Lectures at the Lee

Offered once in each season during the academic months, this series of three lectures covers a variety of topics from important persons and historic places to matters of preservation, conservation, and collecting. Visitors as well as members are invited to attend. The lectures are offered in the Fall, Winter, and Spring on the three Sunday afternoons listed below.

Free
Public is welcome.
4:00 p.m. at the Lee Academy on the Madison Green
14 Meetinghouse Lane
For more information, call (203) 245-4567.

Fall
November 11, 2007
Captain Frederick Lee, Mariner, War Hero, Benefactor
Speakers: Edward W. Sloan, retired professor of History, Trinity College, and Mystic Seaport Historian Bruce Clark Adams, owner of the Capt. Frederick Lee House

Did you know that Madison was almost named Leeville? Ted Sloane, former Mystic Seaport Historian, and Chip Adams, owner of the Captain Frederick Lee House, will introduce us to one of Madison's most illustrious residents, Captain Frederick Lee. We will learn about his service with the Revenue Cutter Service (later the U.S. Coast Guard), his adventures during the War of 1812 as Captain of the cutter Eagle, his involvement with education in Madison and Guilford, and his role in the establishment of the township of Madison.

Winter
January 27, 2008
Smallpox Cemetery, Hidden Madison Property

Speaker: Joel Helander. Noted Guilford Historian, Joel Helander, author of The Pox Lot, will entertain us with the tale of this historically significant small cemetery tucked the woods in Guilford. Owned by the Madison Historical Society, the cemetery contains the graves of Madison men who died of smallpox contracted during their service in the French and Indian War in 1758.

Spring
March 16, 2008
A Tour of Connecticut Barns

Speaker: Todd LevineTodd Levine, Architectural Historian at the CT Trust for Historic Preservation, will share a PowerPoint presentation with photographs and histories of barns included in the recent CT Barn Survey, conducted by the CT Trust. Mr. Levine’s exquisite photos offer a glimpse into Connecticut's past, when the countryside was covered with these architectural treasures.

Madison Remembers
September 26 and November 14, 2008

The MHS's new oral history project begins in the fall of 2008 with two opportunities for Madison citizens to share their personal experiences on selected topics. All stories will be recorded, and all will become part of an audio archive dedicated to preserving the voices of Madison as its citizens recall the important events in town history.

The construction and opening of the Connecticut Turnpike will be the first topic for exploration, on Friday, September 26, 2008. MHS moderators will lead the discussion and record the memories of anyone who worked on the construction of the highway, who lived on land in its path, or who has any other memories to share about the turnpike's impact on life in Madison at mid-twentieth century.

The memories of Madison's veterans will be the second topic for exploration, on Friday, November 14, 2008. Moderators will lead the discussion and record the stories of veterans from World War I to the present war in Iraq. All service men and women are welcome to participate.

There is no fee for this program, either to participate or to attend. Members of the public are welcome to attend as audience members, regardless of their personal experience with the particular topic of the day.

Madison Remembers will be held at the Lee Academy from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m on the abovementioned dates.

Field Trips

November 3, 2007
David Field House Guided Tour
The “Before” of the Current Restoration

Refreshments; displays; 1:00-4:00 p.m. From time to time, the MHS offers field trips to other historic sites, museums, and other places of related interest. Some of these outings may require a fee for transportation and/or for meals; others are offered at no charge. In 2007-2008, the MHS is offering two unique field trips to a notable Madison historic home that has been saved from demolition through the timely action of a concerned citizen.Located on Green Hill Road in Madison, the historic David Field House is currently undergoing restoration. Twice in the next year, the MHS will offer 'Field Trips' that will provide a special opportunity to observe this painstaking process. Our two visits to the house will provide tours and background information on the house, its original construction types and methods, the restoration techniques, and the Field family.

May 8, 2008
1730 Shelley House Guided Tour
The "Before" of the Current Restoration

Guided tours of the 1730 Shelley House at 248 Boston Post Road provide an opportunity to celebrate the rescue of this colonial structure, one of four Madison locations cited in the National Register of Historic Places. Morning tours ($5) at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., and noon, conducted by architectural historian James Sexton, Ph.D. Afternoon tours (free) at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m., conducted by MHS volunteers. Visitors can view exhibits about the history of the house, and Charles Shelley, a descendant of the colonial owners of the house, will be present to talk about the history of the Shelley family; local builders Peter Gulick and John Spradlin will be on hand to explain their painstaking approach to restoring this and other historic properties. Refreshments will be served. Parking is available in a private lot across from the BPR from the Shelley House. Reservations for specific tours are highly recommended due to limited space. 

October 25, 2008
The “After” of the 1720 David Field House Restoration

Saturday 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., rain or shine.
623 Green Hill Road, Madison
Self-guided tours of the house and grounds.
Displays on the history of timber-frame construction and the histories of the prominent families who lived in the house. Wine-and-cheese refreshments under a tent on the lawn.
Suggested donation, per person, $10.
Reservations for this event are highly recommended due to limited space.
Please call 203.245.4567 to let us know that you would like to join our celebration of this restoration..