Visiting The Nathan Hale Homestead in Connecticut

This post is a paid partnership with the Connecticut Office of Tourism. All opinions expressed are my own.

If you’re interested in Revolutionary history and historic homes, the Nathan Hale Homestead in Coventry, CT needs to be on your list. Nathan Hale is Connecticut’s official state hero, and his story has been spread not only throughout the state of Connecticut, but across the nation. This year is a great time to visit to celebrate the 250th anniversary of both the United States and of the house, which was built in 1776.

A large red wooden house with two chimneys stands behind a stone wall and a grassy lawn under a blue sky with a few clouds. — Exterior of the Nathan Hale Homestead. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

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Significance of Nathan Hale

If you don’t already know, Nathan Hale was one of America’s earliest spies. During the war, General George Washington needed intelligence on enemy troop movements. Nathan Hale volunteered to spy behind British lines by disguising himself as a schoolteacher seeking work. He was unfortunately captured and hanged by the British in September of 1776. He was only 21 years old.

Before his service during the Revolutionary War, Nathan Hale was a schoolteacher, which is likely why he picked that ruse to cross enemy lines. He taught in East Haddam for the winter session between 1773 and 1774. However, he found it boring and soon transferred to teaching in New London, Connecticut, which was a busy whaling port. You can visit both schools, which are both named Nathan Hale Schoolhouse.

A small, red, two-story historic building with white trim stands on a brick plaza, with a modern office building visible in the background. — Nathan Hale Schoolhouse in New London. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

I’ve seen and photographed both schoolhouses, but I haven’t been inside either of them. The hours are very limited because they’re volunteer run. However, don’t let that discourage you from visiting the schoolhouses. They’re still very cool to see in person.

A small, red wooden cabin with a shingled roof sits on a leaf-covered ground, surrounded by bare trees and mist. — Nathan Hale Schoolhouse in East Haddam. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

Significance of the Nathan Hale Homestead

I’m going to break this news gently…Nathan Hale never actually lived in the house currently on the property. You’d assume that with a name like Nathan Hale Homestead, he would have lived there. While he didn’t live in the current house, he was born on the property. He grew up there in a smaller house that was located in the same spot. However, he left home to go to Yale University in New Haven at the ripe age of 14 (my jaw dropped when I learned this on the tour).

The Hale family members that did live in the home worked hard to help with the Revolutionary War efforts. During the tour, we learned how his father and siblings helped the patriots throughout the war. Of course, you’ll also learn a lot about Nathan Hale.

A display case on a blue and white checkered table holds documents; behind it are drawings and descriptions of eight historical figures mounted on panels. — Sketch depictions of Nathan Hale and his siblings displayed inside the house. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

This museum is a stop on the Connecticut Revolutionary War Trail. Outside the house, you’ll find various QR codes you can scan to learn more about the Revolutionary War history tied to the property.

A sign for the Connecticut Revolutionary War Trail at Nathan Hale Homestead, featuring a QR code for an audio tour and website information. — Revolutionary War Trail at the Nathan Hale Homestead. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

Visiting The House

The house is open for tours May through October, Friday through Sunday. If you’re looking to take a tour, you can purchase tickets online ahead of time or purchase a ticket in the Visitor Center when you arrive. I visited on a Friday and bought a ticket at the museum. I got there for the first tour of the day and had no issues getting a ticket.

Sign on a red wooden wall displays Nathan Hale Homestead tour hours: Friday–Saturday 12–4 pm, Sunday 10 am–2 pm, May–October. Includes info about tickets and programs. — Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

For the house tour, you’ll walk through the first and second floors of the house. The tour is guided, and you will learn a lot of interesting information. I found the tour to be very engaging and enjoyable. The tour touches upon the Hale family as well as George Dudley Seymour, who bought the house and restored it.

I went into this tour with a lot of knowledge about Nathan Hale, but I learned new things. In addition to the history about Nathan Hale, there are a lot of interesting stories attached to the house and items inside the house.

I really don’t want to spoil all of the good parts of the tour for you because part of what made the visit so enjoyable was the information on the tour. But, below are some photos I took during the tour of the interior.

A rustic kitchen with a large stone fireplace, wooden table and benches, cookware on shelves, and various household items arranged neatly. — The kitchen. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

Wooden table with a candle, mortar and pestle, and broom beside a ladder-back chair; shelves with jars and crockery on a wooden wall near a bed and stone fireplace. — Medicine cabinet. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

A wooden writing desk with two candlesticks sits beneath a framed portrait of a man in historical clothing on a tan wall. — Spoiler alert: that is not a portrait of Nathan Hale. It is a portrait of his father. The homestead was his father’s house. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

A wooden desk and chair sit by a window in a historic room, with a statue, framed photos, and a large painting of soldiers on the wall above. — Nathan Hale’s chair he used while teaching. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

A fireplace with a sooty interior sits below a green built-in shelf holding books, a plate, a jug, and two small containers. — Home library above the fireplace. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

One thing I love about touring historic houses like this is seeing the incredible woodwork throughout the interior. All of the custom built-in details are truly incredible.

Exploring The Grounds

After your tour, I encourage you to explore the grounds. The property has historic barns that the Hale family used, a schoolhouse that was moved to the property, and some other buildings. The buildings weren’t open when I visited, but it’s still worth taking a walk around even if they’re not open.

A red wooden barn with a small cupola on the roof is partially obscured by trees, with a stone wall and green grass in the foreground. — Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

A small wooden building with shingle siding and a red extension stands on grass, partially shaded by trees. Two orange cones are near the door. — Schoolhouse on the museum property. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

On the back side of the house, there’s also a garden. There are some informational signs about the different sections of the garden and what they’re for. I loved that they had this kind of information in the garden.

A circular sign titled “Liberty Tea Garden” explains how colonists used local herbs for tea during boycotts before the American Revolution. Coneflowers grow in the background. — One of the sections of the garden. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

Large red wooden building with multiple chimneys and windows, set against a blue sky with some clouds. Grassy area and wildflowers are in the foreground. — Backside of the Nathan Hale Homestead, photographed from the garden. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

If you like hiking, there are various trails that you can explore. I didn’t check any of them out during my visit, but I did confirm their existence with someone who worked at the museum. The trails connect to Nathan Hale State Forest.

Upcoming Events at the Nathan Hale Homestead

The museum hosts a lot of great events throughout the year. Below are some upcoming events that are worth checking out!

Coventry Farmers Market, every Sunday, May through October. This is the largest farmers market in Connecticut. It has been ranked number one in New England and number two in the nation. During the market, the Homestead offers family-friendly programs including 18th-century games, hearth cooking, cheese-making workshops, and more.
Hale of a Good Time Letterboxing Event, August 30th. This is a free event where participants will need to use clues to find hidden boxes. The boxes contain stamps that can be collected by printing them into journals. There will also be a stamp-carving demo.
250 Years of Celebrations | First Flush: 18th-Century Courtship, September 4th. This is an evening event where you’ll learn about dating and marriage practices in the decades around the American Revolution.
Hale Family Reunion, September 19th. This is an event for people who can trace their ancestry to the Coventry Hales and those interested in Hale family genealogy. During the event, you can learn about the different branches of the Hale tree, connect with descendants, and tour the home that Richard Hale and Elizabeth Strong Hale built for their family.

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