Katharine Seymour Day (May 8, 1870 - June 4, 1964) was an American preservationist from Hartford, Connecticut. She worked as a member of the Hartford City Planning Commission to preserve historic homes in Connecticut and helped establish the Children’s Museum of Hartford and the home of Mark Twain as a memorial. She served as president of the Mark Twain Library and Memorial Commission. She was inducted into the

Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame The Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame (CWHF) recognizes women natives or residents of the U.S. state of Connecticut for their significant achievements or statewide contributions. The CWHF had its beginnings in 1993 when a group of volunteers partn ...

in 1994. The Katharine Seymour Day House has been preserved as part of the Harriet Beecher Stowe House Museum.

Early life and education

Day was born in Hartford, Connecticut on May 8, 1870 to John Calvin Day. She was a granddaughter of Isabella Beecher Hooker and a grandniece of Harriet Beecher Stowe. She attended

Hartford Public High School Hartford Public High School, in Hartford, Connecticut, was founded in 1638. It is the second-oldest public secondary school in the United States, after the Boston Latin School. It is part of the Hartford Public Schools district. Notable alumni ...

but left in 1887 when her family moved to Europe. She became interested in painting while living in Europe and studied the Pointillism technique in Paris and exhibited her work there. In 1896 she moved to New York City and studied art under

William Merritt Chase William Merritt Chase (November 1, 1849October 25, 1916) was an American painter, known as an exponent of Impressionism and as a teacher. He is also responsible for establishing the Chase School, which later would become Parsons School of Design. ...

. She returned to Paris to study at the Academie Julian. She moved back to New York after the death of her father and worked with the New York Women's Municipal League to defeat

Tammany Hall Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York City political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society. It became the main loc ...

. She returned to school in 1918 and received her master's degree in psychology from Radcliffe College at the age of 52. She received a graduate degree in history from Trinity College in 1936 when she was 66.

Career

In 1924, she purchased and lived in the home of her Great Aunt, Harriet Beecher Stowe in Hartford, Connecticut, which was eventually turned into the Harriet Beecher Stowe House museum in 1968. Her preservation work led her to save many structures including the Harriet Beecher Stowe House, the Mark Twain House, and what is now referred to as the Katharine Seymour Day House. All of these building are located on the corner of Farmington and Forrest Street in Hartford, Connecticut. The Katharine Seymour Day House was purchased by Day in 1941 and would eventually become incorporated into the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center. She died on June 4, 1964 in Hartford, Connecticut at the age of 94 and was interred in Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Legacy

She was inducted into the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame for her work in historical preservation and

women's suffrage Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant women the right to vot ...

References

External links

Katharine Seymour Day HouseConnecticut Women's Hall of Fame - Katharine Seymour Day
{{DEFAULTSORT:Day, Katharine Seymour 1870 births 1964 deaths Académie Julian alumni American suffragists Beecher family Burials at Cedar Hill Cemetery (Hartford, Connecticut) Historical preservationists People from Hartford, Connecticut Radcliffe College alumni Trinity College (Connecticut) alumni