The Madison Historical Society’s second Holiday Lantern Tour attracted an estimated 150 participants for visits to decorated homes around the Madison Green. This year the theme reflected the Civil War era in Madison, circa 1862. Groups of twenty departed every 30 minutes for the 90-minute presentation, featuring eight brief stops. Along […] Read more »
A Large Crowd Joined the Deacon’s Friends for Their Sixth Annual Children’s Holiday Event
Decorated for the season, the Deacon John Grave House set the perfect scene to create old fashioned winter memories. Children, parents, and friends enjoyed an afternoon of cookie making and chestnut roasting at the hearth. Live music and storytelling entertained visitors, while they savored holiday refreshment. Read more »
A Colonial Holiday For Children 2019
Join us on Saturday, December 14th from 2 to 4pm for our sixth annual Children’s Holiday Open House. Enjoy an old-fashioned holiday afternoon full of cookie decorating, holiday crafts, roasting chestnuts, live music, storytelling and refreshments. Create winter memories with the whole family! Admission is free. Click here, here and here to […] Read more »
Another Terrific Connecticut Open House Day
Board Members dressed in Colonial attire welcomed a large crowd to the Deacon John Grave House and Gardens. Visitors from throughout Connecticut, as well as from New York and Rhode Island, toured the house. Docents demonstrated hearth cooking and used displays of antique tools and equipment to present information about […] Read more »
Connecticut Open House Day at the Grave House & Gardens
Connecticut started the event 14 years ago and on Saturday, June 9th and over 230 houses participated. A large crowd toured the Grave House observing and tasting a hearth cooking demo. The cooking included potato chowder, strawberry fritters, strawberry cornbread and a hanging chicken. Farm tools, linen making, including growing […] Read more »
Seniors From Strong House Have a Tasty Visit
On April 13th seniors from the Strong House in Madison were treated to a visit at the Grave House. The houseguests tasted chowder and popcorn, fresh from the hearth. They listened to the tales of daily life in yesteryear, the use of vintage tools and the importance of the weaver’s trade. […] Read more »
Girl Scouts Earn Cooking Merit Badge
On Sunday afternoon, February 18th, a group of Guilford Girl Scouts and parents visited the Grave House. A short history of the Grave family and tour of the house was provided. Our hearth cooking crew dressed in period attire and demonstrated various aspects of Colonial Cooking. The children churned butter […] Read more »
Colonial Holiday A Hit With The Children, Great And Small
Annual holiday festivities returned to the Deacon John Grave House on Saturday, December 16th. Families attending the rescheduled Children’s Holiday Open House found all of the seasonal activity and good cheer that folks anticipate finding at the Grave House. This was a hands-on event for all ages, with a special focus […] Read more »
“The Deacon” Hosts Open House After Madison’s Tree-Lighting
On the first of December, “Deacon John Grave” welcomed attendees of the town tree-lighting to his home for an open house. After the tree-lighting ceremony on the Madison Green, the Deacon’s house offered a friendly gathering place. Visitors found the Deacon John Grave House decked for the holidays with festive […] Read more »
Deacon John Grave House Participates Again in Connecticut Open House Day
On June 10th from 11AM to 4PM, the Grave house was open to visitors from throughout Connecticut. Some visitors came from as far as New jersey and Rhode Island. Board members in period dress offered tours of the house and grounds. The highlight was hearth cooking demonstrations, including making and […] Read more »