By Solé Scott, SCSU Journalism student
The Oliver Ellsworth Homestead Museum in Windsor showcases artifacts from the life of one of America’s founding fathers.
“It’s not often do you have a home that was built by the third chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, a drafter of the U.S. Constitution, architect of the U.S. Judiciary Act,” said Janet Ellsworth, a volunteer at the museum.
The home belonged to Oliver Ellsworth and his wife, Abigail Wolcott, who married in 1772 and built the home in 1781. Then-presidents George Washington and John Adams were noted to visit the home on different occasions.
A yellow chair that Washington once sat in still sits on display at the museum. There are other original furnishings as well as paintings from 244 years ago.
“We tend to think about Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, who were southerners, and we forget that much of the founding of this country was done by New Englanders and people who lived in little towns like Windsor,” Ellsworth said.
The museum is one of many sites in Connecticut with connections to the Revolutionary War sparking interest during the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The Connecticut Veterans Coalition is highlighting other Revolutionary War sites around the state, and encouraging residents to visit and learn more about the people who fought for American independence. See the full trail here.
In 1903, the house was transitioned into a museum by the Connecticut Daughters of the American Revolution.
The goal was to transform the property back to what it used to look like when Ellsworth and his wife lived there.
In 1989 to 1990, the house went under an extreme renovation costing upward of $3 million.
“In about 1990 I have seen estimates from 1 to 3 million. I think three is probably on the high side, but there are probably several million dollars worth of private donations and public funding,” Ellsworth said.
When visitors come to the historical home wanting a tour, Ellsworth hopes they all will take new knowledge with them.
“I hope that they have an appreciation of Oliver’s contributions, the contributions of his children, because he had children who made significant contributions to the new country that they take that away and that that they will help support the house, either financially, or that they will help support the house in terms of promoting it to their friends and their family and making sure that that that the house has a secure future,” Ellsworth said.
Solé Scott, a journalism student at Southern Connecticut State University, reported this story in 2025 as part of Journalism Capstone coursework on the Revolutionary War.