Windsor Historical Society

During my trip to the Windsor, CT area back in August 2025, I visited many historical sites, including the Connecticut Trolley Museum, East Windsor Historical Society, and Vintage Radio and Communication Museum. On the same trip, I spent several hours at Windsor Historical Society. This impressive small town museum enjoys excellent funding and has a well-trained, engaging staff, making this stop among the best historical society visits that I have experienced.

Georgian style brick mansion mansion with a gambrel roof A blue oval plaque with a bronze oak tree insignia in the middle and the words National Register of Historic Places Plaque around the edge A white sign reading Windsor Historical Society next to a classic red white and blue Open flag

Windsor Historical Society began in 1921 and has since grown to include three buildings: the combination Wilson-Mills Building with a learning center, meeting room, kitchen, gift shop, pair of gallery spaces, library, and offices; historic Dr. Hezekiah Chaffee House; and Strong-Howard House, formerly known as Fyler House. The Society offers guided tours of the two historic houses. The tour begins with Chaffee House, a Georgian style brick mansion mansion with a gambrel roof constructed around 1767. This part of the tour focuses on 18th century medical history, as reproduction furniture in the house resembles what might be found in an apothecary, the colonial era equivalent to a pharmacy. The guide described antiquated medical treatments, making this part of the tour darkly humorous. The building itself has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1972.

An 18th century fireplace and an 18th century chair with a desk arm An 18th century room with a table covered in herbal remedies and a wooden cabinet with many drawers 18th century fireplace with green painted mantel and a small kitchen table
Small room with fireplace and bright yellow wood paneling. The author took a selfie in the mirror over the fireplace. A small room with a large dining room table and bright yellow wooden paneling. The author's left hand holds a white tea cup on a saucer.

The second half of the tour included Strong-Howard House, built in 1758 and saved by the society in 1925. The house once belonged to the family of a retired ship captain, Nathaniel Howard, and was decorated with touchable reproductions. A corner of the house was interpreted to represent the Howard family store, which sold cloth, belt buckles, and other high quality goods to wealthy Windsor residents. The most unique furniture in the house was a reproduction wooden chest based on an intricately carved piece attributed to Deacon John Moore. My favorite feature in the house was the bright yellow paint in the parlor and dining room. Near the end of the tour, visitors received a beautifully designed, full-color tour booklet to bring home.

An 18th century store with shelves full of fabric and other fancy goods. An 18th century kitchen fireplace with a Franklin stove and deep red wood paneling Intricately carved late 18th century wooden chest
A deep red 18th century two-story wooden house with multiple additions A deep red wooden breezeway at center-left connects to the red brick two-story building with gambrel roof on the right A one-story entrance to an 18th century deep red house with an ADA compliant ramp in front.

After the guided tour of the houses, visitors explore the galleries at their own pace. The permanent exhibit Bridging Centuries, Bridging Cultures, describes over 400 years of Windsor history and was last updated 2024. Using a thoughtful, well-balanced approach, the exhibit represents the diverse history of the area without dwelling too long on any specific topic. A modern mush8n or dugout canoe stood at the center of one gallery as a segue to describing Native American history, while the story of the first A.M.E. Zion Church and the Black community in Windsor juxtaposed the more traditional story of Daniel Bissell, a Revolutionary War hero who is credited for designing the Purple Heart award. Paired with carefully chosen artifacts, the galleries provide a comprehensive education on local and national history using little time and space.

An 18th century deep red wooden house with several additions and a wonky roofline A two-story red brick early 20th century Colonial Revival style building Revolutionary War Era Snare Drum
Revolutionary War Era Brown Suitcoat Portrait painted on a wooden board depicting a late 18th century man wearing a military uniform with the word Bissell over his head. A poster reading People of Windsor with additional explanatory text and photographs of Windsor residents in the background

Windsor Historical Society is open on Wednesdays through Saturdays, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. throughout the year. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $6 for students, and $0 for historical society members, children under twelve, teachers, Museums for All recipients, and NEMA members (like me!). The gift shop is one of the best I have visited with unique, affordable, and relevant memorabilia. Like most historic houses, Chaffee House is not accessible to those using a wheelchair, but Strong-Howard House and the Wilson-Mills Building are both accessible. Lighting is consistent and plenty of seating is available in all three buildings. For those who wish to learn more about the Society, plenty of information is available on the visually appealing website, although web accessibility features are somewhat absent. Overall, this was a wonderful small town museum experience and well worth a stop for those traveling to the area to visit other venues.


Abby Epplett’s Rating System

Experience: 10/10

Accessibility: 8/10



Location: 3 Palmer St, Windsor QLD 4030, Australia