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ABOUT

MISSION

The New Canaan Museum tells the story of the Town and its greater community. Through collections and research, programs and events, the Museum celebrates history and explores its impact on the future.

Founded in 1889, the New Canaan Historical Society had as its mission “to bring together and arrange the historical events of the town of New Canaan, the genealogies of the families who have lived in the town, to form a library and to collect relics and curiosities, to form a museum.”

Although our mission has expanded and our name has changed, to this day we continue to maintain museums and historical sites, aid researchers, hold educational events and tours, and build an awareness and appreciation of our Town’s rich past.

Our founders included the descendants of some of New Canaan’s first families — among them Mr. & Mrs. Frederick Lockwood, Charles R. Abbott, Alexander Law, S.Y. St. John, James and Edwin Hoyt, Lucius Monroe Sr., Francis E. Weed, Mr. & Mrs. Henry B. Rogers, and Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Silliman. Today the Society welcomes members and visitors from around the country and abroad.

At our offices in the 1825 Town House (the original Town Hall), the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society maintains a research library of more than 3,500 volumes, along with scores of manuscripts, deeds, newspapers, photographs and other documents dating to the Colonial era.

The New Canaan Museum & Historical Society owns or operates eight museums and buildings, including the 1764 Hanford-Silliman House, the 1960 Gores Pavilion, and the Rogers Studio, which, with Philip Johnson’s Glass House, is one of only two National Historic Landmarks in New Canaan.

We are an open, inclusive, family organization. Open year-round, we offer a full schedule of events, gatherings, lectures, tours and exhibitions.

Our goal is to educate and enlighten the public in an atmosphere that is welcoming, friendly and fun.

OUR TOWN'S HISTORY

“Canaan” means “promised land.”

1715

The area that is now New Canaan was originally settled in 1715.

1731

The Connecticut legislature approved a new Congregational Parish and named it Canaan Parish.

1801

New Canaan was finally incorporated 70 years later in May 1801.

The area that is now New Canaan was settled by Europeans around 1715 as part of the towns of Norwalk and Stamford. In 1731, the Connecticut legislature approved a new Congregational Parish and named it Canaan Parish. New Canaan was finally incorporated 70 years later in May 1801. “Canaan” means “promised land.”

Agriculture and milling were the town’s primary industries. Shoe manufacturing, first introduced in 1818, rapidly expanded to become the town’s dominant industry. Its growth shaped the downtown area. The height of the shoemaking boom was in 1850, but failure to install new automatic sewing machines right before the Civil War did not allow the shoemakers to keep up with the wartime demand. The last shoemaker closed in 1913.

To attract new businesses and new employment opportunities, local businessmen financed the construction of a railroad spur from Stamford in 1866. The New Canaan Railroad eventually became part of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad in 1890. The increased accessibility made the town desirable as a vacation retreat. Large summer estates were constructed. Many of the summer people decided to become permanent residents and encouraged their friends and families to relocate.

By the end of World War II, the town had developed a vital downtown area with a bustling suburban community. Then in the late 1940s and early 50s, New Canaan attracted a group of modern architects who had studied at Harvard University’s School of Architecture under Walter Gropius, the founder of the Bauhaus School of Design. These young architects, Eliot Noyes, John Johansen, Landis Gores, Philip Johnson, and Marcel Breuer, became known as “The Harvard Five.” Throughout New Canaan, many of these ground-breaking Mid-Century Modern Houses designed by members of The Harvard Five and others still stand, including three in the National Register of Historic Places: The Glass House, The Gores Pavilion, and The Hodgson House.

New Canaan today is a vibrant town of approximately 20,000. Its walkable business district is filled with shops and restaurants that are open year-round. The active Chamber of Commerce publishes a full calendar of events. Visitors will find the locals friendly and welcoming.

THE MUSEUM'S HISTORY

The New Canaan Historical Society was founded on August 31, 1889, making it the oldest (along with Westport) Historical Society in Fairfield County. Its purpose, as set forth in the original Articles of Incorporation, was “to bring together and arrange the historical events of the town, the genealogies of families who have lived in the town or who now live in the town, for preservation and for the easy examination of those interested. Specifically, to gather the political history and military records of the town, the history of the churches, the history of educational efforts public and private, to collect books, pamphlets and papers, to form a library; to collect specimens of minerals and natural history, and to collect relics and curiosities to form a museum; and by lectures and otherwise to promote proper social science and the intellectual and moral welfare of the members of the society and the people of the town.”

