Gen. George Cowles House facts for kids
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Gen. George Cowles House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 130 Main Street, Farmington, Connecticut |
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| Area | 5.5 acres (2.2 ha) |
| Built | 1803 |
| Architectural style | Early Republic, Jeffersonian Classicism |
| Part of | Farmington Historic District (ID72001331) |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004400 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 11, 1982 |
| Designated CP | March 17, 1972 |
The Gen. George Cowles House, also known as the Solomon Cowles House, is a very old and special home in Farmington, Connecticut. It was built way back in 1803. This house is a great example of a building style called Federal style. It's made of brick and was built for an important family in the area. Because of its history and unique design, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 11, 1982.
What Makes the George Cowles House Special?
The George Cowles House is located on Main Street in the middle of Farmington. It's a large, two-and-a-half story building made of brick. The house has a roof that slopes down on two sides, called a side-gable roof. There's also a two-story section at the back.
A Look at Its Design
The front door of the house is set back a little into the brick wall. On either side of the door, there are tall, narrow windows called sidelight windows. Above the door, there's a cool, half-circle window called a semi-elliptical transom.
One interesting part of the house is on its side. It has two special windows called Palladian windows. These windows are taller than the other windows next to them. On the side facing the garden, there's a fancy porch called a Jeffersonian portico. This style was popular when Thomas Jefferson was president.
Who Lived in This Historic Home?
The house was built in 1803 for a man named George Cowles. His father, Solomon, was a very rich merchant and had the house built around the time George got married. Both George and Solomon Cowles were important people in Farmington. They helped make decisions for the town.
However, George Cowles wasn't as good at business as his father. He ended up losing the house because he couldn't pay his debts. A wealthy relative then took over the house. Over the years, some owners changed the inside of the house to add more bedrooms. But luckily, most of these changes have been undone, so the house looks much like it did originally.
