Capts. Louis and Philomene Daniels House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Capts. Louis and Philomene Daniels House
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | 50 Macdonough Dr., Vergennes, Vermont |
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| Area | 0.3 acres (0.12 ha) |
| Built | 1887 |
| NRHP reference No. | 01000733 |
| Added to NRHP | July 11, 2001 |
The Capts. Louis and Philomene Daniels House is a special old house in Vergennes, Vermont. It stands at 50 Macdonough Drive. This house was built in 1868. It was the home of Philomene Daniels, a very important woman. Many believe she was the first woman to get a license to captain a steamship!
Philomene, her husband Louis, and their two sons ran a boat business. It was called the Daniels Boat Line. They carried goods and people between Vergennes and Westport, New York. This historic house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. This means it is a very important building.
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Exploring the Daniels House
The Daniels House is located near downtown Vergennes. It is on the north side of Macdonough Drive. The house is across from Macdonough Park and the city dock. It is a simple, one-and-a-half story house made of wood.
What the House Looks Like
The house has an L-shape. The main part has a pointed roof facing the front. Another section extends to the west. A roofed area stretches across the back. There is a porch with a flat roof across the front. You can enter the house from the front of the side section. There is also an entrance on the side of the main part. Inside, you can still see the original floors and wooden decorations.
Meet Philomene Daniels: A Pioneer Captain
Philomene Daniels was born in Quebec, Canada. Her family moved to Vergennes in the 1850s. In 1862, she married Louis Daniels. Louis was from Panton and also had French-Canadian roots.
Starting the Boat Business
In 1869, Louis started working on a small steamboat. It was called the Water Lily. He bought this boat in 1880. By 1877, Louis had licenses to pilot the ship. He also had a license to work as an engineer. The Water Lily carried goods and people. It traveled down Otter Creek to Lake Champlain. From there, it went across the lake to Westport, New York.
Philomene's Big Achievement
Philomene and Louis's two sons started helping their father. Philomene also joined the family business. She wanted to be "as good a pilot as any man." In 1887, she got her pilot's license. This was a huge accomplishment! News of her achievement spread around the world. The Daniels family eventually bought or built three more steamships. These ships sailed on the lake until 1916. After that, other ways of transport became more popular. The boat business was no longer profitable.
