Cotton-Smith House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Cotton-Smith House
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 42 High St., Fairfield, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1890 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 92000794 |
| Added to NRHP | June 18, 1992 |
The Cotton-Smith House is a special old house located at 42 High Street in Fairfield, Maine. It was built in 1890 and is a great example of a Queen Anne Victorian style home. A man named Joseph Cotton, who owned a company that made iceboxes, built it. He lived there for only four years.
In 1983, the Fairfield Historical Society bought the house. They now use it as the Fairfield History House. It is a museum that teaches about the local history of Fairfield. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. This means it is recognized as an important historical building.
Contents
What Does the House Look Like?
The Cotton-Smith House is a two-and-a-half-story building made of wood. It sits on a strong foundation of granite and brick. The house has a unique roof with slate shingles. It also has several large gables, which are the triangular parts of the roof.
Outside Features
The front of the house faces west. It has two main parts. On the left, there is a round-arched window with three sections. Above it are two more windows. The right side of the house sticks out a little. It has a window bay with many sides, topped by its own small roof. Above this are more windows, and even smaller ones in the gable. This gable is decorated with fancy wooden panels.
The main entrance to the house is on the south side. There is a section that sticks out from the middle of this side. A porch runs forward from this part. It is supported by decorative posts and a railing.
Behind the main house, there is a matching building called a carriage house. This building has a special gambrel-shaped roof. It also sits on a brick foundation. The carriage house shares many of the same design features as the main house.
Inside the House
The inside of the house has a "side hall plan." This means the main hallway is on the south side of the building. To the northwest, there is a passage with decorative wooden columns. This passage leads to the dining room and a sitting room. The parlor, which is a formal living room, is in the southwest corner.
A small study room is in the southeast part of the house. The kitchen and pantry area are in the northeast. The sitting room and parlor have special stencil designs. These designs are found on the cornices, which are decorative moldings near the ceiling. They were added in the early 1900s.
History of the Cotton-Smith House
The Cotton-Smith House was built in 1890 by Joseph Cotton. It seems the house was not quite finished when he sold it in 1894. Joseph Cotton was well-known in the area. He owned the Maine Manufacturing Company, which made iceboxes.
Cotton moved from Fairfield to Nashua, New Hampshire. He sold the house to John Smith, who was a local carpenter. The house stayed in the Smith family for many years. In 1983, John Smith's daughter-in-law sold the house to the Fairfield Historical Society.
Today, the society uses the property as a museum. They also hold meetings and special events there. It helps people learn about the history of Fairfield.
See also
