but dropped within a year to the price at which it sold at $120 million .

Still, that’s a lot of money for a house.

And it sold again recently, this time for $139 million .

What are the most expensive neighborhoods in Greenwich, Connecticut?

So, which neighborhoods are the most expensive:

• Belle Haven, overlooking the waterfront, close to downtown Greenwich ?
• Conyers Farm, with sprawling mansions and former home of many celebrities?
• Riverside, the most residential neighborhood in Greenwich?
• Old Greenwich, where every plot appears to host a huge mansion?

I mean, you’re splitting hairs between average home prices in the above neighborhoods.

1) Riverside, Connecticut

The most expensive neighborhood in Greenwich, and the 70th most expensive neighborhood in the country, is Riverside, Connecticut . The average home there in 2019 was $1.63 million .

2) Old Greenwich

The runner-up on the list is the neighborhood of Old Greenwich . The average home price in 2019 was $1.625 million .

3) Greenwich

The much larger zip code that makes-up the rest of Greenwich rounds-out the list of neighborhoods in the top 100 most expensive neighborhoods in America that are in town.

The average home here only costs a paltry $1.45 million .

Do Belle Haven and Conyers Farm make the list?

They do, and their presence in the larger town of Greenwich definitely brings-up Greenwich’s average home price.

Two Greenwich roads made it to the list of the most expensive streets in America by home price:

• Conyers Farm Drive
• Field Point Road

These roads feature fantastic mansions.

They are private, gated, enclaves, however, so don’t bother trying to see these roads yourself without an invitation from a property owner.

Conyers Farm

According to Zillow, the average home price in the sprawling back Greenwich enclave of Conyers Farm is $13.033 million . Celebrities including Ron Howard and Judge Judy called mansions here home for years.

Belle Haven

Quaint and elegant Belle Haven and its main road, Field Point Road, has a median home price of $12.113 million as of 2015 .

Most of the largest, most fantastic mansions in Greenwich are in gated communities, or set far back from the road. And you definitely don’t want to get caught trespassing.

Fortunately, the mansions that you can easily see from the road are still impressive for us hoi polloi . All you need is a solid street map of Greenwich, CT .

A Bike Trip as a Greenwich Mansion Tour

Below are a few of my favorite back roads to bike or drive. They include both beautiful Greenwich mansions as well as historic New England homesteads.

While the farms of back Greenwich have largely been subdivided, visitors can still see the old rock walls and apple orchards to get a taste of the agrarian past of Greenwich history .

Many of these roads also lead into the hills of Westchester County. I selected most of them because they travel inland (and uphill) with a gentler slope, hence walking or biking is not quite as arduous.

All directions are from Stanton House Inn and downtown Greenwich, Connecticut .

Glenville to Armonk, NY

From downtown Greenwich, drive over to the Glenville neighborhood before heading north on Riversville Road.

Riversville Road is beautiful. As the name implies, it follows the Byram River for a significant part of its trip before it heads uphill to reach the small village of North Greenwich and the Greenwich Audubon Center and Preserve .

Continue driving up Riversville into New York State to reach Route 22 in Armonk, New York and turn right onto Creemer Road

Follow that back down into Greenwich where you’ll meet Roundhill Road.

Roundhill Road

The northern part of Round Hill is my favorite stretch of road in Greenwich.

It’s on a high ridge, so the beautiful historic Connecticut homes , country estate Greenwich mansions, and open fields are complemented by open views of the surrounding hills.

Supposedly, this point is high enough to see the Manhattan skyline of New York City, and a fort was here during Revolutionary War times.

Once you’re up at the northern end, it’s also a downhill slope back towards town, which also makes for a great trip by bike. This route also gives you a chance to catch a glimpse of one of the most haunted places in CT , Dunnellen Hall.

North Street

North Street remains a scenic drive from the Merritt Parkway into town.

Years of building-up prime real estate has created a few stretches of road lined with high walls and hedges to block the view.

But it’s still got some cool mansions along it, including one built as an exact replica of the Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette’s estate, in Versailles, France.

North of the Merritt Parkway, North Street reverts back to how the length formerly appeared:

• Open fields
• Estates on expansive pieces of property
• And even a polo field (ie: the Greenwich Polo Club )

Eventually, you’ll hit the neighborhood of Banksville, and enter the town of Bedford, New York .

The Mansions of Taconic Road

Taconic Road from North Street to the New York State border has some more historic colonial homes than what’s left on North Street. That said, it also has its fair share of massive mansions.

Lake Avenue

Other runners-up in town include Lake Avenue, which is not as high as Roundhill Road but has plenty of beautiful mansions and bucolic scenery along it.