Since that time, the Society has expanded to a two-acre campus with five buildings, a full time staff, three exhibition spaces, more than 600 members and more than 5000 visitors a year. In 2018, its name changed to New Canaan Museum & Historical Society and its mission was updated to reflect its role as a museum.

Get Involved

The Museum relies on its volunteers to help in a variety of capacities. We especially need docents for school tours, researchers, and help with exhibitions. We have lots of different opportunities, and we will work with you to find something that suits your interests and skills.

For further information, please call
Nancy Geary at 203-966-1776 ext. 101,
or stop by the office.

Officers

President

Tom Monahan

Treasurer

Janet Lanaway

Vice President

Alec Casey

Secretary

Doug Dooley

Board

Barb Achenbaum
Andrew Ault
Meredith Bach
Adam Benenson
Ellen Cummings
Elizabeth DeMuth
Christen Farley
Karen Ferguson
Susan Freedgood
Betsy Greene
Melissa Jones
Janice Luddy
Mark Markiewicz
Peter Skaperdas
Frances C. Wilson

Honorary

A. James Bach
Dede Bartlett
Susan Schmeichel

STAFF

Nancy Geary /‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎Executive Director
203-966-1776 ext. 101
ngeary@nchistory.org

Nancy Geary joined the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society as its Executive Director in the spring of 2017.  A graduate of Brown University and Harvard Law School, she has worked as a lawyer in both the public and private sectors, served on a number of not-for-profit boards, and acted as warden for a church in North Stamford.  She is the author of four novels, and has taught writing at writers’ workshops, schools, and arts centers.

Whitney-Williams

Whitney Williams / Events Manager
203-966-1776 ext. 103
wwilliams@nchistory.org

Whitney Williams, a former Board Governor, is now the Museum’s Events Manager. She organizes and oversees all events. Additionally, Whitney plans the opening of new exhibits, coordinates promotion, and works with the Development Committee. Whitney is a life-long resident of New Canaan, and a graduate of New Canaan High School. She and her husband, Nick, have three grown children. She is a lover of history.

Kristin Healy / Marketing and Communications Manager
203-966-1776 ext. 102
khealy@nchistory.org

Kristin Healy is a graphic designer living in Ridgefield, CT. With more than 25 years experience, she has worked in magazine and book publishing, corporate and non-profit events, P.R., social media, and promotions across Fairfield County. Prior to joining the staff, she designed print marketing materials and event graphics for the Museum. She is a member of the Ridgefield Guild of Artists, is an avid photographer, and enjoys tennis, hiking, and cooking.

Charlotte Engel Ellis / Clothing Historian
cengel@nchistory.org

Charlotte Engel is a lifelong resident of New Canaan. In 2019 she received a history degree from both the University of St Andrews and The College of William & Mary as part of their Joint Degree Program. She worked at the NCM&HS as an intern throughout high school and college before joining the team as the Clothing Historian in 2021. In her spare time she likes creating TikToks that contain her research on the clothing collection which you can find at @charlotteeengel.

SPONSORS

The New Canaan Museum & Historical Society is grateful for our
corporate sponsors that help us in our mission every day!

Diamond

Platinum

Gold

Hutchinson Tree Care Specialists

Franco’s

RAND Insurance

Waveny LifeCare Network

Silver

Gerbert & Sons

HTG Investment Advisors

Kaster Moving

BECOME A CORPORATE SPONSOR
Tom Monahan

Tom Monahan /‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎President

Tom graduated from Trinity College and built his career on Wall Street starting at Hayden Stone and retiring from credit Suisse in 2011.  He moved to New Canaan in 1976 with his wife, Cynthia, and raised three children, educating them through both the public and private schools. He has been a Board Governor of the Museum for more than a decade and served as its Treasurer before becoming President in 2021.  He has also volunteered with the Wounded Warriors and Ekwanok Country Club Scholarship Fund, and has recently established a scholarship foundation for the University of East Tennessee.  

“Knowing and reliving our history enables us to better understand our community and where it is going.”

