By Elizabeth Barhydt
In the center of New Canaan, where three steeples rise around a green hill called God’s Acre, a new chapter has taken root in the soil of memory. The New Canaan Museum and Historical Society has purchased the 2.3-acre property long home to St. Michael’s Lutheran Church. At once a place of worship and a physical record of the town’s past, the church is now entrusted to the care of the institution dedicated to preserving and interpreting New Canaan’s history.
This acquisition, recorded at $2.1 million, does not retire a sanctuary. It extends its life. Through a carefully structured agreement, the church will continue to host worship under the auspices of St. Michael’s Lutheran congregation while also serving as an integral part of the Museum’s growing campus. “It really is an amazing win,” said benefactor Dede Bartlett. “That’s exactly the way to put it. It is a win-win for everybody.”
Constructed in 1835 as the original home of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, the building predates the railroad and the Civil War. It is the oldest surviving church structure in New Canaan and one of the most visible landmarks on God’s Acre. The Episcopal congregation eventually moved up Oenoke Ridge, and in 1956, the building was adopted by a newly formed Lutheran congregation. With only minimal alteration, it became St. Michael’s—its architecture remaining largely unchanged, its stained-glass windows growing only more luminous with time.
“The windows are exceptional,” Bartlett said. “I hope you have the opportunity, as we did a couple of months ago, to go in when the sun is coming through. It is magical.”
Inside the sanctuary, light filtered through memorial windows creates shifting mosaics of color that speak to the spiritual and artistic sensibilities of the late 19th century. Installed around 1902 when the building was still occupied by St. Mark’s, these stained-glass panels bear symbols of Christian belief—the dove, the open book, the Alpha and Omega, the lamb, and the chalice—all arrayed in pairs along the nave.
The physical beauty of the space is matched by its symbolic importance. The church stands within a geography layered with ritual. The name “God’s Acre” once referred to the plots of land reserved for burial and prayer in early American villages. In New Canaan, it has become a civic commons—home to three congregations, a place of shared ceremony, and now the keystone of a museum campus.
The Bartletts, longtime New Canaan residents and historic preservationists, felt a special responsibility when the opportunity to support the acquisition arose. “When Jim and I heard about this two years ago, we felt it was absolutely critical to step up—to help the Museum, to help New Canaan, and to help the church,” said Bartlett. “We’re only the 13th owners of a historic property ourselves, and we’ve preserved two barns on our land—one dating to 1749. We are living every day with the glories of preservation.”
The Museum, under the leadership of Executive Director Nancy Geary and Board President Tom Monahan, negotiated the purchase over the course of two years. Bartlett praised Geary’s vision: “She’s already led the Museum into an era of unparalleled renewal. What she has done with the building that houses the 100-year-old carriage is exceptional. The permanent exhibit on New Canaan’s history is exceptional. She’s made sure the entire campus is woven together.”
The acquisition effectively doubles the Museum’s footprint—from two to 4.5 acres. The expanded space will allow for increased exhibition capacity, new educational programming, and broader partnerships with other civic and cultural institutions. “It will allow for lecture series, concert series, programs, more children’s activities,” said Bartlett. “And our costume collection—the finest in the state—will finally have the space it needs.”
The arrangement also avoids what Bartlett called the quiet losses of inaction. “Other towns have found that when they didn’t preserve, they had regrets,” she said. “There’s going to be no regret on this.”
The plan allows St. Michael’s Lutheran Church to continue its worship uninterrupted. “We’re very excited about all the potentials,” Bartlett said. “And the joy of building, and seeing this come to fruition, is terrific.”
In describing their approach, Bartlett emphasized their broader philosophy. “Jim and I invest in change-makers—people who are committed to preserving New Canaan’s unique history and moving it into the 21st century. This town is not covered in amber—it grows, it evolves. It is terribly important that you preserve as well as project.”
The significance of the property lies not only in its past but in its capacity to shape the future. In this way, the transaction echoes a pattern familiar to American towns: churches that outlive their original congregations, buildings that accumulate stories over generations, institutions that reinterpret their purpose without erasing their roots.
“This church, in the middle of God’s Acre, holds a remarkable place in New Canaan’s history,” said Geary. “It is critical to the Museum’s mission that it be preserved in perpetuity.”
Ken D’Arinzio, representing St. Michael’s Lutheran, echoed the same forward-looking tone: “St. Michael’s looks forward to working with the Museum on this next phase of its church life.”
Bartlett added that the Museum’s May 30 gala will celebrate the acquisition and what it represents. “It’s always a fundraiser—but this year, there’s so much to celebrate,” she said. Scheduled from 6:30 to 10:00 p.m., the gala will feature live music, food, and opportunities to explore the expanded vision for the Museum. “It’s a chance for everyone to come together—not just to support the Museum, but to take part in shaping its next chapter.”
The community response has been deeply felt. “We got a lovely note the other day from a lady who said, ‘Thank you so much. I’m enjoying living in New Canaan more and more.’ That makes you feel terribly good,” Bartlett said. “When somebody stops you at CVS and says, ‘Thank you,’ and you don’t even know them—it’s just a very sweet thing.”
She hopes others will be inspired to join in the work. “We like to encourage people to get involved. The joy of getting involved, the joy of building—it’s fun. And we’re lucky to live in a town where there is so much available to do.”
