Shaded by a 300-year-old sycamore tree, the Hatheway House provides a glimpse of 18th century life. The main block of the house was built in the 1760s by Shem Burbank for his bride. Here they raised a large family until financial reverses forced the sale of the property to Oliver Phelps, a prosperous land speculator. To reflect his increasing wealth, Phelps altered the existing house and in 1794 added a wing in the current high fashion. This wing still has rooms with their original vibrant-colored French wallpapers. After Phelps’ death in debt, the house was purchased by Asahel Hatheway and it remained in the Hatheway family for a century. Today, the site is maintained by the Antiquarian and Landmarks Society as an historic house museum.