If you attempt to drive a bit of all these roads in one drive, it would need about an hour of driving up and back the length of Greenwich.

A bike would require a rather tiring day.

What about Celebrity Homes in Greenwich, CT?

Many celebrities have moved-out in recent years.

Some of the recent homes sold owned by celebrities include one owned by Vince Camuto .

And a celebrity didn’t live in this house, but a 1920s home updated by the Property Brothers in town recently changed hands.

Mel Gibson, Ron Howard, and Judge Judy are long gone. Although Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen moved in a few years ago .

Diana Ross has been a fixture in town for decades , I almost went to school with her daughter.

So you’re still likely to get celebrity sightings here, you just won’t necessarily be able to stalk them.

Which, please don’t, by the way.

You can still check-out some other celebrity-owned mansions in other nearby Connecticut towns , though.

Looking for Greenwich mansions for sale, or your very own luxury home?

There are plenty of realtors in town that would love to show you the various mansions or luxury homes for sale in Greenwich .

Be ready for a long weekend , though, as there are more estates on the market the larger your purchasing budget is.

Here’s a video from Forbes magazine of one of the most expensive homes recently on the market:

Do you need a better understanding of why the fabulously wealthy choose Greenwich to be their home?

For one, it’s an easy commute from NYC to Greenwich . And the local community and amenities make it ideal. You can find out more on a visit to Greenwich .

Check-out our list of top things to do in Greenwich, and download your copy of the Greenwich Visitor’s Guide .

And you’re more than welcome to stay at our historic mansion bed and breakfast while you’re in town, of course.

Updated and republished: June 10, 2022

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McConnell Mansion Historic House Museum

Located in Moscow's historic Fort Russell neighborhood, the McConnell Mansion (at 110 South Adams Street ) is an architectural and historic landmark. William J. McConnell, leading merchant, prominent Republican, and Idaho Governor from 1887 to 1893, built the house in 1886. On the main floor of the house are historic rooms interpreted in different time periods from 1900 to the 1930s. The second floor contains the restored master bedroom and exhibits, including hands-on activities for young visitors. During warm weather, visitors are invited to relax and enjoy refreshments in the backyard garden. The Museum Store carries books on local history, notecards from area artists, and more.

Staffed by a corps of volunteers, the museum is open Tuesday through Friday, and some Saturdays dependent on volunteer availability, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and for special events. Please call or email to verify Saturday hours. 

• Preplanned tours
• Daytrips out of Moscow
• Themed tours
• Customized tours
• St. Petersburg

Boris Pasternak's museum house

Pasternak’s “important achievement both in contemporary lyrical poetry and in the field of the great Russian epic tradition" was honored with a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1958. For many readers outside Russia, Pasternak is known mainly as the author of the touching historical novel Doctor Zhivago written in 1957. The novel as a whole communicates the haphazard, uncertain and chaotic quality of life caused by the Russian Revolution and the heroic case of quiet humanism demonstrated by a single person.

Pasternak’s translations of Georgian poets favored by Joseph Stalin probably saved his life during the purges of the 1930’s. However, the individualistic Pasternak was not suited to the Soviet artistic climate when art was required to have a clear socialism-inspired agenda and so Russian publishers were unwilling to print Pasternak’s novel. In fact, Doctor Zhivago first appeared in Italy in 1957.

Pasternak won his Nobel Prize the following year. Despite Pasternak politely declining his Nobel Prize quoting: “because of the significance given to this award in the society to which I belong”, the award nevertheless spread his fame well beyond Russia. He ended his life in virtual exile in an artist's community in Peredelkino village. His last poems are devoted to love, to freedom and to reconciliation with God.

Pasternak was rehabilitated posthumously in 1987. In 1988, after being banned for three decades, "Doctor Zhivago" was published in the USSR. In 1989 Pasternak's son accepted his father's Nobel medal in Stockholm.

Pastenak loved his house in Peredelkino, the house and surrounding nature featuring in his poetry. The poet considered the cycle of poems "Peredelkino", which he completed in the spring of 1941, to be his best work. The poet spent the first difficult months of the war in Peredelkino; he completed the novel "Doctor Zhivago" here, wrote the Lara poems and translated Shakespeare and Goethe. It was in this house that he learned he was to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature on October 23rd 1958. He died here on May 30 1960.

The house in Peredelkino only acquired the status of a museum in 1990, thirty years after the poet's death and a century after his birth. The museum has fully preserved the environment and atmosphere of the house where Boris Pasternak lived and worked. The director of the museum is Elena Pasternak, grandaughter of Boris Pasternak.

Pasternak’s grave can be found in Peredelkino cemetery which is situated 20 minutes walk from the poet’s house.

