The Family Home and Museum Core
The Boothe Homestead anchors the family story. The house was built in 1820 on the original 1663 foundation, then extensively remodeled in 1913 and 1914 as David and Stephen Boothe were shaping the property into a museum landscape. Inside, the rooms tell the story of the family, their collections, and their taste for practical invention. The kitchen retains period features such as a coal-burning stove, Hoosier cabinet, wooden ice box, tin ceiling, and pantry, while the meeting and dining rooms include the distinctive “puzzle floor” made from small colored tile pieces that read almost like carpet. The Long Room connects the family genealogy back to early Stratford settlers, and upstairs rooms display major collections including the Boothe basket collection.
What to Look For
- 1913 stained-glass windows with family and Stratford references
- Puzzle floors in the meeting and dining rooms
- The Long Room genealogy displays and family Bibles
- The kitchen, pantry, and everyday domestic details
- Basket collection and rooms tied to Betsey Nichols Boothe
