The historic Charles E. Beach mansion, built in 1901 as one of two homes on West Hartford’s old Vine Hill Farm, will be open for tours on Feb. 24.
It’s a unique chance for the public to explore what Noah Webster House and West Hartford Historical Society Executive Director Jennifer DiCola Matos calls a “wonderful preserved piece of history.”
“I consider this house to be a hidden treasure,” Matos said. “We even highlight it when we do our hidden history tour. It’s up on the hill off of South Main Street. A lot of people may be driving back and forth… and you may not stop to notice that there is a development of houses up on the hill.”
Owners Jeffrey and Laurie Tishler – both longtime educators – are opening their 8,426 square foot National Historic Landmark home to the public as a fundraiser for the Noah Webster House and West Hartford Historical Society.
Tucked away at 18 Brightwood Lane, the Shingle style home oversees South Main Street and retains many of its original features in good quality – including original wood, decorative work, fireplaces, and radiators. This is something the Tishlers made a point of doing when they purchased the house in rough shape in 1986. Even its dumbwaiter and servant call system still function.
“Top to bottom, we did whatever we could,” Jeffrey Tishler said.
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The Charles E. Beach home was the second home built at Vine Hill Farm, which became known for its pasteurized milk that was shipped across the country by train. It was built before Brightwood Lane ever existed. And the National Register of Historic Homes credited the house as being one of the finest examples of wood craftsmanship in Connecticut.
Matos said the public should take advantage of the open tour day to experience a home that will transport guests back to the early 1900s.
“It feels like a museum,” Matos said. “It’s got the most beautiful woodwork. It has 17 different types of woods used in the house. It has an enormous amount of fireplaces. The center staircase is very grand. It’s an experience like you’re going back in time.”
The home is also currently for sale. William Raveis real estate agent Debra Ortega is working with the Tishlers to find the right person, or family, to be the next owner of the home.
“It’s really clear they have a deep appreciation for history and heritage,” Ortega said. “We are looking for someone very special to love and appreciate the home.”
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Ortega said because they aren’t hosting open houses for showings, they wanted to come up with a creative way to show off the house to the public. She said having a day where the public could tour it, while raising money for the Noah Webster House and West Hartford Historical Society, was a perfect fit.
The Tishlers are excited to open their home to the public. And while selling it is going to be a bittersweet process, they are happy with the idea that it will give someone else the experience of living there.
“We’ve loved this house for all these years and now we are ready to share it,” Jeffrey Tishler said.
Tour tickets are available in advance and at the door. Tickets can be purchased online, at noahwebster.yapsody.com, or by calling 860-521-5362, ext. 10.
Tours are self-guided from 1 to 4 p.m. and it is recommended guests give themselves about an hour to tour the property.
