Cadman–White–Handy House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Cadman–White–Handy House
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 202 Hixbridge Road, Westport, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1710 |
| Architectural style | Colonial, Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 92000831 |
| Added to NRHP | July 16, 1992 |
The Cadman–White–Handy House, often called the Handy House, is a really old house in Westport, Massachusetts that you can visit! It's like a time capsule, showing how homes were built and changed between the early 1700s and early 1800s. Today, the Westport Historical Society runs it as a museum. You can explore it on some Saturdays from June to October. This special house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992, which means it's recognized as an important historical site.
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Exploring the Handy House
The Handy House is located in the middle of Westport. You can find it where Hixbridge and Drift Roads meet. These roads are very old, with Drift Road even following an ancient Native American path.
What the House Looks Like
The house is made of wood and has two and a half stories. It has a roof that slopes down on two sides, called a "side-gable roof." The outside walls are covered with overlapping wooden boards called "clapboards."
The front of the house is quite wide, with eight sections or "bays." It has two main doors. One is on the second section from the left, and the other is on the fifth section. Both doors have fancy frames around them. These frames are in a style called "Federal style." They have tall, flat columns (pilasters) and small windows above the door (transom windows). There are also small, triangular roofs (gabled pediments) over the doors.
How the House Grew Over Time
The Handy House wasn't built all at once. It grew in three main steps, starting around 1710.
- First Part (around 1710): The oldest part of the house is the three sections on the far right. This section was likely a "stone ender" house. This was a common style in early Rhode Island, where one end of the house was built with a large stone chimney.
- Second Part (1730-1750): Later, two more sections were added in the middle. This made the house look more like a traditional "Georgian" style home. Georgian houses often have five sections across the front with the main door in the center.
- Third Part (1825): In 1825, the last three sections were added on the left side. At this time, the outside of the whole house was updated to the "Federal style." This style was popular in America after the Revolutionary War.
Even though the house was changed and updated in the 1700s and 1800s, you can still see parts inside from all three building periods. It's like looking at different layers of history!
Visiting the Museum
The Westport Historical Society owns the Handy House. They run it as a historic house museum. Most of the house is not filled with furniture. This allows visitors to see the actual building methods and decorations from the 18th and 19th centuries. It's a great way to learn about old construction techniques!
See also
