The Allis-Bushnell House was once home to Madison’s prominent Bushnell and Scranton families. Built in 1785, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

The home’s lower-level rooms, each with distinct period architectural features, are decorated with period furniture, domestic implements, decorative arts, and paintings that illustrate how life was lived in Madison in five time periods from colonial days through the 1920s.

Each of these scenic “sets” is complemented by stories of life in the house as it was during colonial days, the Revolutionary War period, the Civil War period, and the Colonial Revival era.

The building was used as the headquarters of the Madison Historical Society until 2010, when the administrative offices were moved to Lee’s Academy. Currently the property is open to members and to the public for occasional special events throughout the year.

Here is a set of amazing vintage photos from Madison Historical Society that shows the Allis-Bushnell House interior from 1924 to 1935.

Allis-Bushnell House with porch and horse, early 1900s

Looking at the 1824 Geib piano in the “pink room”, or front east room, of the Allis-Bushnell House, 1924

The “green room”, or front center room, looking into the “pink room”, or front east room, of the Allis-Bushnell House, 1924

The “green” room, or front middle room, of the Allis-Bushnell House, 1924

The current “blue room”, or west front room, of the Allis-Bushnell House, 1924

The kitchen of the Allis-Bushnell House, 1924

The summer kitchen of the Allis-Bushnell House, 1927

Panoramic photograph of the current “green room”, or front center room, of the Allis-Bushnell House, 1929

The current “green room”, or the front middle room, of the Allis-Bushnell House, 1929

The current “pink room”, or front east room, of the Allis-Bushnell House, 1929

The current “green room”, or front center room, of the Allis-Bushnell House, 1935

The former upstairs bedroom of the Allis-Bushnell House, 1935