Weir Farm 2023 year in review

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Weir Farm Artist Collective members share plein air painting setup tips with each other weir farm in Wilton, Connecticut — Weir Farm Artist Collective members share plein air painting setup tips with each other

2023 By the Numbers

36,313 Park visitors
9,701 followers on Instagram
6,259 followers on Facebook
6,066 viewed exhibits in the Visitor Center
4,958 visited the Weir & Young Studios
3,268 toured the Weir House
3,080 hours contributed by 114 volunteers
2,408 Junior Rangers were sworn in
1,845 created art with Take Part in Art supplies
1,098 visitors attended an art class, wellness program, or special event
964 K-12 students and teachers participated in education programs
231 plein air painters brought easels and were inspired by the landscape
125 works of art were submitted to the virtual Art in the Park Contest
10 projects invested in historic preservation and art conservation
8 major works of art were added to the museum collection, including paintings by Julian Alden Weir, Dorothy Weir Young, and Sperry Andrews
6 Artists-in-Residence continued the artistic tradition and created contemporary art
4 youth interns gained hands-on job experience through paid internships
3 publications were translated into 4 languages

Historic Preservation Highlights

Window Conservation Projects:

The Park completed conservation of five historic Dutch-shutter and leaded-glass stained-glass windows. The four-panel windows and attached wood shutters were carefully removed from the Weir House living room, dining room, and library, one at a time, and worked on on-site by National Park Service conservators. Park staff assisted with the conservation. The Park also replaced UV film on windows in the Weir House, Weir Studio, and Young Studio to protect the historic interiors and furnishings on exhibit inside.

Weir House Accessible Porch Reconstruction:

In August, a team of preservation experts with the National Park Service Historic Preservation Training Center replaced failing floorboards on the Weir House south porch. As the main entrance to the Weir House and the perfect spot to gather and learn about Weir Farm history with Park Rangers, restoring the porch became a top priority for the safety and enjoyment of all visitors.

Stone Steps Installed Restoring Historic Causeway:

This summer, Master Craftsman Neil Rippingale, assisted by National Park Service staff and volunteers, installed 18 large granite steps into a slope down to the base of a historic causeway. Stone causeways are common landscape features in Southwestern Connecticut, historically built by farmers to cross boggy areas to access their fields. The Weir Farm causeway was built before Julian Alden Weir bought the farm in 1882. When restored, the causeway will be the gateway to the new Wagon Road Trail, providing increased access and recreation for visitors.

Community Program Highlights

Service Projects with Bridgeport Youth and Coltsville NHP in Hartford:

Weir Farm NHP collaborated with Coltsville National Historical Park and Groundwork Bridgeport to host a series of art and service projects for youth in Connecticut’s National Parks. View the youth artwork an online exhibit on the Park website!

Phenology Citizen Science Volunteer Program:

Citizen Science volunteers routinely monitor several plant species and input data that contributes to nationwide monitoring and research efforts related to natural resources and climate change. In 2024, the program was expanded with the help of volunteers and youth interns. Learn more about phenology and how this scientific research method is used throughout the National Park Service on the Park’s Phenology webpage.

Weir Farm Artist Collective:

Facilitated by local artists, for local artists, the Park established a community of practice through the Weir Farm Artist Collective. 48 artists attended monthly gatherings, following the tradition of creativity within the Weir Farm landscape. The program will continue in 2024 and include an exhibit of founding members’ work at the Wilton Library.

Increased Accessibility and Access for Visitors

Virtual tours of exhibits and historic buildings were added to the Park’s website and all of the exhibit spaces were audio described and added to the NPS AD App. Two Junior Ranger activities and the self-guided walking tour were translated into 4 new languages: Portuguese, Spanish, French, and Chinese. Learn more on the Accessibility webpage.

Building New Partnerships

Weir Farm NHP conducted partnership building trips to the Brigham Young University Museum of Art in Utah and the Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington, CT to hone in on topics and strategies for resource management, interpretation, and visitor engagement. We look forward to collaborating with these new partners in 2024 and beyond!

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