Coffin House facts for kids
The Coffin House is a very old house in Newbury, Massachusetts. It was built a long time ago, around 1678. This historic home shows us what life was like in Colonial America. Today, it's a special museum run by Historic New England. You can visit it to see history up close!
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Discovering the Coffin House: A Historic Home
The Coffin House is located at 14 High Road in Newbury, Massachusetts. It started as a small building in 1678. The land belonged to Tristram Coffin, Jr. His father, Tristram Coffin, had moved away to Nantucket.
What Makes the Coffin House Special?
Around 1713, the house was made much bigger. Its size more than doubled. New walls were added inside. Later, in 1785, two brothers from the Coffin family decided to split the house. They made it into two separate homes. Each side had its own kitchen and living areas. The Coffin family owned the house for a very long time. Historic New England bought it in 1929.
How Old is This House?
For many years, people thought the Coffin House was built in 1654. This date came from Joshua Coffin, who wrote a history of Newbury in 1845. However, scientists have studied the house more recently. In 2002, experts looked at the wooden beams. They used a method called tree-ring dating. This method can tell exactly when trees were cut down.
The studies showed that the wood for the first part of the house was cut in 1676-1677 and 1677-1678. The wood for the addition was cut in 1712-1713. This means the house is a bit younger than people first thought. Even so, the Coffin House is still one of the oldest examples of its kind of roof structure.
The Coffin Family's Life Inside
In 1785, the Coffin brothers legally divided the house. This made it two separate homes. The last person with the Coffin name to live there was Lucy Coffin. The house has been cared for by Historic New England since 1929. They help preserve old buildings.
Visiting the Coffin House Museum
The Coffin House is open to visitors. You can explore it on the first and third Saturday of each month. It is open from June through October. It's a great way to learn about early American life.
