10 Elements of a New England Village in Fall

We all have a mental image of fall in a quintessential New England village. It’s there because of places we have been, movies we have watched and photographs we have seen over the years. As I strolled through the Farmington, CT Historic District on a perfect fall day, the signs were everywhere.

1. White Church with a Steeple

   

   A white church with a towering steeple is mandatory for a New England village in the fall. The First Church of Christ, built in 1771 as the third meeting-house for a congregation that originated in 1652, looks striking next to the brilliant fall foliage.

2. Stone Walls

   

   

   Stone walls meander everywhere throughout New England and no respectful New England village is complete without a few quality examples. Stone walls were largely built between 1775 and 1825 due to an increased interest in farming.

   The walls were used as boundaries for their land as well as to contain their livestock. Granite was most commonly used and preferred due to its strength and durability over wood fences and other types of stone.

3. Historic Architecture

   

   Any New England village worth its salt has a plethora of historic homes, ideally in white clapboard although brick, stone and the occasional red home are acceptable. Dormers, gambrel roofs and 12 over 12 windows abound.

4. Old Cemetery

   

   “Remember that you die” is the literal translation of Memento Mori, which, not surprisingly, was a saying used by our Puritan ancestors.

   The cemetery contains approximately 860 headstones today, according to the Farmington Historical Society, the earliest dating to 1700. The cemetery is certainly older than that but markers were not commonly used until the mid-1700’s.

5. A Red Barn

   

   No further explanation required.

6. Mums

   

   

   Mums are ubiquitous during the fall in New England, but no display would be complete without them. Their colors range from the bright yellow to rust to burgundy to purple to lilac.

   They are hardy plants that mix beautifully with fall foliage, pumpkins and cornstalks that grace many a front entry until frost gets the best of them.

7. Pumpkins

   

   

   New Englanders are very enthusiastic about their fall displays, and no more so than in a historic New England village. No display is complete without pumpkins of all shapes and varieties, and in recent years plain old orange just isn’t good enough.

   White pumpkins are mixed in with classic orange, as are gourds of every shape, size and color to create an inviting vignette along with the other symbols of fall. Jack o’ lanterns will make their appearance just in time to be lit for Halloween.

8. White Picket Fences

   

   

   White picket fences were commonly used to delineate domestic boundaries (where stone walls were primarily for farmland). Fencing style traditionally matches the architectural style of the home; a grander home requires a more elaborate fence.

   When replacing a fence at a historic property due to age and disrepair, great care should be taken to duplicate the style of fencing as the styles of today wouldn’t be appropriate. And…no plastic fences!

9. Fall Foliage

   

   

   If you visit a New England village in the fall and the trees haven’t turned yet, you must come back another day. The brilliant yellow, oranges, reds and remaining greens complement the stone walls, red barns, white churches and historic architecture like nothing else.

   On a sunny day the light bounces off of the foliage and creates a radiant glow and on an overcast, blustery day the leaves drop and drift blanketing the landscape with color.

10. A Bakery

    

    I think you will agree that a perfect ending to any New England village visit is a stop into the local bakery and cafe! So while it may not be required, it is certainly desired.

    Truffles Bakery has delicious coffee and the most sinful selection of desserts and pastries imaginable! They also make wonderful sandwiches and salads.

    A perfect day in the Farmington Historic District would include a stroll past the historic homes and other buildings in town, a visit to Truffles, popping in to a few local boutiques and finally a tour of the Hill-Stead Museum, which I will feature in a future post.

    Where is your favorite New England village? Did I miss anything?

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    Enjoy this post? You might also like The Village of Tariffville or 7 Little Known Facts About Windsor, CT.

Deb Cohen

My name is Deb Cohen, and I am a lifelong resident of Connecticut, a lover of all things historic and New England, and a realtor who helps buyers and sellers achieve their real estate goals and dreams. When I’m not working, I enjoy life with my husband, our two adult children, and our two rescue pups. Renovating and decorating our historic home, dating to 1800, is another favorite pastime.