New Canaan’s Crown Jewel
HISTORY OF WAVENY HOUSE
The Story of Waveny House
Waveny Park in New Canaan, Connecticut was originally a grand summer estate owned by Thomas Wells Hall from 1894 to 1904. The Carriage Barn and Powerhouse were built during this period. In 1904, Lewis Henry Lapham, a co-founder of the Texaco Oil Company, bought the property as a summer estate from Hall, and expanded it from 280 acres to 450 acres.
Lapham had a mansion built in 1912 by the renowned architect William B. Tubby of Greenwich. It was named Waveny House after the Waveny River in England where his ancestors had once lived. The landscape design for the property was by the Olmsted Brothers Firm, sons of Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., who designed Central Park. The house sits majestically overlooking hundreds of acres of parkland and gardens.
In August 1967, the Town of New Canaan acquired Waveny Park from Mrs. Ruth Lapham Lloyd, daughter of Lewis Lapham Lloyd. Her son, acclaimed actor Christopher Lloyd, spent part of his childhood at the estate and continues to visit. Today, the House stands as the centerpiece of a remarkable community recreation area enjoyed by residents and visitors alike. Open to the public, it is available for private functions through the New Canaan Recreation Department, located on the second floor.
Lewis Henry Lapham
Ruth Lapham Lloyd
About Waveny Park:
The park is bordered by Farm Road to the North, the Merritt Parkway to the South, South Avenue to the East and Lapham Road to the West. Over the years, numerous additional structures have been built or re-purposed on parts of the property. The park contains approximately 3.5 miles of jogging/walking trails, a pond, soccer, baseball and softball fields, picnic areas and the Steve Benko Swimming Pool. Waveny Park also contains the PowerHouse Performing Arts Center, The Carriage Barn Art Center, Spencer's Run Dog Park, Lapham Community Center and The Waveny Lodge and Platform Tennis Courts. There is ample free parking.
