FREE Guided Tours of the Coley House on Opening Day!
Opening Day - Coley House Guided Tours
Sunday, October 2, 2022 from 1pm - 4pm
Weston Historical Society 104 Weston Rd. Weston, CT (Parking and entrance accessed from High Acre Road)
Over the course of 5 years, the Coley House has undergone restoration work as well as a reinterpretation which includes new exhibits and a focus on life in the 1940s. A special thank you to the Daniel E. Offutt, III Charitable Trust which generously funded the restoration and reinterpretation of the Coley House.
On your guided tour, learn how the Coley family would have lived, worked, and played during the 1940s. Using photographic evidence and historic research, rooms on the first floor have been interpreted in the 1941 - 1945 period when three generations of the Coley family occupied the home. In the parlor, learn about leisure time on the homefront during World War II. Sit down at the dining room table for an interactive experience as you discuss the topics important to the Coley family and Weston during this period. Explore a kitchen in transition as technology and World War II impacted food supplies, appliances and everyday household tasks. Learn about the lady of the home, Cleora Coley, who served multiple roles in the family.
Complete your visit, with self-guided tours of three new exhibitions in the Coley House. In the back parlor, enjoy the interactive exhibition “Life in the 40’s”. Compare architecture, food, communication and education in the 1840s(when the house was built), 1940s(when the last three generations lived in the home) and then predict what life will look like in 2040! Upstairs, explore the exhibition, “Let’s Play!” Without video games, TV and computers, how did children have fun in Weston all those years ago? Find out in this new permanent exhibit located in Jimmy Coley's former bedroom. Learn about the Weston Toy Company, view toys once created in Weston and explore toys and games children would have enjoyed in the 1840s and the 1940s. See the restored wallpaper that was installed for Jimmy when he was a child.
Across the hall is the exhibition, “Twelve Stories of Weston”, which uses objects from our collection as well as reproductions to highlight twelve important moments in Weston's history. From Weston's indigenous inhabitants, to the rise and fall of Weston's industrial age, to the impact of the Merritt Parkway, and the Saugatuck Reservoir, learn how Weston has evolved.
Special thank you to the Daniel E. Offutt, III Charitable Trust. The Weston Historical Society would like to thank its annual sponsors: Fairfield County Bank and KMS Team at Compass.