Adventures at Connecticut’s National Treasure: Weir Farm Historic Site

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National Park. Immediately, those words conjure images of canyons, geysers, and mountains, as in Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Yosemite National Parks. You most definitely do not think of Connecticut.

And, while we are not fortunate to live close to any of the more popular national parks, the Nutmeg State does possess a hidden gem in the way of Weir Farm National Historic Site.

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Weir Farm was previously the summer retreat of American Impressionist painter Julian Alden Weir. The more than 60-acre site in Ridgefield and Wilton comprises Weir’s farmhouses, studios, barns, gardens, and Weir Pond, all nestled among rolling woodlands and connected by wooded trails or stone pathways. It is the only National Park Service site dedicated to American painting – it maintains an artist-in-residence program in which selected artists spend one month living and working at the park.

Upon the recommendation of a good friend and a reference in a book on Connecticut day trips with kids, my husband, I, and our girls decided to check out all that Weir Farm offers.

Our first stop was the Visitor Center, where we were greeted by a friendly National Park Service member, who provided us with several maps of trails of the site and the surrounding area. The Visitor Center also houses a rotating exhibit of American impressionist paintings. For the kids, you can stamp your Passport to Your National Parks and pick up some free stickers and temporary tattoos. You can also borrow art supplies – free of charge – to make a more permanent impression of your visit to the park.

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Entering our names into the geocache log.

We opted to take a short hike down and around Weir Pond. Although we “wore” both girls – one in a hiking backpack and the other in a baby carrier – the path was not strenuous and, in most places, flat and wide, winding through beautiful woodlands and across a few small streams. So, it’s perfect for little ones who enjoy exploring and don’t mind walking. For those interested in geocaching (described in one of my earlier posts here), there is one geocache at Weir Farm, which is located on the path around Weir Pond, that is not too difficult to find and would make for a great first try or fun with the kids. The cache was also pretty well stocked when we found it, so take something with you to put into the cache if you want to take something out of it.

After our hike, we took advantage of the complimentary art supplies and took up “residence” in a field near the artist-in-residence studios. On the day we visited, the art supplies available included totes containing watercolor paper attached to a clipboard, brushes, paints, and small spill-proof containers of water. Colored pencils and pastels are offered on other days. My husband and I spent some time creating their impressionistic masterpieces of our visit.

Due to time constraints – more specifically, hungry bellies ready for lunch – we did not have the opportunity to check out the two artist studios on site. Both the Young Studio and the Weir Studio are open to the public Thursday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You can learn about the artist’s time at the site and their techniques.

It was a perfect way to spend a summer afternoon, and I imagine it would be particularly gorgeous in the fall when the leaves start turning.

Have you visited Weir Farm? Tell us about your experience!  

Are there other hidden gems you would like to visit with the family?

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Artists at work.
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Kara
Kara, her husband, and two little girls M and Z live in the idyllic town of Rowayton. She was born and raised in West Virginia and, although she has lived in the New York metro area for over fifteen years, is a mountaineer forever (Go ‘Eers!). In addition to being a mom to M (born in 2011) and Z (born in 2013), Kara is a full time attorney working in Manhattan and a hobbyist photographer. When not battling Metro North, she enjoys practicing her photography skills, reading the latest best-sellers, trying new recipes for the girls, getting outdoors whether running, hiking or snowshoeing, and competing with her husband for the self-proclaimed title of “Efficiency Expert.” If you can’t find her doing any of these things, she most likely has fallen asleep on the sofa while attempting to watch the latest “must see” movie.

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