Nathan Hale Homestead

2299 South Street, Coventry, CT 06238
(860) 742-6917

Notice: Nathan Hale Homestead is open for tours by-appointment only now through May 1. Please use “tour inquiry” button to the right to send an email to our site administrator who will help schedule your tour.

Nathan Hale Homestead

2299 South Street, Coventry, CT 06238
(860) 742-6917

$12/Adult
$10/Senior, Student, or Teacher
$5/Child 6-18
Free for Connecticut Landmarks Members & Children under 6

At the Nathan Hale Homestead, it is 1776, and a war for independence is underway. Learn how members of the Hale family supported the war effort by gathering supplies, helping their neighbors, and serving in the Continental Army. Nathan Hale, Connecticut’s State Hero, was born on the property in 1755. He was recruited as one of America’s earliest spies, but was caught and hanged by the British in September 1776. In the early 20th century, historic preservationist George Dudley Seymour purchased the home from a family still farming the property and restored it to honor Nathan Hale’s story.

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Captain Nathan Hale, captured and hanged as a spy at age 21 by the British in September of 1776, is famous for his alleged last words: “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” Nathan grew up on the farm that his prosperous father, Richard Hale, purchased in 1740 for his large family. Ardent patriots, six of the eight Hale brothers served in the Continental army during the American Revolution.

The Georgian-style home has remained virtually intact since its 1776 completion. It is furnished with Hale family possessions and other period antiques that were collected by George Dudley Seymour, who purchased and restored the Homestead in 1914. The 17-acre Homestead adjoins the 1500-acre Nathan Hale State Forest where the remote nature of the property makes modern conveniences seem far away.

Connecticut Landmarks engages visitors in understanding the historical and emotional commitments of individuals and families who have patriotically served their country through sacrifice, starting from the story of schoolteacher-turned-spy Nathan Hale.

WHY WAS NATHAN HALE A HERO?

Though Nathan Hale has only been Connecticut’s state hero since 1985, admiration for the nation’s first spy goes back much further. Hale was captured behind British lines in 1776 and put to death for spying. By the end of the 18th century, American schoolchildren were being inspired by the story of Nathan Hale’s patriotic sacrifice. In 1914, antiquarian George Dudley Seymour began restoring the family home of Hale, who he said was “the nation’s youthful hero and supreme symbol of patriotism.” Hale’s image was featured on the US Postal Service’s first half-cent stamp in 1925. Statues of Nathan Hale stand in the state capitol, at Yale University, at the headquarters of the CIA, and more. When the Nathan Hale Branch of the Sons of the American Revolution worked with the Connecticut General Assembly to designate Nathan Hale as the state’s hero, he joined other beloved state symbols such as the mountain laurel (state flower) and American Robin (state bird). In 1995, the legislature also designated a state heroine in Prudence Crandall.

In more recent years, Nathan Hale has remained in the American imagination. He was a character in popular television shows, such as TURN: Washington’s Spies, and he continues reaching schoolchildren through books such as the Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series. At the Nathan Hale Homestead in Coventry, we are honored to continue to welcome visitors from around the world to learn about Nathan Hale and consider: where do heroes come from?

LEARN MORE

Captain Nathan Hale, captured and hanged as a spy at age 21 by the British in September of 1776, is famous for his alleged last words: “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” Nathan grew up on the farm that his prosperous father, Richard Hale, purchased in 1740 for his large family. Ardent patriots, six of the eight Hale brothers served in the Continental army during the American Revolution.

The Georgian-style home has remained virtually intact since its 1776 completion. It is furnished with Hale family possessions and other period antiques that were collected by George Dudley Seymour, who purchased and restored the Homestead in 1914. The 17-acre Homestead adjoins the 1500-acre Nathan Hale State Forest where the remote nature of the property makes modern conveniences seem far away.

Connecticut Landmarks engages visitors in understanding the historical and emotional commitments of individuals and families who have patriotically served their country through sacrifice, starting from the story of schoolteacher-turned-spy Nathan Hale.