Ezekiel Kelsey House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Ezekiel Kelsey House
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 429 Beckley Road Berlin, Connecticut |
|---|---|
| Area | 15 acres (6.1 ha) |
| Built | 1750 |
| Architect | Ezekiel Kelsey |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 77001410 |
| Added to NRHP | September 16, 1977 |
The Ezekiel Kelsey House is a very old and special home located in Berlin, Connecticut. It was built around 1760. This house is a great example of a "saltbox" style home from the colonial times. Because it is so well-preserved and important, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. This means it is officially recognized as a significant historical place.
Contents
What Makes the Ezekiel Kelsey House Special?
The Ezekiel Kelsey House sits in a quiet, almost country-like area in eastern Berlin. It is a two-and-a-half-story building made of wood. It has three wide sections, a big chimney in the middle, and the front door is also in the center.
The Unique Saltbox Shape
The house is only one room deep. A "lean-to" section was added to the back. This addition makes the roof slope down very far in the back, giving the house its unique "saltbox" shape. Imagine an old wooden saltbox, and you'll see why it's called that! The second floor of the house also sticks out a little bit over the first floor on three sides.
Inside the Historic Home
Inside, the house follows a common design for homes of its time. It has a central chimney plan. This means the big chimney is in the middle of the house. There are living rooms, called parlors, on each side of the chimney. The kitchen is located behind the chimney.
The parlor on the left side is the fanciest room. It has beautiful wood panels from that time period. You can also see the wooden beams that support the house, and they have special carvings. Other rooms, like the other parlor and the kitchen, also have wood paneling. The kitchen even has old cabinets from when the house was built. Many of the metal parts, like door hinges, are original. Some other old parts were found from other buildings and used to fix up the house.
Who Built the Ezekiel Kelsey House?
The Ezekiel Kelsey House was likely built around 1760. It was built by a man named Ezekiel Kelsey. He was the sixth of eleven children in his family. Ezekiel was born in Wethersfield in 1713 and passed away in 1795.
It is possible that Ezekiel built this house for his son, Asahel. Ezekiel gave the house to Asahel in 1768. The house looks more like homes built earlier in the 1700s in Connecticut. This makes it special compared to many other houses built at the same time.
Did you know? The home of Ezekiel Kelsey's nephew, Enoch, also still stands in Newington.
Images for kids
-
The Ezekiel Kelsey House in Berlin, Connecticut.
