The 65th Annual Open House Day Tour of Litchfield to benefit the Connecticut Junior Republic (CJR) will be held Saturday, July 14, 2012 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, rain or shine. Conducted by the Litchfield Aid of CJR, an auxiliary volunteer organization dedicated to supporting the Connecticut Junior Republic, the 2012 event features five homes, many of which are within walking distance to the center of town and Litchfield's famous historic district. Additional historic points of interest are also included in the Tour. One of the oldest events of its kind in the country, the self-guided, walking tour begins on the Litchfield Green. Ticket sales, information and the "lost and found" will be located here.

A Preview Tour will be offered the evening of Friday, July 13, from 5:30 - 7:30 PM, followed by a cocktail reception from 7:00 - 9:30 PM. Catered by The Pantry of Washington Depot, the reception will be held in a magnificent private garden located in Litchfield's historic district. Tickets are $100 per person and attendance is limited. Click here for ordering tickets online, or call contact the Connecticut Junior Republic (860) 567-9423.

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      THE KINGSBURY BULL HOUSE, The 2012 Preview Party will be held in the gardens of the Kingsbury Bull House, located in Litchfield's Historic District. One of the most elegant and gracious mid-20th century Colonial Revival estates in Litchfield, the Kingsbury Bull House is situated on 11 acres. The four section 1937 main house is a diverse adaptation of a Federal estate. Over the past nine years, the present owners meticulously restored the neglected, overgrown landscape to its original design. The rebuilt grape arbor is flanked by the home's bushes of original blueberry and azalea. The bushes continue to bloom and fruit today.

Please note: The grounds of the Kingsbury Bull House are open only for the Preview Party and are not part of the Tour on Saturday, July 14.

      Originally, 47 North Street was the home of Major Benjamin Tallmadge (1754-1835), the Chief Intelligence Officer for George Washington, and later (1792), Litchfield's postmaster. In 2007, the 4-acre property at 47 North Street was divided, creating the current 2.25 acre parcel on which this Carriage House home stands. In 2010, the current owners combined and transformed all the elements of the carriage house for today's comfortable living, bringing the complex into the 21st Century. Designed for entertaining, the open layout creates an airy and breezy feeling highlighted by a great room and oak wood floors. The large custom kitchen with graphite granite countertops elegantly coordinates with the charcoal Italian porcelain tile flooring. The bead-board ceiling in the first-floor children's room is one of the remaining original architectural details.

       Built in 1939 by the George Switzer Company for Elizabeth S. Hamlin, on land purchased from the Litchfield Land Company in 1937, this classic dormered Cape-style house was built far back from the street, and had a view of Bantam Lake when the land to the west was open fields. Many improvements have been made over the years, and include a new kitchen, new bathrooms, and living space over the garage. Crown molding and the arched doorways with keystones in the front hall and the living room mantle are original, as is the Dutch door from the dining room to the screened porch. Renovated bathrooms feature wall tiles typical of the original house's period.

Founded in 1911 by twelve Litchfield women for the sole purpose of supporting the Connecticut Junior Republic, the Litchfield Aid celebrated its 100th year in 2011. The Aid continues to be one of the Junior Republic's most important annual contributors and its contributions are used to improved programs and facilities for the young people served by CJR.

Points of interest on the 2012 Tour include Litchfield's churches and Lourdes of Litchfield, a shrine built in 1954 by the Montfort Missionaries as a replica of the famous Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in France. The Litchfield History Museum and the Tapping Reeve House and Law School, recognized as the first law school in America, will also be included in the admission price of the Tour. The History Museum will feature an exhibition, The Hour of Conflict, which examines the ways in which the American Civil War impacted the residents of Litchfield in the 1860's.