Janet Lanaway

Janet Lanaway is the current Treasurer and previous Vice President of NCM&HS. Janet is a retired CPA, having run her own accounting practice for 35 years. Prior to that, she was CFO of a medium sized Canadian investment broker in Toronto. She started her career with Deloitte in Toronto. Janet currently serves on the Audit Committee of the Town of New Canaan and is on the Board of Waveny Lifecare Network in New Canaan. She has previously served on the boards of New Canaan Community Foundation, Staying Put in New Canaan, Carriage Barn Arts Center, Connecticut Red Cross, Encore Club, Newcomers Club and as President of the New Canaan High School Parent Faculty Association. Janet is currently Membership Elder at the First Presbyterian Church New Canaan.

Alec Casey /‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎Board Secretary

Alec Casey has lived in New Canaan with his wife, Sarah, since 1996. They have three daughters. Alec earned a BA in Creative Writing from Dartmouth College and an MBA in marketing and finance from The Wharton School.

Professionally, Alec is currently a principal at Soundview Marketing Consulting, a consulting firm he founded to serve businesses in the consumer subscription marketing area. Previously, he served as Chief Marketing Officer at Trusted Media Brands, a media company that is home to such brands as Reader’s Digest, Taste of Home, and Family Handyman. Prior to that, he held various executive positions at Bloomberg, Hearst, and Time Inc., where he oversaw consumer marketing for numerous design, food and lifestyle magazines.

As a volunteer, he joined the Board of Directors at the New Canaan YMCA in 2021 where he serves as Secretary and sits on the membership and strategic planning committees. He is Vice-Chair of the Board of Governors of the Dartmouth Rugby Football Club where he focuses on fundraising. He also serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine. Previously, he was President of the Dartmouth Alumni Council.  

Doug Dooley

Doug Dooley /‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎Secretary

Doug has been a New Canaan resident for over 30 years, raising two children who graduated from local schools. In New Canaan he has served on the School House Apartments Day Care Board and had prior tenure on the Historical Society Board. 

Doug retired in 2019 as Vice Chairman of JP Morgan Chase following a 40-year career at the bank, where he managed Foundation and Endowment assets, and large family trusts. Earlier he co-founded and led Asset Management investing in Emerging Equity Markets and was the Portfolio Manager for multiple funds. Doug has an MBA from Columbia University and  a BS from American University. 

“New Canaan’s role as an incubator of mid-century modern design has captured my imagination for several reasons. Having an enthusiast’s appreciation of contemporary architecture, it is  special to have examples that take us back to the founding architects with the ability to see,  learn from, and visit virtually next door. Second, their presence in New Canaan can feel like a  surprise as they are outside the expected mold of a New England village. This reminds me that  we are in a cosmopolitan community whose interests range very widely. Finally, the story of  why these buildings are here is an interesting bit of history itself and the museum explores  multiple factors that came together for the modern movement to find New Canaan a launch  pad for their ideas.

Barb Achenbaum

Barb Achenbaum

Barb moved to New Canaan in 2003. She served as Executive Director of Staying Put in New Canaan for eight years. Past Board affiliations include the New Canaan Community Foundation, the Carriage Barn Arts Center, and the Waveny LifeCare Network. Barb is currently a member of the Town’s Health and Human Services Commission. Barb and her husband have three daughters and three grandchildren, all living in Brooklyn, NY.

Barb joined the New Canaan Museum Board in 2021 because she believes in the value of telling stories about the people who built this Town – the challenges, the accomplishments, the joys, and the lessons learned – and to better understand their impact on future generations.

Andrew Ault

Andrew and his wife, Laura, have lived in New Canaan since 2014, after stints in Manhattan, California and Minnesota. He’s held top creative director roles in advertising and entertainment, including NBCUniversal, Creative Artists Agency and J. Walter Thompson. He is also a lifelong collector of found photography and various pop-culture ephemera. A big fan of New Canaan’s many creative and historical contributions to the world, Andrew is thrilled to be on the NCM&HS board and finally put his American History college major to some good use.

Meredith Bach

Meredith Bach

Meredith is the Director of Marketing and Business Development at Cross Insurance (formerly known as Rand Insurance) a high net worth focused personal and business insurance agency here in New Canaan and Greenwich, CT.  Her business experience at companies including Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, American Express and Ralph Lauren has made her a luxury brand marketing expert.  She received her BA degree from Goucher College in Baltimore, MD and completed the Special Events Management program at the School of Continuing Education, New York University.  A 4th generation New Canaanite, Meredith’s family were the proprietors of the Melba Inn and she is the niece of Jim Bach, former Board Governor of the NCM+HS Board, and for whom the Special Collections Museum is named. She also serves on the board of the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce, is an avid skier, likes to needlepoint, play tennis, golf, paddle tennis, and lives in Rowayton, CT.

