Buttolph–Williams House facts for kids
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Buttolph–Williams House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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HABS photo of the house in 1938, prior to its restoration
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 249 Broad St., Wethersfield, Connecticut |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1711 |
| Architectural style | Colonial |
| Part of | Old Wethersfield Historic District (ID70000719) |
| NRHP reference No. | 68000048 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 24, 1968 |
| Designated NHL | November 24, 1968 |
| Designated CP | December 29, 1970 |
The Buttolph–Williams House is a really old house in Wethersfield, Connecticut. It's like a time capsule! Built in 1711, it's one of the oldest homes still standing in the town. Today, it's a historic house museum where you can visit and learn about life long ago.
The house is owned by Connecticut Landmarks, a group that helps protect old buildings. You can usually take tours from May to October. This house is super important because it's a great example of early American architecture. It was even named a National Historic Landmark in 1968!
Contents
What Makes This House Special?
The Buttolph–Williams House is a two-and-a-half-story building made of wood. It has a steep roof and a big chimney right in the middle. There's also a smaller addition at the back.
The front door is simple and sits in the middle of the house. The windows have cool diamond-shaped panes. These windows were rebuilt to look just like the original ones. You might notice the top floor sticks out a little over the bottom one. This was a decorative style, not for extra space. The outside walls are covered with special wood siding. It was made in the 20th century using old techniques from the 1700s.
A Look Inside
The inside of the house has also been carefully restored. It looks much like it did when it was first built. You'll find furniture and items from that time period. This helps visitors imagine what life was like hundreds of years ago.
Its History and Fame
For a long time, people thought the house was built between 1692 and 1698. But newer research shows it was built around 1711. In 1947, the house got a careful restoration. An architect named Frederick C. Palmer made sure to save as much of the original building as possible.
The Buttolph–Williams House opened as a museum in 1951. Today, the nearby Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum helps run it. The house is also famous for another reason! It plays a role in the book The Witch of Blackbird Pond. This book won the Newbery Medal and was written by Elizabeth George Speare.
Because of its importance, the house was named a National Historic Landmark in 1968. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Discover More Historic Places
If you like the Buttolph–Williams House, you might also be interested in these:
Connecticut Landmarks also takes care of other historic house museums, including:
- Amasa Day House in Moodus
- Bellamy-Ferriday House and Garden in Bethlehem
- Butler-McCook House & Garden in Hartford
- Hempsted Houses in New London
- Isham-Terry House in Hartford
- Nathan Hale Homestead in Coventry
- Phelps-Hatheway House & Garden in Suffield
