Isham-Terry House

Name: Isham-Terry House
Address: 211 High Street, Hartford, CT, 06103, US
Telephone: (860) 247-8996 Ext 11
Price range: $

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Isham-Terry House

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The Isham-Terry House is open for tours May-Dec. 10 am-3 pm by reservation at least 7 days in advance. Call 860.247.8996 x 11 for more information.

The Isham-Terry House is a time capsule of genteel life in turn-of-the century Hartford. Purchased by their elder brother, Dr. Oliver Isham in 1896, Julia and Charlotte Isham occupied the house until their deaths, each at age 98, in the late 1970's. The survival of this house defies the urban renewal craze that demolished so many historic homes. There were so few changes to the house that crossing its threshold today is like stepping back in time. Room after room is filled with objects of historical and family significance: ornate gas-light fixtures, stained-glass windows, rare books and paintings, Terry clocks, and memorabilia from Hartford High School, the Ishams' beloved alma mater. Even Dr. Isham's office, with its surgical instruments and medicines, was left undisturbed. There is also a ed a rare collection of early Connecticut automobile memorabilia.

10/01/2026

Tickets will go fast!

06/20/2026

Our June open tour day will be tomorrow, Sunday June 21 from 1-4 pm! Reserve your tickets in advance at CTLandmarks.org.

Celebrate Dad with a tour to learn about the Ishams’ automobile collection and Hartford’s historic past!

03/07/2026

On this date, March 7, 1896, the original owner of the (now) Isham-Terry House, Ebenezer Roberts, died of heart disease at the age of 76. At the time of his death, his estimated worth was $750,000.

You can see from this entry in the 1870 US Census that his household included 9 people, including 3 domestic servants and his house was worth $35,000, while the value of his personal estate was $50,000.

Visit this treasured Hartford landmark when we open for tours in May!

Connecticut Landmarks

10/14/2025

We are readying the Isham-Terry House for our much-anticipated fall collaboration with Escapism Productions this coming weekend and next!! Do you have your tickets yet?

Celebrate with us to explore the haunting world of Edgar Allan Poe. Move through the Isham-Terry House, atmospherically staged, and encounter live performances of Poe’s most iconic works, each brought to life by a different actor in a unique room. From "The Raven" to "The Tell-Tale Heart," each piece is presented as a dramatic monologue, blending poetry and prose with atmospheric staging.

For more information and tickets: https://ctlandmarks.org/event/upon-a-midnight-dreary-a-dramatic-reading-of-the-works-of-edgar-allan-poe/

09/23/2025

It wouldn't be Spooky Season without a visit from our friends at Escapism Productions! This fall's presentation will be slightly different than past years original productions.

"Upon a Midnight Dreary" invites the audience to explore the haunting world of Edgar Allan Poe, as they move through the space within the Isham-Terry House. Live performances of Poe’s most iconic works from The Raven to The Tell-Tale Heart will be brought to life by a different actor in a unique room and presented as a dramatic monologue, blending poetry and prose with atmospheric staging. October 16-19 and 24-25, 2025.

For tickets: https://ctlandmarks.org/event/upon-a-midnight-dreary-a-dramatic-reading-of-the-works-of-edgar-allan-poe/

09/18/2025

Lazy fall Sunday or all dressed up with nowhere to go? Stop by and see us this Sunday, Sept. 21 at the Isham Terry House for our Third Sunday tours! The house will wow you, if you’ve never been, and we’ll entertain you with stories of this Hartford landmark and its occupants.

Tours take place on the hour at 1, 2 and 3 pm with advance purchase gratefully appreciated!
https://ctlandmarks.org/event/isham-terry-open-tour-sunday-14/

08/17/2025

Phew! We had a quite a few enthusiastic visitors who braved the heat in the unairconditioned Isham-Terry House on High Street today for our Open Sunday tours! Temps on the first floor reached 88 degrees according to our thermostat, to say nothing of the 2nd floor!

However, no one seemed bothered as we discussed the great stories of the Isham and Roberts families, including Crescent Beach in Niantic, CT where the Isham siblings decamped for a number of summers to beat the heat! They could board the train in Hartford or perhaps they opted to drive, as we know the Ishams were automobile enthusiasts!

Join us through the fall on cooler days to tour this remarkable Hartford landmark. https://ctlandmarks.org/event/isham-terry-open-tour-sunday-14/

07/03/2025

We mourn the tremendous loss of Bill Hosley, a champion of Hartford and Connecticut history and offer our sincere condolences to his family. His enduring enthusiasm for the Isham-Terry House was unrivaled and we never failed to learn something new from him when he visited us. Godspeed, Bill!✨

06/14/2025

Get the whole family together to celebrate Dad this Father’s Day with a tour of the Isham-Terry House! We’ll be open from 1-4 pm tomorrow (and the 3rd Sunday of each month, July-Nov). Hear the stories of fathers Ebenezer Roberts, John Burnham Terry, Henry Griggs Isham and Samuel Terry and visit our display of early automobilia!

Advance ticket purchase most appreciated!!
https://ctlandmarks.org/properties/isham-terry-house/

05/15/2025

Looking for a family outing? Or a chance to see the lovely Isham peonies in bloom? Then join us for our first Open Tour Sunday of the 2025 season for house tours this Sunday, May 18, 2025 from 1-4 pm.

Join us to learn about the Ishams, the history of this Hartford neighborhood and more!

Advance reservations are most appreciated. Please book your tour time at https://ctlandmarks.org/event/isham-terry-open-tour-sunday-11/

Connecticut Landmarks

Address

211 High Street
Hartford, CT
06103

Telephone

(860) 247-8996 Ext 11

Website

https://www.ctlandmarks.org/isham-terry

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