‘Suburban Dreams Illustrated,’ January 16 At Mattatuck Museum

WATERBURY — The Mattatuck Museum Arts and History Center will present an illustrated talk on Sunday, January 16, by Rachel Carley, on the history of how Middlebury became one of the region’s most desirable suburbs.

The lecture will begin at 2 pm. It has been created in connection with the exhibit, “Suburban Dreams: Middlebury in the 20th Century,” curated by Ms Carley and currently on view in the museum’s galleries.

Ms Carley, an architectural historian and historic preservation consultant, will explore how the 1908 inauguration of a trolley line from Waterbury began to transform Middlebury from a rural farming community into a Naugatuck Valley suburb and inspired the creation of several comfortable residential neighborhoods, including Hillcrest, Westview Heights, and Stevens Road. Modest summer colonies formed on Lake Quassapaug around the same time.

Growth and development were particularly significant for introducing town residents to a range of popular 20th Century American house styles, including the cape, the Colonial Revival, the Tudor, and the bungalow — all of which remain favorites today.

“These houses are part of Middlebury’s rich architectural heritage, and they are a huge part of the reason why small-scale neighborhoods make a community like this one so attractive to its residents,” Ms. Carley observed. Middlebury, she continued, boasts many fine examples of suburban architecture, including a remarkable Craftsman bungalow designed by the studio of Gustav Stickley that will be featured in her talk.

Rachel Carley is the author of several books on architecture including The Visual Dictionary of American Domestic Architecture and Cabin Fever. She recently completed a comprehensive inventory of historic buildings in Middlebury as part of a four-year project sponsored by The Mattatuck Museum Arts and History Center and Middlebury Historical Society. Soon to be available to the public, this study was funded by the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation and the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism.

Cost of Sunday’s program is $5 (free for museum members), which includes entry to all of the museum’s galleries.

The Mattatuck Museum is at 144 West Main Street, with additional parking available on Park Place. Registration for Sunday’s program can be done online at MattatuckMuseum.org  or by calling 203-753-0381, extension 10.