Ammidown-Harding Farmhouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ammidown–Harding Farmhouse
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 83 Lebanon Hill Rd., Southbridge, Massachusetts |
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| Architectural style | New England cape type |
| MPS | Southbridge MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 89000552 |
| Added to NRHP | June 22, 1989 |
The Ammidown-Harding Farmhouse is a really old farm house in Southbridge, Massachusetts. You can find it at 83 Lebanon Hill Road. This house was built a long time ago, in the 1700s! It's special because not many houses from that time are still standing in Southbridge. In 1989, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical building. The house is named after two important people who lived there: Cyrus Ammidown and Elbridge Harding. They were both leaders in the local Baptist church.
Contents
What Does the Ammidown-Harding Farmhouse Look Like?
The Ammidown-Harding House is in a quiet, countryside part of Southbridge. It sits on the east side of Lebanon Hill Road. This road is very old. It was even a Native American trail a long, long time ago!
Key Features of the House
The house is one and a half stories tall. It has a pointed roof, called a gabled roof. There's a big chimney right in the middle of the house. The outside walls are covered with wooden boards, known as clapboard. The front of the house has four sections, or "bays." The main door is a little off-center, to the right.
How Old is This Farmhouse?
We aren't exactly sure when the house was built. The oldest maps of Southbridge are from 1796. The house already appears on those maps. Its style suggests it was built around the time of the American Revolutionary War. That was in the late 1700s.
Special Details to Notice
Some cool features make this house stand out. The roof hangs out a bit over the walls. There's also a special window above the front door. This type of window is called a transom window.
The Barn's History
The property also has an old barn. This barn was built in the 1800s. It has a small tower on top, called a cupola. The edges of the roof have decorative brackets. The doors are made with a special wood-joining method called tongue and groove. The barn is also an important part of this historic property.
Who Lived in the Ammidown-Harding Farmhouse?
The first owner we know about was Cyrus Ammidown. His family were some of the first people to settle in this area. Cyrus was also one of the first deacons in the local Baptist church. This church started in 1817.
Elbridge Harding's Connection
Later, by the 1860s, Elbridge Harding owned the house. Elbridge's father was Joshua Harding. Joshua was one of the people who asked the state to officially create the town of Southbridge. So, both families were very important to the history of the town!
