New Canaan Historical Society, New Canaan, Connecticut
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Celebrating New Canaan's Modern Architects 1953 - 1983

"New Canaan Architects 1953-1983", exhibited on the second floor of the Town House, gives an overview of thirty years of work by New Canaan architects. Most of the works selected for this exhibit are located out of New Canaan, for as their fame spread, commissions took the architects far and wide, and their styles developed in a variety of architectural expressions. Included among the works in the exhibit - mounted on the second floor - are personal interpretations and rethinkings of the International Style, restorations, eclecticisms, and post-modern allusions to our past.

It seems unlikely that a small town such as New Canaan will ever again be host to a group of architects so expressive of an era as those we celebrate in this exhibit. "New Canaan Architects 1953-1983" was first shown at the New Canaan Library.  The current members of the group, as in the past, continue to go their separate ways. Johanson's Suspended Web, Goldberg's NYNEX Pavilion and John Black Lee's own Residence III are examples of a continuous development of a much broader range of modernism. Others such as Richard Bergmann have shown an ongoing concern for contextualism and historic preservation, and Zane Yost's focus has been affordable housing. Although the current New Canaan architects may not have the fame of their celebrated predecessors, their products represent a varied and interesting body of work. The exhibit was arranged by Alan Goldberg and Nina Bremer.

Staffordshire Pottery

Staffordshire is the distinctive blue transfer ware from the Staffordshire pottery district in England.  Its designs include scenes of American history, scenery and life that were extraordinarily popular when it arrived on American soil in the beginning of the 19th century.  The blue Staffordshire on display in the Town House parlor is from Mr. and Mrs. John Walker.  The Walkers lived in a historic colonial home on Oenoke Ridge and Country Club Road.  This very special collection of Staffordshire was donated to the Society by Mrs. Walker upon her death.

The Early Days of Canaan Parish on display in the Town House

A WPA Mural on display at the Society depicts the meeting house of
Canaan Parish with people awaiting the arrival of Reverend William Bonney.

The Committee for WPA art has received the unanimous approval of the Society's Governors to place three large murals painted by George Avison, one of the Silvermine artists, in the meeting room of the Town House.    Of great beauty and historical interest, these murals depict the early days of the town when it was Canaan Parish.  Thanks to the enthusiastic fund raising efforts by volunteer members of the Committee, the murals were recently restored to their original vibrant colors and once again beautify the walls of the Meeting Room.

The mural to the right depicts a group of Canaan Parish citizens as they gather outside on a summer Sunday morning, perhaps after services.