Benjamin and Abigail Dalton House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Benjamin and Abigail Dalton House
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | North Parsonsfield, Maine |
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| Area | 18 acres (7.3 ha) |
| Built | 1810 |
| NRHP reference No. | 97000311 |
| Added to NRHP | April 14, 1997 |
The Benjamin and Abigail Dalton House is a special old home in North Parsonsfield, Maine. It was built a long time ago, in the early 1800s. This house is a great example of the Federal style of architecture.
What makes it extra special are the beautiful paintings on its walls. These were drawn by an artist named Jonathan Poor. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 because of its history and art.
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About the Dalton House
The Dalton House sits on the north side of Middle Road. It is near where Middle Road meets Merrill Hill Road. The house has a grassy front yard. A low stone wall and a picket fence separate the yard from the street. You can also see an old post where horses used to be tied.
House Design and Features
The house is made of wood and has two and a half stories. It has a classic look with a roof that slopes down on two sides. There is one chimney in the middle of the house. The outside walls are covered with clapboard siding. The house sits on a strong granite foundation.
The front of the house has five sections, or "bays," with windows. The main door is in the center. It has tall, narrow windows on each side. Above the door, there is a pretty fan-shaped window. On the second floor, directly above the entrance, there is another window with narrow windows on its sides. The house also has parts that extend out from the back.
The Artist Jonathan Poor
The Dalton House is famous because of the artwork inside. An artist named Jonathan D. Poor painted murals on its walls. He likely did this sometime in the 1830s. Jonathan Poor was a traveling artist, meaning he moved from place to place to paint.
Poor's Connection to Rufus Porter
Jonathan Poor was the nephew of Rufus Porter. Rufus Porter is well-known for starting Scientific American magazine. But before that, he was also a traveling painter. He taught Jonathan Poor how to paint these special murals. The paintings in the Dalton House are important because Jonathan Poor actually signed his work here. This helps us know for sure that he was the artist.
