Theodate Pope Riddle's Hill-Stead Museum

Someone Lived Here

In the first episode of season 3, Kendra brings you to the Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington, Connecticut. Theodate Pope Riddle designed this home, her first architectural project, as a retirement home for her parents. Throughout the episode, we learn about her close friendship with Mary Hillard, her fixation on communicating with the dead, and her near-death experience on the sinking of the Lusitania.

Theodate's father, Alfred Pope, was Theodate's biggest supporter and a lover of the arts. The family's collection of French Impressionist paintings can still be found in the Hill-Stead Museum today. The home was built around the paintings of Monet, Cassatt, Degas, and Manet.

Theodate Pope Riddle lived from 1867 to 1946. As an architect, Theodate designed homes and schools throughout Connecticut and New York, including Westover School, Avon Old Farms School, and a reconstruction of Theodore Roosevelt's birthplace.

Thank you to the Hill-Stead Museum: Executive Director - Dr. Anna Swinbourne, Curator - Melanie Bourbeau, and Chief Advancement Officer - Beth Brett.

The book Dearest of Geniuses: A Life of Theodate Pope Riddle by Sandra L Katz was key in making this episode.

Links mentioned in the episode:

The new shop: https://someonelivedhere.com/shop/

Find the history of your NYC apartment (or Monica Geller’s): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dw_4nSog8g&t=1s

Charmingly Quaint and Still Modern: The Paradox of Colonial Revival Needlework in America 1875-1940 by Beverly Gordon: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2052&context=tsaconf