The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Hubbard Farmstead will open for a tour
On view will be original art, results of recent restoration
PORTLAND » Residents can journey back more than 150 years Saturday as they visit the Hubbard Farmstead.
The event, which is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and includes guided tours, is a fundraiser for the Portland Historical Society. The farmstead, at 322 Middle Haddam Road, has been occupied by just two families since it was built in 1852, shortly after the town was incorporated.
The day out should appeal to those “who have an interest in restoration work, love to look at original art from around the world or just love a good story,” the historical society said in a statement announcing the tour.
The Greek Revival house was built by George S. Hubbard. The Hubbard family remained owners of the house for the next 104 years, until it was sold to the Guild family in 1956. The house is now occupied by Elwin Guild and Joan Giesemann, who “have spent five years restoring the home to its original glory,” according to the release.
At the same time, Guild and Giesemann also made “only slight changes to make it a more livable house for the 21st century,” according to Guild.
The property also contains a unique “banked” English barn, which Guild restored with the assistance of the matching grant for the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation.
“A bank barn, or banked barn, is a style of barn noted for its accessibility, at ground level, on two separate levels. Often built into the side of a hill, or bank, both the upper and the lower floors area could be accessed from ground level, one area at the top of the hill and the other at the bottom, Guild said. “The second level of a bank barn also could be accessed
from a ramp if a hill was not available.”
The farmstead has been placed on the Connecticut List of Historic Places.
Visitors will also be able to wander the property to enjoy the poultry house and the organic garden and flower beds. An extensive collection of internationally created art will on display in the house and barn.
In addition to the tours, refreshments will be served and there will be music played by local artists. Tickets are $25, payable in cash check or credit card. Historical society members will receive a $5 discount.