Beech Hill Summer Home District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Beech Hill Summer Home District
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| Location | Properties on Mason Road, Harrisville, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 150 acres (61 ha) |
| Architect | Lois Lilley Howe; Kendall, Taylor & Stevens |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Shingle Style, Georgian Revival |
| MPS | Harrisville MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 86003079 |
| Added to NRHP | January 14, 1988 |
The Beech Hill Summer Home District is a special area in Harrisville, New Hampshire. It has six old summer houses built in the early 1900s. These homes sit on a hill with amazing views of Dublin Pond and Mount Monadnock. Many of these properties were built for members of the Thayer family. They are located on Mason Road, near the town of Dublin.
One of the most important properties is the Skyfield estate, which is about 140 acres (57 hectares). Its large Georgian Revival mansion was designed by Lois Lilley Howe and built in 1916. This area is also interesting because it has old remains from 18th-century farms. Because of these old farm sites, the properties are also part of the Harrisville Rural District. The Beech Hill Summer Home District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
Exploring Beech Hill Summer Homes
The Amazing Skyfield Estate
Skyfield is a large, three-story building made of brick. It has a main section and two parts that stick out, making it look like a "U" shape. This house was built to replace an older home that was in the Shingle style.
The Skyfield property also has several smaller buildings. Most of these were built in the 1800s. These buildings are made of wood and include:
- A barn, which has been changed into a home.
- An icehouse, used for storing ice.
- A laundry building.
- A toolshed.
- A garage.
There is also an 1884 farmhouse on the property. This house was built for the people who took care of the estate. It is located near Venable Road.
Homes of the Thayer Family
Several houses on Mason Road were built for members of the Thayer family. These homes were constructed around the year 1900. The L. H. Thayer House and the S. E. Thayer house are both on the south side of Mason Road.
These two houses were designed by a company from Boston called Kendall, Taylor and Stevens. They are great examples of the Shingle style of architecture in Harrisville. A third house, built for L. E. Thayer in 1900, was unfortunately destroyed by fire in 1975. It was replaced by a newer house that looks similar to the original Shingle style home. This newer house and some of Skyfield's smaller buildings are not considered as important to the district's history.
