Eleazer Arnold House Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Significant dates

Eleazer Arnold House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
U.S. Historic district Contributing property

1909 postcard
Location in Rhode Island Show map of Rhode Island Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	487 Great Road, Lincoln, Rhode Island
Built	c. 1693
Architect	Dick Richards
Architectural style	Colonial
Part of	Great Road Historic District (ID74000051)
NRHP reference No.	68000006
Added to NRHP	November 24, 1968
Designated NHL	November 24, 1968
Designated CP	July 22, 1974

The Eleazer Arnold House is a very old and special house built around 1693. It's located in Lincoln, Rhode Island, along the Great Road Historic District. This house is so important that it's now a National Historic Landmark.

Today, the Eleazer Arnold House is owned by Historic New England. This group works to protect old buildings. You can visit the house on weekends to see what life was like long ago!

What Makes This House Special?
- A Look Inside the Stone-Ender
Saving History: The House's Journey
- Becoming a Landmark
- Official Recognition
Images for kids
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What Makes This House Special?

The Eleazer Arnold House is a great example of a "stone-ender" house. This unique style of building came from western England. It was very common in northern Rhode Island.

A Look Inside the Stone-Ender

A "stone-ender" means one end of the house is made of strong fieldstone. The other sides are made of wood. This house has two floors. Each floor has four rooms. It also has a lean-to section.

The big stone chimney is a key feature. It's built into the stone end. Some people think John Smith "the Mason" and his family built it. They were famous builders from Smithfield, Rhode Island.

Saving History: The House's Journey

Over the years, the Eleazer Arnold House has been carefully preserved. It helps us understand early American life.

Becoming a Landmark

In 1919, Preserved Whipple Arnold gave the house to Historic New England. Back then, it was called the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities. This gift helped save the house.

The house has been restored twice. In 1920, Norman Isham started the first repairs. Then, in 1950, a big restoration happened. Workers removed newer parts of the house. They wanted it to look just like it did in the 1600s.

Official Recognition

The Eleazer Arnold House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1968. This list includes important historic sites. In 1974, it became a National Historic Landmark. This is an even higher honor for its special design.

In 2005, scientists studied the house's wood. They used a method called dendrochronology. This means they looked at the tree rings. Their study confirmed the house was built in 1693.

Today, the house looks very much like it did when it was new. Some parts, like the windows and front door, are modern replacements. But they were made to match the old style.