Adam Benenson

Adam Benenson

Adam Benenson is the Founder and CEO of Forethink Labs, an early-stage technology company building productivity software. Previously, Adam was a Managing Director and Head of Product at Novus Partners (recently acquired by SEI), a data analytics and automation company serving institutional investors. At Novus, Adam was responsible for the Product, Tech, Data, and Design departments, as well as advising many endowments and foundations on their asset allocation strategy. Prior to Novus, Adam was a Quantitative Portfolio Manager at Diamondback Capital. Adam has also served on the board of the David Sarnoff Museum and Library. A graduate of Duke University ‘05 and New Canaan HIgh School ‘01, he now lives in New Canaan with his wife and three sons.

Ellen Cummings

Ellen is a Realtor at Houlihan Lawrence with a passion for mid-century modern architecture and has called New Canaan home since 2002. Raised in a mid-century modern home in Rhode Island designed by her artistic father, she developed a deep appreciation for this architectural style, and for New Canaan, its birthplace. A former top-producing media executive, Ellen now uses her expertise to promote museum exhibits and events. She holds a BA in History and Economics.

Elizabeth Townsend DeMuth

Elizabeth Townsend DeMuth

As a NCHS student, Elizabeth worked weekends dressed in a mob cap as a docent at the Hanford-Silliman House.  Many years later, she and her husband returned to New Canaan to raise their children. She remains an active volunteer, having served on the boards of the Saxe PTC (President), West PTC, St. Mark’s Preschool (President), Young Women’s League, and New Canaan Newcomers. Currently, she serves as a board member for the New Canaan Museum, New England Dance Theatre, and New Canaan Nature Center, as well as a busy volunteer for the National Charity League and the Service League of Boys. 

Christen Farley

Christen Farley

Christen has called New Canaan home since 1997. She and her husband Calvin raised 6 children here, all attending public schools.

Christen started her career as a financial analyst and then moved into tv production. In her early years in town, she served on the board of the Winter Club and on the membership committee of the New Canaan Field Club.  She has volunteered in the New Canaan schools and sports teams; and served as the VP Communications for the NCHS PFA.  She has been involved in the New Canaan Scholarship Foundation since 2019, as the Marketing Coordinator assisting in fundraising (including the Color Drop) and working with local sponsors and media outlets.  

Christen volunteers for both Meals on Wheels and Staying Put. She also works weekly at the CT Humane Society in Westport as an animal enrichment volunteer. In her free time, Christen is an avid watercolorist. Her favorite subjects are botanicals and landscapes, including images of the buildings on the NCM&HS Campus.

Karen Ferguson

Karen Ferguson

Karen graduated from Brown University in 1969 with a degree in Art History and began her career at Bankers Trust Company in New York, becoming one of the first women admitted to its training program, with assignments in airline finance, loan syndication, international debt placement and debt restructuring, and real estate finance. She later joined GE Capital and Citibank.

She and her husband, Tom have lived in New Canaan since 1987. Upon her retirement in 2002, she has enjoyed volunteering at New Canaan League of Women Voters, New Canaan Beautification League and as a Board Governor of NCM&HS. 

She loves museums, gardening, travel and spending time with her son’s family, who also live in New Canaan.

The most enjoyable thing about being involved with NCM&HS is teaching young people about New Canaan’s history.

Susan Freedgood

Susan Freedgood

Susan is originally from Roanoke, Virginia and has lived in New Canaan for over 30 years. Most of her time has been spent raising two sons, volunteering for schools and extracurricular activities, also working part time at Design Solutions for many years. A former computer analyst at JPMorgan, she wrote COBOL code for Treasury and Foreign Exchange Systems. She loves mid-century architecture and anything historical, so enjoys being involved with the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society.

