Shop

Our Litchfield History Museum Shop has a variety of items for all ages of visitors. We offer a unique selection of clothing, housewares, stationary, crafts, toys, local artisan items, interesting books, and souvenirs to commemorate your trip to Litchfield, along with much more! Stop by to browse, call us at (860) 567-4501, or email us to place an order. You can purchase Historical Society publications online here.

The Museum Shop is open during museum hours (Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 1-5 p.m.). Please call ahead when the History Museum is closed if you would like to browse our selection of goods.

Publications by the Litchfield Historical Society

To Please Any Taste: Litchfield County Furniture & Furniture Makers, 1780-1830
by by Edward S. Cooke, Ann Y. Smith, and Derin Bray

Between 1780 and 1830 Litchfield County experienced a surge in industry, agriculture, and regional and international trade. Woodbury maintained a thriving agricultural economy, New Milford boasted a healthy mercantile trade, the iron industry flourished in Kent, Canaan, and Sharon, and Litchfield became the center of county politics, education, and national business dealings. The citizens of this region expected their homes, clothing, and furnishings to reflect their status and aspirations in this growing economy and new nation. Furniture makers responded to these needs creating pieces that both reflected the desires of the client and the regional aesthetics of the craftsman. This fusion of style and technique created a unique regional style of furniture in Litchfield County. To Please Any Taste details this period in Litchfield’s history with photos and informative essays.

Hardcover: $35
Softcover: $25

Though Inanimate They Speak: Ralph Earl Portraits in the Collection of the Litchfield Historical Society

During the late eighteenth century, Ralph Earl painted some of Litchfield, Connecticut’s most illustrious citizens. Though Inanimate They Speak displays these portraits, held in the collection of the Litchfield Historical Society.

Softcover: $7.50

Litchfield: The Making of a New England Town
by Rachel Carley

This comprehensive book presents the story of Litchfield, Connecticut with a lively exploration of the buildings and landscapes of Litchfield Village, Bantam, Northfield, Milton and South Farms (now Morris) in a sumptuous volume illustrated with dozens of maps, photographs, and paintings— many published for the first time. Beginning with the 1715 founding of the settlement, Litchfield traces the town’s evolution through successive eras as colonial outpost, prosperous county seat, a vital center of local manufacturing, desirable seasonal resort, and thriving dairy-farming community. Rachel Carley’s authoritative text examines the important role played by church and politics in Connecticut’s colonial town planning, and explores a broad range of building types—from meetinghouse to mansion—in the context of significant social and economic developments in New England’s history. In documenting the building traditions that define the community’s distinctive sense of place, this important book makes a compelling case for preserving a remarkably rich cultural inheritance, while presenting a perceptive portrait of a Connecticut town whose story resonates far beyond its borders.

Hardcover: $50

The House of Worth: Fashion Sketches 1916 – 1918
This stylish compilation features 125 watercolor and ink renderings of designs from the house of Worth, the first couturier establishment and founder of the modern fashion industry. Sent to one of their clients, a seasonal resident in Litchfield, Connecticut, the sketches include fabric swatches, design names, detailed price information, and personalized notes. The catalog includes essays that address the cultural and social significance of both the house of Worth sketches and the town of Litchfield, written by Karen M. DePauw, independent fashion historian, and Jessica D. Jenkins, former Litchfield Historical Society Curator of Collections. Images of all 125 sketches, accompanied by annotations, offer an in-depth exploration of historic design influences and ethnic inspiration. This volume is a source of interest and inspiration to individuals from fashion historians to costume designers.

Softcover: $24.95

A History of the Litchfield Hills Road Race: In Smallness, There is Beauty
Forty years after two friends brought the joy and excitement of the 1970’s running boom to their hometown of Litchfield, Connecticut, the Litchfield Hills Road Race continues to challenge and delight world-class runners, first-timers, and everyone in between. In celebration of the race’s 40th anniversary, the Litchfield Historical Society is releasing the first comprehensive history of the event Runner’s World Magazine dubbed “The best little race you’ve never heard of.” A History of the Litchfield Hills Road Race: In Smallness, There is Beauty captures the spirit of a beloved community event and the quintessential New England town which embraced it, and serves as a tribute to the race’s creator Joe Concannon, a sportswriter for The Boston Globe who wanted nothing more than to share his hometown and his love of running with the world.

Softcover: $20

Stop by to browse, call us at (860) 567-4501, or email us to place an order.
Purchase publications online here. A flat $3.99 shipping rate will be charged for each item. CT state residents subject to tax.