Francis Hopkinson House facts for kids
|
Francis Hopkinson House
|
|
Francis Hopkinson House in 2017
|
|
 Location in Burlington County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 101 Farnsworth Avenue (CR 545), Bordentown, New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1750 |
| Architect | John Imlay |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000496 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | July 17, 1971 |
| Designated NHL | July 17, 1971 |
The Francis Hopkinson House is a very old and important house in Bordentown, New Jersey. It was built way back in 1750. This house was once the home of Francis Hopkinson. He was a famous person who helped design the first United States Flag. He also signed the United States Declaration of Independence, which was a big step for America's freedom.
Francis Hopkinson lived here with his wife, Ann Borden, from 1774 until he passed away in 1791. Ann Borden's grandfather, Joseph Borden, actually founded the town of Bordentown! In 1971, the house was named a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a very special place in American history.
Contents
About the Hopkinson House
The Francis Hopkinson House is located in Bordentown, New Jersey. You can find it at the corner of Farnsworth and West Park Streets. It's a two-and-a-half story building made of brick. The roof is a special type called a gambrel roof.
The front of the house has five windows. The main door is in the middle. It has a rounded cover above it, held up by fancy brackets. The windows are placed evenly around the door. The steep roof has three dormer windows. These windows also have rounded tops, matching the front door. The inside of the house has been changed over time. However, its basic layout is still much the same as it was long ago.
Who Was Francis Hopkinson?
The house was built in 1750 by Joseph Imlay, a local business owner. Francis Hopkinson was a lawyer from Philadelphia. He moved into this house in 1774. Hopkinson was a very important person during the American Revolution.
He was one of the people who signed the United States Declaration of Independence. He signed it as a representative for New Jersey. This document declared America's freedom from Great Britain. Francis Hopkinson was also the first American-born person to write non-religious music.
Hopkinson's Designs and Role in Government
During the American Revolution, Francis Hopkinson was very creative. He designed the money used by the American colonies. He also created official seals for government departments. He even designed many parts of the Great Seal of the United States. This seal is still used today for official documents.
Later in his life, Hopkinson became a judge. He served as a federal judge in Pennsylvania.
The House During the Revolution
The British army almost burned down the house in 1778. This happened during a military attack. But a German officer, who was fighting for the British, stopped it. He was very impressed by Francis Hopkinson's large library of books. Because of this, the house was saved from being destroyed.
The Hopkinson family owned the house for a long time. They kept it until 1915. Since then, it has been used for both homes and offices.
