The Hempsted Houses

10/24/2026

Meet our newest greeter at the Hempsted Houses! 🏴‍☠️

He’s been waiting a very long time for this weekend. Clearly, he’s skipped a few meals, but his 18th-century fashion game is timeless.

Don't let the permanent grin fool you; he’s taking his doorway duty very seriously. Fortunately, we’ve convinced him to part with some of his stash, and he will be handing out candy to all the brave souls who stop by!

Everything kicks off today with plenty of free family fun, followed by a deeper look later in the night.
Here is the full lineup:
🎃 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM: Free Family Fun
• Trick-or-treating at the door (if you dare approach the captain)
• Pumpkin decorating
• S'more making by the fire
• Ghost stories by the fire
👻 7:30 PM: Paranormal Talk & Investigation with 🎟 $15/20 talk only $50/60 talk & investigation. ONLY 2 TICKETS LEFT. https://ctlandmarks.org/event/historyspeaks/

10/22/2026

So many great things happening around the park this week!

10/19/2026

🎟️ TICKET UPDATE! SOLD OUT! You can still join us for the talk!

Join Traci Boiselle, Connecticut Landmarks museum interpreter, paranormal investigator with 18 years of experience with The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS - as seen on Ghost Hunters), and co-founder of "When History Speaks" for a look into the theories, tools, and methods used in paranormal resea...

10/18/2026

👻 Calling all brave souls and friendly little ghosts! 👻
Join us for a FREE, family-friendly evening of spooky fun on Saturday, October 24, from 4–7 p.m.!
Enjoy kids’ activities, sit for a caricature artist, and make s’mores before gathering around the fire at 5:30 p.m. for ghost stories. Along the way, meet ghostly New Londoners from the past—there’s no telling who might appear!

10/03/2026

Don’t worry if you couldn’t make it down for our first Oak, Ash & Thorn Tavern demo!

Another starts at 2 pm !

10/03/2026

Live cooking demo by Oak, Ash & Thorn Tavern

10/03/2026

We could not ask for a more perfect day for our Revolutionary Tables Event!

Join us today until 3pm, for outdoor cooking demos from Oak, Ash & Thorn Tavern at 12 pm & 2 pm. Meet our other amazing colonial cooks throughout the event, as wwll.

The event is free (though a $10 donation will help to support our educational and preservation programs). 🥘🍳

Ticket based, full house tours are available, as well.

09/28/2026

In just five words—“I bot Adam for £85”—Joshua Hempsted recorded the purchase of a human life. Adam arrived at the Hempsted house days later, on this day in 1727. He remained there for the next thirty years, laboring until Joshua’s death in 1758. Yet Joshua’s death did not bring Adam freedom. He remained enslaved before eventually emerging in New London’s tax records with little to his name—the equivalent of just two pounds. Those records tell us what Adam cost, where he lived, but not the full measure of the man himself. Adam’s story cannot be rewritten, but we can honor his and the Jackson family legacy by not minimizing the facts of their truth.

Tuesd 19 fair. I was al day at Samll Foxes apprizing & Lt Buttler. at night I Sent an IndianmgjO-to prison for breaking into Mr Winthrops house ye night before named Walter Weebucks. he belongs to Norwich. Wednsd 20 fair. I was at Samll Foxes Aprizing ye Land, wee finisht wt was Ready. Thursd 21 fair & hot. In ye morning I went into Town & held a Court at ye Prison house. Sentenced Water Weebucks Anjndian freeman to pay a fine of ten Shill & Charges 12s. 5s to me & 7s ye keeper & to make Satisfaction in Service, his Crime was breaking into Mr Winthrops house Tuesday night last. Tallman hath bot him for 1 5 days & to pay in a week —

1 was at Samll Foxes. I bot Adam for £85. I pd down & gave bond for 80 to be pd ths day 12 month & ye Interest, fryd 22d fair. I was at Samll Foxes al d apprizing & Dividing. I had 31b of honey. Saturd 23d fair. I was at Samll Foxes Dividing & writing &c. Sund 24. mr ad pr al day. I was at meetting taken with ye ague yn fever afterwds. Mond 25 fair. I was at Samll Foxes al day Dividing & Ms Knight died. I had my f**t their. Tuesd 26 fair. Supr Court Sat. I was at Samll Foxes till past 3 Clock, wee finished Dividing all yt could be come at. I was at ye funeral of Ms Knight & had ye ague fever vomiting at night. Wednsd 27 fair. Hodsol come fro L. Island. Adam is come ys morn. I was Sumond to attend ye Court to give Evidence in an Action between R. Christophers & Andrew Davise & went but came home Sick before night Ague & fever. Thursd 28 Rain Windy. I took Physick & kept house all d. Ague & fever at night, fryd 29 fair. I kept house al day. Ague & fever at night. Saturd 30th fair. I kept house al day. Ague & fever at night, more moderate.

09/26/2026

🥘 History has a flavor, come discover it next weekend!

⚓🍲 Revolutionary military foodways were shaped by necessity, logistics, and labor.
Continental soldiers were officially entitled to bread or flour, meat or fish, peas or beans, milk when available, and beverages such as spruce b**r, c***r, or a molasses allowance. In the field, however, shortages were common. Durable foods,hard bread, salted pork or beef, salt fish, dried peas, beans, rice, and Indian meal, formed the backbone of an army diet designed to survive transport and spoilage.

But rations were never simply a matter of military planning. Feeding an army depended on farmers, laborers, cooks, camp followers, merchants, local communities, and the people who preserved, transported, and prepared food. When supplies failed, soldiers foraged, relied on local civilians, or went hungry.

The Revolutionary War was fought with muskets, but it was sustained by flour, salt pork, camp kettles, and the often-unseen labor that kept an army moving. 🍞 🥣🔥

🗓 Saturday, October 3rd
🕜 11am - 3pm
🎟️ Admission is FREE
💛 A suggested $10 donation per person supports programming at the Hempsted Houses
📝 Advance registration is available, but walk-ins are always welcome!

09/18/2026

Food justice is community justice. Fresh New London’s Walk for Food Justice brings people together to raise awareness and support equitable access to healthy, affordable food for all. Please consider joining, sharing, or supporting this important local effort.