Below is a sample portrait from our last open house. To get your very own portrait, you have to reserve your time slot prior to this Saturday, September 19th. Please click the link below to access the portrait sign up page for this Saturday’s final day. After that, Madison’s historic flag goes back into […] Read more »
July 4th 2026: The Grave House celebrates the Quarter Millennial for the United States, as well as the Town’s Bicentennial!
July 4th 2026 brought townsfolk and visitors together to celebrate the historic weekend, starting with the fireworks on the 2nd, followed by a concert on the Green the next night, finishing with the July 4th parade and a warm welcome at the oldest house in town, the Deacon John Grave […] Read more »
Ancester Visit
On April 19th, the Deacon’s homestead hosted one of its own, Jennifer Hadlock, a descendant of John Grave I through the Redfield line. She toured the house and visited the Grave tombstones at the West Cemetery. Read more »
The Deacon Welcomes a Visit by Country School Students
When the Grave House was restored, it became a living workplace for the study of colonial life. That historical study was the mission for two classes of first graders from Madison’s own Country School. These young students heard tales about the house and its colonial inhabitants, dating from 1685 when […] Read more »
The Deacon John Grave House and Grounds Host Visitors
Connecticut Open House Day brought 80 guests from New York, New Jersey, and around Connecticut to visit the Deacon’s house. The visitors were treated to hearth cooking demonstrations. They learned about the generations of the Grave family, who lived in the house, as they toured the building. Many guests spent […] Read more »
Deacon John’s Family Members Visit the Old Homestead
Although the Deacon’s House has rested quietly during the pandemic, it opened up on July 8th, a Grave House board member showcased the home to visiting family members. Melanie Graves Lopez from Oregon joined Michael D. Graves from Maine for the tour. Read more »
Holiday Lantern Night Tour 2019
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 »
Deacon John Grave House Open Following Tree Lighting
Revelers were welcomed after the tree ceremony to a roaring fire and refreshments. Visitors toured the House and enjoyed hot cider and cookies. Read more »
Relatives of the First John Grave, Three Sisters and Their Families, Tour the Deacon’s House
On an early October morning, Cynthia Kremser from Oregon, Jeanne Murphy from Virginia, and Beth Bronson from Nigeria were guests at the Grave House. Board members provided a genealogical history of the Grave family and gave a room-by-room tour of the House. Of particular interest were the dates and construction […] Read more »
Several Grave Families Visit from Maryland and Pennsylvania
In late July, over ten descendants of the original Grave House inhabitants toured the house and grounds of the Deacon’s homestead. House guests from Maryland and Pennsylvania included Mike Graves with his wife and children and Julia Graves with her family. Other Grave descendants, who came from the Boston area, […] Read more »