Farnsworth House (North Bridgton, Maine) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Farnsworth House
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | SR 117, North Bridgton, Maine |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1825 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000229 |
| Added to NRHP | November 14, 1980 |
The Farnsworth House is a special old house located on Maine State Route 117 in North Bridgton, Maine. It was built in 1825 for a local doctor. This house is a really good example of a building style called Federal architecture. It's quite fancy for a house built so far inland! The inside of the house has beautiful wooden details that are still in great condition. Because of its history and unique style, the Farnsworth House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
Contents
What Does the House Look Like?
The Farnsworth House sits on the west side of Route 117. You can find it between the Lakewood Pines Campground and where North Bridgton Road meets Route 117.
Outside the House
The house is made of wood and has two and a half stories. It has five sections (or "bays") across its front. The roof slopes down on two sides, and there are chimneys at each end. The outside walls are covered with clapboard siding, which are long, thin boards. The house sits on a strong stone foundation.
The front of the house faces east and looks very balanced. The main door is in the middle. It has tall, narrow windows on either side, called sidelights. Above the door, there's a beautiful fanlight window shaped like a fan.
On the south side of the house, there's a porch with columns. These columns are in a simple style called Doric. Part of this porch has been closed in. At the back of the house, there's an "ell," which is a section that sticks out like the letter 'L'. This ell connects the main house to an old carriage house, where horses and carriages used to be kept.
Inside the House
The inside of the Farnsworth House is truly special. It has very detailed and delicate woodwork from the Federal period. This includes fancy wood panels on the walls and decorative fireplace mantels. There's also "crown molding" – a decorative trim where the walls meet the ceiling. The main staircase at the front of the house has two newel posts, which are the main posts at the bottom of the handrail. All these details show how skilled the builders were.
History of the Farnsworth House
The Farnsworth House was built in 1825 for a doctor named Samuel Farnsworth, Jr. Even though Bridgton was a bit remote back then, the house has interior woodwork that is just as fancy as what you might find in bigger towns along Maine's coast. This makes the Farnsworth House a very important example of Federal architecture in an unexpected place.
