A new facility dedicated to expanding and enlivening the public programming and education offered by The Webb Deane Stevens Museum has been named the Holcombe Education Center in recognition of Lucy Eaton Holcombe, whose bequest helped make the project possible.  

A long-time devoted member of The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in The State of Connecticut (NSCDA-CT), which owns and operates the Webb Deane Stevens Museum, Mrs. Holcombe was actively involved in every aspect of the Society and the Museum. In 2008, she became a member of the Elizabeth Colt Society, which recognizes and honors those who included the NSCDA-CT and its historic houses in their estate plans. 

Mrs. Holcombe grew up in Hartford and was a graduate of the Oxford School and Connecticut College. She worked at Connecticut General (CIGNA) and also taught first grade in the Bloomfield Public Schools. She was a former secretary of the New England Morgan Horse Association, a member of the Friends of Cossitt Library, former member and Secretary of the Granby Library Board, and a member of both the Granby Historic Properties Study Committee and Salmon Brook Historical Society. She and her husband Seth were longtime members of The Granby Land Trust and enthusiastically supported land conservation.  

A committed and dedicated member of the NSCDA-CT, Mrs. Holcombe served several terms on its Board and was known for her love of education and her understanding of the importance of historic preservation. “She would be delighted to know her gift has helped to build this wonderful education center. Lucy and Seth left a lasting impression on anyone who knew them and now have left an enduring mark for so many others to enjoy as well,” her niece, Nancy Hinman, said.   

The Holcombe Education Center enables the Museum to offer year-round, and expanded programming to the public, school groups, and private-tour groups. In addition to providing exhibition and public meeting spaces, facilities for research, and access for people with disabilities, the Center will boost the museum’s economic impact on the surrounding community, benefiting area businesses and bolstering Wethersfield’s heritage tourism.