Capt. Seth Chandler House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Capt. Seth Chandler House
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 55 Converse St., Woodstock, Connecticut |
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| Area | 9.75 acres (3.95 ha) |
| Built | 1760 |
| Architectural style | Colonial |
| NRHP reference No. | 93001380 |
| Added to NRHP | December 15, 1993 |
The Captain Seth Chandler House is a really old and special house in Woodstock, Connecticut. It's located in a quiet, country part of town called East Woodstock. This house was built way back in 1760, which makes it over 260 years old! It has some cool and unusual features for a house from that time, like amazing stonework in its chimney and unique stenciled designs on its walls. Because it's so important, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.
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Exploring the Chandler House
The Captain Seth Chandler House sits in a peaceful, rural area of eastern Woodstock. You can find it on the east side of Converse Street. It's a two-story house made of wood. What makes it special is its unusual shape and layout for a house built around 1760.
Unique Design Features
Most houses from this time had a chimney right in the middle. But this house's big chimney is set further back from the main roof. Inside, the house feels like a typical colonial home. It has a narrow, winding staircase near the chimney. There are also main rooms on both sides of the house.
However, the roof's pointed end (called a gable) usually runs east to west. Here, it runs north to south! The main front door faces west. It opens right into the living room on the south side. A smaller, one-story part is attached to the back. This part was added later in the 1700s. It might have even been a separate building at first.
Inside the Historic Home
The inside of the house is very interesting. It has original wooden details from when it was built. You can also see special stenciled artwork on the walls. These designs were painted directly onto the plaster. They give us a peek into how people decorated their homes long ago.
Who Lived Here? The Chandler Family Story
The land where the house stands was bought in 1760. A man named Captain Seth Chandler bought it. He had just gotten married, so the first part of the house was probably built soon after. This was the west side of the house.
Growing the Family Home
Around 1780, Captain Chandler and his wife needed more space. They had a very large family with 11 children! So, they made the house bigger to fit everyone. The house stayed in the Chandler family for a long time, until 1867. After that, the Converse family owned it until 1983. This means the house was lived in by only two families for over 200 years!
