Athenwood and the Thomas W. Wood Studio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Athenwood
and Thomas W. Wood Studio |
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Athenwood looking west from Northfield Street
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| Location | 39 and 41 Northfield St. Montpelier, Vermont |
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| Built | 1850 |
| Architect | Thomas Waterman Wood |
| Architectural style | Carpenter Gothic |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000259 |
| Added to NRHP | June 13, 1974 |
Athenwood and the Thomas W. Wood Studio are two special old buildings in Montpelier, Vermont. They were once the home and art studio of a famous American painter named Thomas Waterman Wood. He was born in Montpelier. These buildings are now private homes. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places because they are important to history.
Contents
Discovering Athenwood and the Studio
When was Athenwood built?
Thomas W. Wood built his house, Athenwood, between 1850 and 1851. At that time, this area was part of a town called Berlin, not Montpelier. He named the house "Athenwood" after his wife, Minerva Robinson Wood. Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom, and Athena was her Greek counterpart!
What does Athenwood look like?
The house is made of wood and built in a style called "Carpenter Gothic". This style was popular in the 1800s. It's like a simpler, wooden version of the grand Gothic castles you might see in old movies. Wood designed the house himself. He probably got ideas from popular design books of the time.
The house has a special type of siding called shiplap. Its windows, roof edges (eaves), and porches are decorated with cool carved wooden patterns. These patterns look like petals, grape leaves, and ivy. Thomas Wood was trained as a cabinetmaker, so he might have carved these detailed decorations himself!
There's a small balcony on the east side of the house. You can get to it from the second floor. It has fancy Gothic-style railings. Today, Athenwood is a private home. Some of the original furniture is still inside, including two small marble statues of Athena.
The Thomas W. Wood Studio
Later, around 1880, Wood built a separate art studio building. It is just northwest of the house. The studio is also built in the Carpenter Gothic style. However, it also has some influences from Italianate architecture, another popular style of the time. In February 1899, this part of Berlin became part of Montpelier.
Images for kids
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Athenwood front entrance showing carved ivy on door and cornice
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Athenwood detail of dormer window
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Athenwood, painted green, before its repainting in stone, cream, and gold colors
