Abel Jones House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Abel Jones House
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 33 Jones Rd., China, Maine |
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| Area | 0.3 acres (0.12 ha) |
| Built | 1815 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| MPS | Rufus Jones TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 83000456 |
| Added to NRHP | August 4, 1983 |
The Abel Jones House is a historic home located at 33 Jones Road in the village of South China, Maine. It was built in 1815. This house is a great example of the Federal style of architecture from that time. It is especially famous because it was the birthplace and childhood home of Rufus Jones. He was a very important writer and historian from the Quaker community. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. It is one of several places in South China connected to Rufus Jones.
What Makes the Abel Jones House Special?
The Abel Jones House is on the east side of Jones Road. It's just a short distance north of the South China Public Library. This house is two-and-a-half stories tall and made of wood. It has a roof that slopes down on two sides, called a side-gable roof.
Inside the Historic Home
When the house was first built, its main front faced south. It had a long, one-story addition that stretched along the road. In the mid-1800s, the inside of the house was changed. The main entrance was moved to face the road. This new entrance now has a decorative cover over it. The central hallway inside was also changed into a bedroom.
Even with these changes, the house still has some of its original features. You can see the old pumpkin pine floors. There are also original fireplace mantels, which are the decorative frames around fireplaces. One of these mantels is a copy of an original one that was damaged.
The History of the Jones Family Home
The house was built in 1815 by Abel Jones. He was part of a well-known Quaker family in the area. Abel Jones was the grandfather of Rufus Jones. Rufus Jones was born and grew up in this house. He lived here until 1879 when he left to go to school in Providence, Rhode Island.
Even after he left, Rufus Jones often came back to stay at this house. He had a very busy career. He was a historian, a writer, a speaker, and a religious thinker. The Abel Jones House remained an important part of his life.
