Barnes Museum, Southington

Southington's past is perfectly preserved within the restored home of Bradley and Leila Barnes—known today as the Barnes Museum—, where guests can peruse 17 rooms filled with antique furniture and personal belongings dating back to 1836. There, guests may feel they've stepped back in time, whether they're admiring the lace dresses, top hats, and other fashions of the times, or perusing Captain Andrew Upson's Civil War letters to find examples of old-timey emoticons. Even the plants surrounding the house have became a historical collection of sorts. A local Eagle Scout recently recreated the house's gardens as they were in 1922, guided by an article published in Country Homes magazine.