Dickinson Estate Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Dickinson Estate Historic District
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | Dickinson and Kipling Rds., Brattleboro, Vermont |
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| Area | 32 acres (13 ha) |
| Built | 1900 |
| Architect | Fornachon, Maurice |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 05001237 |
| Added to NRHP | November 9, 2005 |
The Dickinson Estate Historic District is a special old property in northern Brattleboro, Vermont. It includes a beautiful house built in 1900 and many farm buildings from the same time. This estate is important because it shows us what country estates were like a long time ago. It's also famous because the writer Rudyard Kipling once owned it for a few years. This historic district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. Today, this area is part of the main campus for an organization called World Learning.
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Discovering the Dickinson Estate
The former Dickinson Estate is located in northern Brattleboro, close to Dummerston. It sits on the west side of Kipling Road. The World Learning campus now covers more than 160 acres of this large farm. In the 1800s, this property was known as the Bliss Farm.
A New Beginning for the Farm
In 1899, Frederick and Harriet Dickinson bought the Bliss Farm. Frederick was a well-known local businessman. Harriet's father was a very rich man from New York City. The Dickinsons turned the farm into a large country estate. At its biggest, the estate covered 500 acres.
The Dickinsons built a grand 20-room house. It was designed in the Colonial Revival style by a Belgian architect named Maurice Fornachon. They also built many farm buildings to help with farming. Most of the older buildings on the farm were taken down.
The Kipling Connection
Only one older building survived on the property. This was an 1860s cottage built in the Greek Revival style. It's famous because the writer Rudyard Kipling and his wife lived there. Their daughter was born in this cottage while their own home, Naulakha, was being built nearby.
How the Estate Changed Hands
In 1937, Thomas Bibby bought the central part of the Dickinson estate. He continued to run it as a farm. Later, his widow married Henry Persons. Henry was a leader in an organization called the Experiment in International Living. This group is now known as World Learning.
In 1962, World Learning bought a part of the estate. This purchase did not include the main farm buildings. Over time, World Learning bought more land. They gradually expanded their campus to cover more than 160 acres.
Why This Place is Special
The Dickinson Estate is historically important for several reasons. It has one of the few country estate houses left in Brattleboro. Also, its farmyard from the early 1900s is very well-preserved. The architect Fornachon also designed this farmyard. The way the farm buildings are arranged is very unique in Vermont.
