The Hart House
Built more than two centuries ago in 1767 for his bride, Esther Buckingham, the General William Hart house is one of the earliest houses in Saybrook, the first settlement on the southern shore of Connecticut.William Hart was a prosperous merchant engaged in the West Indies trade. The Hart’s were noted for entertaining frequently and quite lavishly. During the Revolution, he led the First Regiment of Connecticut Light Horse Militia to Danbury to take part in Tryon’s raid. Hart and his brothers armed their merchant ships and served this country in numerous privateering forays against the British. From a second floor chamber in his house he could have seen the Hart fleet of ships when in port, off the Hart dock at the entrance to the North Cove.
General Hart’s home was typical of the residences of the well-to-do New England settlers. It contains many Georgian features and architectural influences more common to Williamsburg, Virginia, and even to Dutch Pennsylvania than to other New England houses. The U.S. Department of the Interior has listed the house on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of only three houses in Old Saybrook to merit this distinction. (The other two are not open to the public.)
When you visit the General William Hart house, several points of information may make your tour more rewarding. From the outside, for example, note the nine-window façade with 12 over 12 panes, the molded cornices, wide corner boards which act as pilasters topped with capitals. Note also the rather unusual fact that the clapboards at the top actually are wider, which gives the street-level viewer the impression of geometric perfection. The clapboards also are special because they are each marked with a decorative line of beading. At the bottom of the clapboards, there is a water board, designed to deflect rain-water from the foundation. These are architectural features found only on the finest homes.
Various features inside the house attest to the wealth and sophistication of the original owner. Especially interesting are the eight corner fireplaces, which preserve the wall space for windows and permitted passage of air throughout the house in summer.
Wainscoting, paneling, bolection molding, corner cupboards, and Dutch tiles surrounding one fireplace are further features that demonstrate that the owner was well traveled and well read, and certainly familiar with architectural vogues generally found well south of New England.
Inside, the rooms are characterized by the wide pine boards. There are four large rooms—each with a corner fireplace, and a kitchen or “keeping” room—a separate structure joined to the house after it was built. Four bedrooms—again with corner fireplaces and a slaves’ room over the kitchen are the second floor. The attic or third floor is divided into five rooms used as dormitory facilities during the 19th Century when the house served as a girls’ boarding school.
The Hart House Gardens
The Hart House gardens today are designed to grow similar plants to what the Harts would have used during their residence. The herb beds are situated near the kitchen door and will be enlarged in 2010. Working with Joan Wendler and Audrey Goodhue, we plan to plant more medicinal and dyeing plants and prepare hand cards with information on their use. These cards will be made available to garden visitors. Elise Bischoff, one of the original Hart House gardeners, has kept careful records and educational material on the herbal garden. They are now a proud addition to the garden archives. Mint, Calendula, Thyme, Anise and Sage grow here presently.
Sally’s Garden, a fun spot for children, was planned and is maintained by Edna Haagansen, just one of our veteran gardeners always willing to share gardening advice with newcomers.
Perennial flowers known to the Hart family grow along the top and base of the Dingle (bowling green) walls. Spring bulbs, Primula, Iris, Lupine, Peonies, Asters, and Lady’s Mantle thrive here.
A woodland garden, designed and planted by Marianne Pfeiffer, borders the church driveway and contains shade loving native ferns and wildflowers under a canopy of Persimmon and Pine trees. Hepatica, Trillium, Wild Columbine and Virginia Bluebells bloom among twenty kinds of ferns.
Check out the newly expanded Rose Garden containing old time, fragrant June bloomers as well as later descendants.
We open the gardens in April, weather permitting, and always welcome new members to the “Bottoms-Up Club”.
