Hoyt-Barnum House was built in 1699 by Samuel Hait (or Hoyt) whose grandfather, Simon Hoyt, settled in Stamford after 1649. Samuel’s father, Joshua, was an active member of the Stamford community in the 17th century. The Bedford Street property where the historic museum used to stand was deeded to Joshua Hoyt in 1668. The land was recently sold to the City of Stamford, as it is the ideal location for the City’s new police station. Bringing the historic home to the Stamford History Center is an opportunity to preserve the home, run new programs and exhibits and to create a more viable History Center for Stamford.

David Klein of DEK Creative was hired to film the move of the Hoyt-Barnum. “The video was made possible by a matching grant from Connecticut Humanities, for which we are extremely grateful,” said Pam Coleman, Chairman of the Stamford History Center. “The Stamford History Center is excited to share this historic moment with the local community and with preservationists around the world.” Connecticut Humanities, a nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, supports cultural and historic organizations that tell the state’s stories, build community and enrich lives.

DEK has also created a second video for those who will tour the Hoyt-Barnum House. Visitors will learn more about the house in the context of Stamford history as an introduction to the site.

“This has been an opportunity to really give the house a second lease on life, and truly to be able to use it and feature it and value it,” Thomas Zoubek, Executive Director of the Stamford History Center, said of the move. “A lot of communities don’t have important historic buildings like the Hoyt-Barnum House and we’re lucky that it has survived. We are also fortunate that the City made the commitment to work with the Historical Society to ensure that a home that has stood witness to most of Stamford’s history will be available and cherished.”

The Stamford History Center, located at 1508 High Ridge Road, is an educational and research institution whose primary functions are to collect, preserve, conserve, interpret, and exhibit materials relating to Stamford, Connecticut and the surrounding area. As the City of Stamford’s municipal historian, the Stamford Historical Society is dedicated to providing opportunities for the community to understand and experience the past through the presentation through exhibits and displays, lectures, demonstrations, special events and participatory programs. For more information, call us at 203-329-1183, “Like” us on Facebook at http//www.facebook.com/StamfordHistoricalSociety or visit our website at www.stamfordhistory.org.