On the land his grandfather was granted in 1654 and near where his "grate hous" had stood, in 1717 George Denison built Pequotsepos Manor for his bride, Lucy Gallup. Today, each room in the Manor House is furnished with Denison heirlooms, and each room represents one of five distinct periods in American history.
Click on a picture to see a larger view.
When you visit the Denison Homestead Museum, trained guides will take you on a walk back through time. Our newly renovated Reception Area offers a pleasant place to sit. |
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Your tour begins in Aunt Annie's Parlor. Using photos, this room is now recreated exactly as Annie had it in the 1930s and incorporates many of her interests and hobbies. |
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After climbing the handsome staircase to the second floor, you will next visit the West Chamber. A beautiful mahogany sleigh bed and matching bureau are the showpieces of this late Victorian (c.1895) bedchamber. Following their father's death in 1873 Sarah and Phebe Denison inherited the Manor House. They brought up their niece Annie (Gates), ran the farm and took in family boarders to pay off a mortgage and other debts. |
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Across the landing, the East Chamber reflects the affluence of the Denisons who lived here after the Revolutionary War and before the War of 1812. This room is furnished with a canopied four poster bed and two tiger maple mid-18th century highboys. George and Lucy Denison's son George and his wife Jane (Smith) raised eleven children, all born here between 1750 and 1772. Their son Oliver and his wife Martha (Williams) had nine children born here between 1787 and 1805. |
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Downstairs, the West Parlor tells the story of the second Oliver Denison, who lived at Pequotsepos Manor from his birth in 1787 until his death in 1873. Maritime commerce, shipbuilding and whaling from Mystic and Stonington were thriving industries until after the Civil War. Meanwhile, farming and rural land values plummeted in the late 1830s and with it much of Oliver II's wealth. This Federal Era Parlor is furnished with pieces from America, Europe and the Far East. |
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The Colonial Kitchen, also called the "Keeping Room", has a unique trimmer arch above the enormous fireplace with its cooking crane and bake oven. In the 1730s this room would have been the heart of the homestead. George and Lucy Denison had ten children. Four died when they were infants and three more died as young adults. Life was certainly not easy for our Colonial ancestors. |
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After a visit to our Gift Shop, guests are invited to wander through the period gardens and grounds. |
Please note...We really enjoy visitors and giving tours but we want to make sure you DO get to see the house when you come to visit. PLEASE make sure you check our hours of operation, so we don't miss each other.
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