George A. Waldo House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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George A. Waldo House
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George A. Waldo House
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 233 Lawrence Street, Methuen, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1825 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| MPS | Methuen MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 84002441 |
| Added to NRHP | January 20, 1984 |
The George A. Waldo House is a very old and special building in Methuen, Massachusetts. It was built way back in 1825! Later, around 1900, a kind person named Edward Searles made some changes to it. This house is a great example of a building style called Federal architecture. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, which means it's an important historical site. Today, it is used as the Kenneth H. Pollard Funeral Home.
About the George A. Waldo House
The Waldo House is located on the north side of Lawrence Street. It is a short walk east from the main part of Methuen. The house is right next to the former property of Edward Searles.
What the House Looks Like
The house is a large, two-and-a-half story building made of wood. The main part of the house is wide, with five sections across the front. It has a special roof called a hip roof, which slopes down on all sides. On top of the roof, there's a unique raised section called a monitor.
In the early 1900s, a two-and-a-half story part was added to the center of the house. This part has a gabled roof and a balcony. The balcony is supported by fancy columns. Other additions were also built on the sides and back of the house around the same time.
At the edge of the property, you can see two huge stone columns. These columns are very decorative and have large urns on top.
History of the Waldo House
The main part of the house was built around 1825. It was built by George A. Waldo. He was involved in the shoemaking business. He also helped develop the main business area of Methuen.
In 1872, the house was owned by John Low, who was a local druggist. Later, in 1888, Mrs. Mary Low sold the house to Edward Searles. However, she was allowed to live there for the rest of her life.
In the early 1900s, Edward Searles was building his large estate nearby. He made many important additions to the Waldo House and its property. He even created a small park. The entrance to this park was marked by the two large stone columns you see today. Searles had these columns brought all the way from New York City. The house became a funeral home in the 1960s.
