Dutton House

Dutton House is a red colonial structure with multiple wings and additions that reflect changes made during its long use. The interior contains period furnishings and architectural details that show how 18th-century New England families built and furnished their homes.

The house was built in 1782 by Salmon Dutton in Cavendish, Vermont, as a family residence. It was relocated to the Shelburne Museum grounds in 1950 to prevent demolition.

The interior walls feature hand-stenciled patterns from around 1800, matching designs found in other period homes throughout Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire. This decoration was a common way for families to add detail to their rooms without expensive wallpaper.

The house is furnished with period items and architectural details that visitors can explore across its rooms. Seeing the different spaces helps visitors understand how daily life and work looked in early New England homes.

Over its lifetime, the house served many different purposes: it was a family home, tavern, inn, store, and boarding house for mill workers. This changing function reveals how buildings adapted to meet community needs over time.