Gilman Garrison House facts for kids
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Gilman Garrison House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | 12 Water St., Exeter, New Hampshire |
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| Built | 1709 |
| Part of | Exeter Waterfront Commercial Historic District (ID80000299) |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000131 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 27, 1976 |
| Designated CP | December 3, 1980 |
The Gilman Garrison House is a very old and special house located at 12 Water Street in Exeter, New Hampshire. It was built in 1709. This house is a rare example of a "garrison house," which means it was built to be strong and offer protection.
Today, the Gilman Garrison House is a historic house museum. It is owned by Historic New England, an organization that helps protect old buildings. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 because of its historical importance.
What Does the Gilman Garrison House Look Like?
The Gilman Garrison House is found near the eastern part of Exeter's old waterfront area. It sits on the south side of Water Street.
This house is two and a half stories tall. It has a pointed roof and its outside walls are covered with wooden boards called clapboards. The oldest part of the house is made from strong oak timbers. Its walls are built with very thick wooden planks.
You might notice that the upper floor sticks out over the ground floor. There are also parts of the walls that suggest some sections of the house could be closed off. This might have been done using a wooden gate called a portcullis. Even with these strong features, there is no proof that the house was ever used as a fort. Also, there is no evidence it was ever attacked.
The History of the Gilman Garrison House
The Gilman family built this house in 1709. They were a well-known family in early Exeter. They owned sawmills and were involved in shipping goods.
Later, in the late 1700s, the house belonged to Ebenezer Clifford. He was a very famous carpenter in New Hampshire's Seacoast area. A famous person named Daniel Webster even lived here for a while. He was a tenant while he was a student at Phillips Exeter Academy.
In the 1900s, the house was fixed up and turned into a museum. It showed off old American items and the house's unique features. In 1966, the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities bought the house. This group is now called Historic New England.
The Gilman Garrison House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. In 2005, scientists used a method called dendrochronology. This method studies tree rings to find out when the wood was cut. They confirmed that the trees used to build the house were cut in 1709.
See also
- Ladd-Gilman House
- Nicholas Gilman
- John Taylor Gilman
- List of the oldest buildings in New Hampshire
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Rockingham County, New Hampshire