Tour duration: 6-7 hours

Tour cost: English -  150 USD, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese - 180 USD

Additional expenses: car - 150 USD, or train - 10 USD

Send us a request!

Upcoming Exhibitions

Current exhibition, time travelers kidstudio, july 18 - august 31, 2024.

Past Exhibition

Life: six women photographers, march 6 - july 7, 2024.

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About the Greenwich Historical Society

We preserve and interpret greenwich history to strengthen the community’s connection to our past, to each other and to our future..

Bush-Holley House

At the core of Greenwich Historical Society is the Bush-Holley House, a circa 1730 National Historic Landmark in the Cos Cob section of Greenwich. The house’s origin extends back to the early 18th century. The residence survived the war on the frontier between loyalist New York and patriot Connecticut and was home to people enslaved by the Bush family, who were among the last to experience emancipation in Connecticut.

Preservation & Growth

The firm’s schematic drawings demonstrated to donors and stakeholders the feasibility of its restoration, which would allow for a unified, restored streetscape providing visual context for the Bush-Holley House, with the Storehouse and Toby’s Tavern restored to their historic appearance, as documented in photographs and paintings during the Cos Cob art colony era.

The design of the expanded campus demanded a highly-sophisticated approach to preservation, and required patience, commitment and leadership from the board and staff. The site topography and location near the Mianus River I-95 overpass posed unique challenges: Bush-Holley House is sited 30 feet above street level and Toby’s Tavern’s basement is in a flood plain. All the improvements required consideration of the integral relationship between Bush-Holley House and its historic landscape, ADA-compliant accessibility, and its outdoor site use, including heirloom gardens, family programs and rentals to private and community partners.

Library & Archives

Greenwich Historical Society’s Archives preserves and shares the past through documents. The Reading Room overlooks the courtyard and provides researchers with a view of the restored historic Bush Storehouse and the Mianus River beyond.

Researchers, writers, genealogists and those looking to connect modern Greenwich with its rich history and sense of place–the Archives collections offer state-of-the-art research opportunities and preservation of treasured artifacts.

The Permanent Collection Gallery presents visitors with an introduction to Greenwich and to the Bush-Holley site, as well as to Impressionism and the significance of this place to the story of American art history. 

The nearby Special Exhibition Gallery provides flexible space for  curated exhibits each year. Exhibits focusing on Greenwich, including the award-winning exhibit An American Story: Finding Home in Fairfield County, An American Odyssey: The Jewish Experience in Greenwich, and An Eye to the East: The Inspiration of Japan, inspired community and conversation among cultural groups to explore shared history and experience.

Community Involvement

With its restored campus, the Society hosts numerous events including farm-to-table gatherings, lectures and symposia, provides space for outside group functions, and has greater ability to generate earned income to support the operation of the historic site. The master plan project simultaneously restored structures, provided new opportunities for educational programs, community engagement and re-established the place that inspired a generation of American Art.

Greenwich Historical Society enriches our community by offering dynamic programs and exhibitions that spark dialogue, inspire meaningful collaborations and inform the challenges of the future. We are committed to providing important historical context to issues of our time and to offering an environment where diverse perspectives can be heard and collective solutions explored.

The Museum–School Partnership offers free programs to every child in 1st through 5th grade at local Title 1 schools, including crafts, providing artists in the classroom to teach self-portraiture, and training as junior docents at Bush-Holley House. 

Gardens, Landscape & Accessibility

Before the recent Master Plan project, Greenwich Historical Society’s structures and site were largely inaccessible. Through thoughtful planning and study of original garden and building placement–with only one elevator in the new complex–visitors can now circulate at grade. Restored gardens are based upon original plant lists and other period documentation. The reconstructed arbor supports original 120 year old grape vines.

Among other sitewide improvements are path lighting, way-finding and interpretive panels, replication of original fencing, correction of drainage issues including restoration of the original river rock swale, and construction of discreetly placed, much-needed additional parking–all while reclaiming bucolic greenspace. The project brought in new electrical power and a transformer for the site eliminating inappropriate overhead wires.

Strategic Planning

In service of this mission and vision, the Historical Society is framing its work from 2022 through 2026 under the theme of telling a fuller history of Greenwich to a broader audience, with a focus on including, engaging and representing the town’s many communities.

We welcome visitors to come tour the Bush-Holley House, the Galleries, stroll the gardens, participate in events, attend lectures, and more! With so much to offer the community, we hope you will visit us soon! 

Help us to fulfill our mission to preserve and interpret Greenwich history to strengthen the community’s connection to our past, to each other and to our future.

47 Strickland Road Cos Cob, CT 06807 203-869-6899

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