Betsy Greene

Betsy Greene

Betsy graduated from Lehigh University with a BS in Finance and worked at Marine Midland Bank as a commercial lender. She and her husband, Michael, have been residents of New Canaan since 1999, raising 3 children, all of whom attended the public school.  She has erved on many committees and boards including: West School PTC (Ways and Means), New Comers Board (Ways and Means), New Canaan Field Club (Social and Jr. Tennis Program), National Charity League (Corresponding and Recording Secretary, Nominating Committee), Service League of Boys, (Treasurer and President), New Canaan Community Foundation (grant review) and St Aloyisius (CCD Teacher and Emmaus volunteer), Post Prom Chair (prize committee and secretary). She is currently a member of the New Canaan Garden Club.  

In her free time, Betsy likes to golf, play pickleball, read, travel and cook.

Melissa Jones

Melissa Jones

Melissa has lived in New Canaan since 1981. She graduated from New Canaan High School and Dickinson College. She and her husband, Pete, returned to New Canaan in 1995 and have raised their two daughters here. Melissa is a full time, residential real estate agent with Houlihan Lawrence since 1998. She is active in the community serving on Friends of New Canaan Hockey, Country Club of New Canaan (Membership Committee), and as a director of the New Canaan Board of Realtors.

Janice Luddy

Janice Luddy

Janice is a graduate of Lafayette College and received her MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.  She and her husband have lived in New Canaan for the past forty years and raised their son and daughter here. She first volunteered at the Museum 35 years ago, as a docent for the school tours. She has served multiple terms as a Board Governor, and been Treasurer and Chair of Membership. She was also a founding member and past-president of the Canaan Parish chapter of National Charity League, as well as a co-founder of SLOBs (Service League of Boys).

“As a long-time docent at The Hanford-Silliman House (1764) and the Tool Museum, I gained a great appreciation for the courageous spirit, ingenuity, and hard work of our colonial settlers.”

Mark Markiewicz

Mark Markiewicz

Mark is an architect and a resident of New Canaan since 1992. With architectural degrees from Princeton, his early career was in partnership with Mitchell/Giurgola in Manhattan, a design oriented firm that practiced modernism without relinquishing the rich history of the discipline. Some of Mark’s award winning projects include a major IBM complex in the Palisades, Volvo Corporate Headquarters in Sweden, and schools in Italy and Spain.

Mark lives in a mid-century modern house which he renovated and expanded to accommodate his family of five and later his aging parents. He is a long-time champion of the Museum, has served three terms as a Board Governor, including past President, and been involved in numerous activities including docent at the Gores Pavilion and for the Modern House Day Tours. He is the author of Landis Gores: Architecture of Konsequenz, and designed the new Jim Bach Special Collections Museum.

Peter Skaperdas

Peter Skaperdas

Peter and his wife, Kathleen Auda, have lived in New Canaan since 1997 and are active supporters of a number of local non-profit organizations. He is a Senior Vice President and a Private Wealth Advisor at UBS Financial. His prior positions include Chief U.S. Economist for UBS, Senior Economist at Salomon Brothers and Senior Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. He currently serves as a Trustee of Connecticut College and on the Board of Crossing Thresholds, which builds schools in the slums of Kenya. He is a past President of the Board of Directors of the New Canaan YMCA and is a past President of the Connecticut Grand Opera and Orchestra. Peter earned his B.S. in economics and mathematics from the University of Illinois in 1975 and his M.S. in economics from the University of Wisconsin in 1977.   

“My favorite aspect of New Canaan history is the role that public service has played in shaping the values of our community.”

Frances C. Wilson

Frances C. Wilson

After receiving a B.S. in Business and Economics from Lehigh University, Frances enjoyed a career in the Audit practice of Ernst & Young in New York. She and her husband lived in Darien and then moved to England where they lived with their family for nearly 9 years. She returned to the U.S. in 2007 and has lived in New Canaan ever since. Her children went to both New Canaan and St. Luke’s schools, where she was an active volunteer. She has also been a long serving volunteer at St. Aloysius Church, National Charity League, New England Academy of Dance as well as Boy Scout Troop 70.  She currently serves the Howard M. Bossa and Peter C. Langenus Post 653 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States in their efforts to honor and remember each known veteran in Lakeview Cemetery and 14 of the historic cemeteries throughout New Canaan.

Frances joined the Board of Governors of the Museum in January 2017 and with the exception of a one year mandatory leave has served ever since. During this time, she has greatly enjoyed witnessing the remarkable transformation of the historical society into an exemplary museum which informs and celebrates this extraordinary town and its many notable residents.

The Museum is closed
July 31 - August 8
for summer vacation.
It will reopen August 9.