The David Hayes Sculpture Fields in Coventry will begin exhibiting local artifacts and works from historic Coventry artists as a part of the America 250 CT Commission, which aims to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America’s independence.
The commission was started by Gov. Ned Lamont to “coordinate the commemoration, celebration and reflection of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence,” according to a Jan. 10 press release.
The David Hayes Sculpture Fields, which opened in 1971, is a ten-acre plot of land owned by the David Hayes Art Foundation which houses dozens of sculptures from Coventry-based sculptor David Hayes.
In 2026, the fields will have year-round programming that will focus on the artifacts found in the field and art in Connecticut and Coventry’s history.
“For this year specifically, we are doing displays that talk about the history that we found both in the dirt, and also the history of the arts in Coventry,” David Hayes, the son of the sculptor, said.
Since the field was opened in 1971, Hayes said many different artifacts have been found using metal detectors. Usually, the artifacts are old farm implements, but other things have been found before.
“We found coinage that actually goes back to the King George III era… We found buttons from colonial era uniforms,” Hayes said. “There’s all kinds of stuff.”
Art from six historic Coventry artists will also be featured in the fields’ programming: Irwin Benoni, Harlan Page, William Talcott, George Dudley Seymour, Erastus Salisbury Field and Roderick Dimock.
The works from the artists date back to over 250 years ago, and include “visual, performing and written arts.” The works will be featured in indoor galleries on the field.
The David Hayes Sculpture Fields are free-of-admission and offer self-guided and docent-led tours. The fields “showcase large steel sculptures across ten acres of mowed fields, orchards and clearings in the woods,” the press release said.
The fields are also home to a historic homestead called Stonewalls, which used to be utilized by the Underground Railroad, according to Hayes.
“It would be a hiding place for people while they were transiting from southern states up towards Canada,” Hayes said.
Hayes said he was interested in University of Connecticut students discovering the David Hayes Sculpture field, as he believes it can help students in different ways.
“For one thing, getting away from the stress and pressure of term papers or final exams,” Hayes said. “There’s something to be said about getting off the bus for a while and rebalancing your mind and getting literally a breath of fresh air.”
A sculpture by Hayes is located on the UConn Storrs campus, titled “Rouge et Noir.”
“It’s a little cultural jewel that’s a bike ride away,” Hayes said.
More information about the American 250 CT Commission can be found at ct250.org, and more information about the David Hayes Sculpture Fields can be found on their website.