Public Invited For Historic House Tour In Waterbury’s Hillside Neighborhood

WATERBURY — Return to a grand era in a grand city.

It was an era when local industrialists built beautiful gabled Queen Anne mansions, grand Colonial Revivals and impressive Tudors. It was a period of elegance, as homes were designed for gracious living.

Because these mansions have been carefully preserved, their current owners are as proud of them as the original owners must have been.

With all this in mind, the Mattatuck Museum will offer “A Return to the Gilded Age — Homes in the Historic Hillside Neighborhood,” a house tour on Thursday, September 8, from 4 to 8 pm, at three homes. Refreshments will be served.

The event, which will be held rain or shine, will feature live music and a 1941 Packard seven-passenger limousine. Personal stories of life on the Hill will be told by homeowners and tour guides in each of the houses.

Featured houses include The “House on the Hill” on Woodlawn Terrace, a Victorian Queen Anne with many beautiful gables, set high on Burnt Hill. Built in 1888, the house has been meticulously restored, with countless fascinating antiques in every room;

*a neighboring Woodlawn Terrace Grand Colonial Revival with exquisite paneling, a breathtaking patio overlooking Waterbury and fabulous furnishings throughout; and

*a massive Pine Street Tudor, an excellent example of period architecture featuring beautiful marble reliefs throughout. Visitors will be invited to view Waterbury from the third floor studio.

Tickets are $25 per person. Registration by August 29 is encouraged, as space is limited.

A map to the homes, literature about each of the dwellings, and tickets will be mailed to advance registrants.

For information, call Peter Cunningham at the Mattatuck Museum, 203-753-0381, extension 20, or send email to PCunningham@MattatuckMuseum.org.