Wilton is home to a large number of modernist homes, and the nonprofit Histoury will be celebrating a collection of these historic buildings on its October 1st bus tour.
Modernism includes the popular midcentury modern style, but actually began years prior and evolved over several decades. As summarized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, “In architecture, it’s defined as a design language with an emphasis on form rather than ornament; structure and materials rather than picturesque constructions; and the rational and efficient use of space. The modern movement in architecture in the United States flourished beginning in the 1930s and encompassed individual design movements that expressed modern ideals in different ways…”
Histoury’s tour will highlight Wilton’s modernist homes from the 1930s through the 1970s. Guests will see many of these homes throughout the town on the bus and get the unique opportunity to tour several, including one of the earliest modernist homes in town, built in 1938 by architect Almus Pratt Evans, as well as others designed by prominent local architects including Larry Michaels, Willis Mills Jr., and Charles Baffo. The Evans, Mills, and Baffo homes are also significant because they were where the architects lived with their own families for many years, the Baffos even built much of the house themselves.
The tour will also include a Wilton building designed by the renowned modernist architect Eliot Noyes, part of the Harvard Five group of architects who helped shape New Canaan into a modernist mecca and for whom Baffo worked for many years. Architect Thomas H. Fleming also worked with Noyes and designed at least a dozen residences in town. William Berkes and Robert Brownell worked for Carl Koch, another Harvard alum, before starting Deck House in 1959; their prefabricated homes were significant for their role in making modernist design more affordable and attainable and several were built in Wilton.
Last year, Histoury toured colonial buildings in Wilton, each year returning to celebrate a different era of historic architecture. The nonprofit guides tours in communities in Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts with the mission of promoting the appreciation and preservation of historic buildings and supporting the local groups who share their goal. To register for a tour, visit the Histoury website.