Boothe Homestead
a.k.a. Boothe Memorial Park
Main St., Stratford, CTBoothe Memorial Park is a complex consisting of a 19th-century farmhouse and associated outbuildings together with a series of structures erected from 1914 until 1949 by two eccentric brothers, David, and Stephen Boothe. The brothers operated a family business selling farm equipment. They also sold insurance and, in addition, realized profits from numerous investments in nearby Bridgeport. Good examples of the Greek Revival style on the grounds include the Boothe Homestead and the Putney Chapel. The Shingle Style is well represented by the 1910 summer cottage. The majority of the buildings on the grounds are late, retardative examples of the Queen Anne style as interpreted by the two brothers. These are characterized by the application of late 19th-century details in an idiosyncratic manner typical of folk architecture. The Technocratic Cathedral of 1933 is the culmination of the brothers' work. Its unusual construction method, using redwood beams, and unusual character of its design are both highly original and possess considerable aesthetic merit. The complex is clearly intended to center on this structure, and the grounds are laid out to create a striking visual impression. (Criterion A) The Boothe Memorial Park is the result of a unique amalgam of early 20th-century movements as interpreted by a pair of eccentric, reclusive brothers in the context of an outdoor museum. The Boothe brothers' fascination with local history and genealogy began as early as 1914 with the remodeling of the family home and the creation of a historical exhibit in a converted haybarn. During the era of the Depression, the two brothers built a large kitchen and dining facility to dispense their largesse, followed shortly by an outdoor basilica for nondenominational services. The Technocratic Cathedral was begun during a brief national obsession with technocracy, although the relation of the Boothes to the movement is unknown. A series of whimsical structures built on the grounds attest to the humor and imagination of the Boothe brothers.
Local significance of the district:Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.