Benjamin Thompson House–Count Rumford Birthplace facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Count Rumford Birthplace
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Benjamin Thompson House, Woburn, Massachusetts
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 90 Elm St., Woburn, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1714 |
| NRHP reference No. | 75001942 |
| Designated NHL | May 15, 1975 |
The Benjamin Thompson House is a special place in Woburn, Massachusetts. It's also known as the Count Rumford Birthplace. This old house is now a historic house museum and a National Historic Landmark.
It's famous because it's where a brilliant scientist and inventor named Benjamin Thompson was born. He lived from 1753 to 1814. Later in his life, he became known as Count Rumford in the Holy Roman Empire. He was also called Sir Benjamin Thompson in the United Kingdom.
This house became a National Historic Landmark in 1975. This was to honor all the amazing things Rumford did in science. One of his most famous inventions was the Rumford stove. This was a special fireplace design. It was much better at keeping heat inside a house than older, bigger fireplaces.
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About the Rumford House
The Rumford House is a two-and-a-half-story building. It is made of wood and has a unique gambrel roof. There's a big chimney in the middle. The outside is covered with wooden boards called clapboards. The front door has simple decorations.
Inside the house, you can still see many original parts. These include old hardware and wooden features that are very well preserved.
Who Was Benjamin Thompson?
The house was built in 1714 by Ebenezer Thompson. His grandson, Benjamin Thompson, Jr., was born here on March 26, 1753. Benjamin's parents lived in the house after they got married.
Sadly, young Benjamin's father passed away in 1754. Benjamin lived in the house with his grandfather and mother. Later, his mother married Josiah Pierce, Jr., and Benjamin moved to live with them.
During the American Revolution, Benjamin Thompson supported the British side. He left the country in 1775 when the British left Boston. He came back later in the war. He was in charge of a group called the King's American Dragoons. They fought in the Southern states.
After the British surrendered, he went back to England. He later lived in the Holy Roman Empire. This is where he earned the title of Count Rumford. He did a lot of important research there. He studied how to make heating systems better.
Count Rumford's Amazing Ideas
His research led to many improvements in home heating. The most famous was the Rumford stove. This was a shallow fireplace. It was designed to send more heat into a room. This made homes much warmer and used less fuel.
While living in Munich, Thompson also helped improve how poor people were cared for in Bavaria. He even designed the famous English Garden in Munich.
Thompson was always inventing and improving everyday things. In 1799, he suggested starting a research group in the United Kingdom. This idea led to the creation of the Royal Institution.
Even though he never returned to the United States, he cared about education. He gave money to create a special teaching position at Harvard College. He also started the Rumford Prize. This award is given every year by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Benjamin Thompson passed away in Paris in 1814.
Visiting the Count Rumford Birthplace
The Rumford Historical Association now owns Benjamin Thompson's birthplace. This group was started in 1877. Their goal is to keep the house as an important historical site.
Inside the museum, you can see models of Count Rumford's science experiments and inventions. There's also a copy of a painting of Count Rumford by Thomas Gainsborough. The house has a library with books and essays about Rumford's life.
You can visit the house on Sunday afternoons from 1 PM to 4:30 PM, from June through October. You can also visit by making an appointment. It's free to get in!
Images for kids
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Benjamin Thompson's cradle, exhibited within the house
