Barrell Homestead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Barrell Homestead
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 71 Beech Ridge Road, York, Maine |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1720 |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000195 |
| Added to NRHP | December 12, 1976 |
The Barrell Homestead is a very old house located at 71 Beech Ridge Road in York, Maine. The main part of this three-story house was built around 1720. It has been owned by the same family since 1758.
This house was once home to Nathaniel Barrell, who was an interesting person in York during the late 1700s. The Barrell Homestead was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. This means it is an important historical building.
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About the Barrell Homestead
The Barrell Homestead is a large house made of wood. It has a classic look with its wooden siding. The house has two full stories, and a third floor is tucked under the roof. There's even an attic above that!
The front of the house, facing south, has many windows. The main entrance sticks out a little and has windows on either side. On the west side, there's another entrance that is more decorated. An extra part of the house, called an "ell" (which means it sticks out like an "L" shape), extends from the back.
How Old is the House?
The oldest part of the Barrell Homestead was built around 1720. A man named Matthew Grover built it after buying the land. In 1757, Matthew's son had to give the property to Jonathan Sayward. Sayward was one of the richest people in York County at the time.
The Sayward family and their descendants have owned the house ever since. This means the same family has lived there for a very long time!
Nathaniel Barrell and His Family
In 1758, Jonathan Sayward's daughter, Sally, married Nathaniel Barrell. They made the Barrell Homestead their home. Nathaniel Barrell was involved in the colonial militia, which was like a local army. He even fought in the 1758 Battle of the Plains of Abraham.
Nathaniel was also connected to important people in politics. He served on the governor's council for the nearby Province of New Hampshire. During a trip to England in the 1760s, he became interested in different religious ideas. These ideas caused some disagreements within his family and with his business.
Because of these disagreements, his father-in-law, Jonathan Sayward, made sure the house would go to his daughter and then to his grandson. This meant the property would stay in the family. Nathaniel Barrell passed away in 1831.
A Famous Writer in the Family
Nathaniel and Sally's oldest daughter was named Sally Sayward Barrell. She is known as one of Maine's first female novelists! She wrote books using a pen name, but today she is best known as Sally Wood.
Changes to the House Over Time
The Barrell Homestead stayed mostly the same for many years. But in 1841, the main part of the house was made taller. It became three stories high and more square-shaped. The "ell" addition on the west side was also built around this time.
