Edgerton Park, New Haven

Edgerton, also known as Edgerton Park and Frederick F. Brewster Estate, is a 20acre public park on Whitney Avenue straddling the New Haven - Hamden town line in Connecticut.It is site of the demolished Victorian home of Eli Whitney II, known as "Ivy Nook". In 1909, it became the estate of industrialist Frederick F. Brewster, with a new Tudor-style mansion constructed named “Edgerton” for its location on the edge of town. The mansion was demolished in 1964, pursuant to Brewster's wishes, after the death of his wife, and the property was donated to the city. The present landscape was designed by Robert Storer Stephenson in 1909.The property was listed as historic district on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. In 1988, the district included seven contributing buildings, eight other contributing structures, and one contributing object.FeaturesThe 22-acre park features the original wall, greenhouses, carriage house, gatehouse, and bridge from the Brewster estate. There is also a large fountain, community gardensThe Sarah T. Crosby Conservatory in the Community Greenhouses features a rain forest exhibit, a dry landscape with desert plants, and orchids.The Elm Shakespeare Company has been offering outdoor summer performances in Edgerton Park since 1995.Edgerton Park ConservancyEdgerton Park Conservancy is a non-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to the needs of Edgerton Park. It works to restore and maintain the buildings and grounds, and offers education programs for schools and the community in the Conservatory. The Conservancy works in partnership with the City of New Haven, which owns the property.