Deacon John Grave House

08/19/2026

Try Not to Miss This!

07/01/2026

Don’t Miss a Rare Chance to See Madison’s 1876 Giant Parade Flag.

Celebrate America’s 250th birthday with a special stop at the Deacon John Grave House, 581 Boston Post Road, after Madison’s Fourth of July parade.

On display for one day only will be Madison’s remarkable 38-star U.S. flag, believed to have hung from the Hull Building on Wall Street during parade days past. Because of its fragile condition, this historic flag has not been publicly exhibited for many years.

Enjoy light refreshments while costumed docents share the story behind this extraordinary artifact. Then test your knowledge with an 1876 U.S. history trivia quiz for a chance to win our “250 Years of Summer Fun” party basket, filled with historic games, toys, and tasty treats.

The exhibit is open from the end of the parade until 2:30 p.m. We hope you’ll join us for this memorable Independence Day tradition!

05/12/2026

Start Spreading the News!
Grave House will Toast Madison’s
Beginnings May 16 from 4 to 7 p.m.

On Saturday, May 16, a post-rider on horseback will arrive at the historic Deacon John Grave House with long-awaited news. We imagine that the year is 1826, and the General Assembly has just resolved that the parish of East Guilford, established in 1707, may incorporate as its own town.

A celebration of the 200th anniversary of Madison’s incorporation will begin at 4 p.m. in front of the house at 581 Boston Post Road with music and games on the lawn. Admission is free and open to all.

At 5:45 p.m., the post-rider will approach the Grave House on his horse Patch with a message in hand from the legislature, which will then be read aloud.

At 6 p.m. adults 21 and over will be invited to toast to the occasion. Soft drinks and a rum punch called the Gravedigger, will be available, courtesy of the Grave Foundation.

The celebration concludes at 7 p.m.

12/08/2025

Great Conial Holiday event! If you missed it, drop us an email so we can tell you ahead of time @ deaconjohngrave.org

11/22/2025

Join us for our ninth annual Children’s Holiday and Open House. Enjoy an old-fashioned holiday afternoon full of cookie decorating, holiday crafts, roasting chestnuts, live music, storytelling and refreshments. Create winter memories with the whole family! Admission is free.

See highlights from last year’s festivities here.
https://deaconjohngrave.org/the-deacon-opens-his-home-for-the-childrens-holiday-party/

03/25/2024

Education is what the Deacon John Grave House does best

From the article:
Each Witness Stones project centers on one enslaved person and culminates with the installation of a small bronze plaque at a site where the person lived, worked or worshiped.

Henrik Sharpe, 14, a student at the Country School in Madison, recently spent time studying the account book of the family of Deacon John Grave.

Grave’s historic home, known today as the “Deacon John Grave House,” still stands in the coastal Connecticut town.

Several people were enslaved here, records show.

Unforgotten is a cross-platform series chronicling Connecticut’s ties to slavery.

https://deaconjohngrave.org/cptv-they-cant-imagine-this-actually-happening/

Send a message to learn more

05/19/2022

The Garden Club holds annual plant sale following two-year absence. On a beautiful May day gardeners flocked to the grounds of the Grave House to purchase plants and enjoy the gardens including the wildflower walk

04/18/2022

The Deacon John Grave Barn gets a new paint job.

Some restoration and painting were completed recently on the Barn

It was first power washed, stripped and one full coat of grey oil primer was applied.

Two coats of latex completed the job.

Thanks to the Summerhill Foundation for its generous grant.

01/08/2022

This Year’s Madison Lyric Stage at the Deacon John Grave House

09/07/2021

Tony Award-Winning Drama Comes to Deacon John Grave House!

Madison Lyric Stage Company performed the landmark play, The Boys in the Band, eight times from July 22 to August 1. The actors showcased this stellar production under a tent on the Grave House grounds, as the company’s second offering of its theater season.

The Boys in the Band focuses on a group of gay men who gather for a 1968 birthday party in New York City. The evening conversations reveal the touching truths and well-kept secrets of each man attending.

A talented cast played to sold-out crowds, who responded with enthusiasm and standing ovations nightly.