Farmington Town Pound facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Farmington Town Pound
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | NW side of Pound Rd. 300 ft. north of the jct. of Ten Rod Rd., Farmington, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 0.4 acres (0.16 ha) |
| Built | 1823 |
| Built by | Colbath, Nicholas |
| NRHP reference No. | 93000884 |
| Added to NRHP | September 2, 1993 |
The Farmington Town Pound is a historic stone building in Farmington, New Hampshire. It's found on the north side of Pound Road, close to Ten Rod Road. This special structure was built in 1823. It's one of the best-preserved animal pounds from the 1800s in southeastern New Hampshire. Today, the Farmington Historical Society helps keep it in good shape. In 1993, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's recognized as an important historical site.
Contents
What is a Town Pound?
Have you ever wondered what a "town pound" is? Back in the 1700s, towns in New Hampshire had a rule. They had to build and look after a place to keep stray animals. If a cow, horse, or sheep wandered off, it would be put in the pound. The owner could then come and claim their animal. These early pounds were often made of wood, but none of those wooden ones still exist today.
Exploring the Farmington Town Pound
The Farmington Town Pound is located near the center of Farmington. It's a square structure, about 40 feet (12 meters) on each side. The walls are made of fieldstones, which are stones found in fields. These stones are carefully stacked without using any mortar, like glue. This building method is called "dry-laid." The walls are about 7 feet (2.1 meters) high and 3 feet (0.9 meters) wide at the bottom.
Special Features of the Pound
On top of the stone walls, there are long, flat granite stones. These are called capstones. They help protect the walls. The pound has an opening on its south side, facing Pound Road. This opening is about 5.5 feet (1.7 meters) wide. It used to have a large granite stone, called a lintel, across the top. This lintel stone has since fallen down, but you can still see it nearby.
The Pound's Long History
The Farmington Town Pound was built in 1823. It replaced an older wooden pound that was built in 1802. Nicholas Colbath built this stone pound for $59. The town bought the land for the pound from Hunkin Colbath for $5. That was a lot of money back then!
From Animal Pen to Historic Site
The pound was used to hold stray animals until the late 1800s. In 1918, it was sold to private owners. But later, it was given back to the town. Now, the Farmington Historical Society takes care of this important piece of history. It helps us remember what life was like in the past.
Gallery
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Historic marker at the Farmington Town Pound site.
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A look inside of the Farmington Town Pound
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The fallen lintel stone lies just in front of the entrance to the Farmington Town Pound.
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Farmington Town Pound stone wall detail.
