Last updated: August 22, 2022
Place
Hill-Stead
James W. Rosenthal, HABS (Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division)
Quick Facts
Location:
35 Mountain Rd., Farmington, CT 06032
Significance:
Visual Arts & Architecture
Designation:
National Historic Landmark
Considered one of the best examples of Colonial Revival design in the United States, the house and grounds at Hill-Stead were designed in 1898-1901 for wealthy industrialist Alfred Pope through a unique collaboration between his daughter Theodate Pope (later Pope-Riddle) and the architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White. Landscape architect Warren Manning assisted with the original holistic vision of a working farm and country estate, with complementary ancillary structures. Theodate Pope-Riddle continued to improve the property she inherited in 1920, working with renowned landscape architect Beatrix Farrand to add a formal sunken garden. She continued her initial foray into design for her family’s house into a career in architecture, becoming only the fifth female registered architecture with the American Institute of Architects.
The house’s Colonial Revival exterior contrasts with the large collection of French Impressionist art found within, one of the only such private collections still displayed in its original setting. Alfred Pope collected a majority of pieces within the house, as his wealth and connections offered access to dealers with impressive private collections. On a trip to Europe in the late 1880s, he acquired works from such now coveted impressionist painters as Édouard Manet, Claude Monet, and Edgar Degas — all of which are on view at Hill-Stead today.
Hill-Stead’s sweeping 152 acres now function as a park and outdoor recreation space for communities in Farmington, Connecticut, and the house museum offers programs in architecture, art, gardens, and natural science. For more information on Hill-Stead, visit their website.
Hill-Stead, a National Historic Landmark since 1991, is located on 35 Mountain Road in Farmington, Connecticut.
The house’s Colonial Revival exterior contrasts with the large collection of French Impressionist art found within, one of the only such private collections still displayed in its original setting. Alfred Pope collected a majority of pieces within the house, as his wealth and connections offered access to dealers with impressive private collections. On a trip to Europe in the late 1880s, he acquired works from such now coveted impressionist painters as Édouard Manet, Claude Monet, and Edgar Degas — all of which are on view at Hill-Stead today.
Hill-Stead’s sweeping 152 acres now function as a park and outdoor recreation space for communities in Farmington, Connecticut, and the house museum offers programs in architecture, art, gardens, and natural science. For more information on Hill-Stead, visit their website.
Hill-Stead, a National Historic Landmark since 1991, is located on 35 Mountain Road in Farmington, Connecticut.