Set on five and a half acres of lush greenery, the Tomes-Higgins house is an ideal location for receptions and parties. It is thought to be the only remaining house in Connecticut designed by the famed architect Calvert Vaux.

ARCHITECTURE
The style of the French Second Empire (Napoleon III—1852-1870) dominates the design of the house, which features include mansard roof (at the time so popular that it was considered “mansard madness”).

The house features classical pediments, many with sculpture groups, balustrades and windows flanked by columns or pilasters and an asymmetrical arrangement of design elements. The overarching style is often called “picturesque eclecticism” because it combines architectural details of many different styles.