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 way back in 1709. This house is a rare example of a "garrison house," which means it was built to be strong and offer protection. Today, it's a historic house museum where people can visit and learn about the past.
The house is owned by an organization called Historic New England. They help take care of old buildings and share their stories. The Gilman Garrison House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. This list includes important historical places across the United States.
Contents
What Does the Gilman Garrison House Look Like?
The Gilman Garrison House is found near the old waterfront area of Exeter. It's a two-and-a-half-story building shaped like the letter "T." The outside is covered with wooden boards called clapboards. The roof has a pointed shape, which is called a gabled roof.
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 top floor sticks out a bit over the ground floor. There are also parts of the walls that suggest a section of the house could be closed off. This might have been done using a wooden gate that could be lowered, like a portcullis. Even with these strong features, there's no proof that the house was ever used as a fort or that it was ever attacked.
The Story of the Gilman Garrison House
Who Built the House?
The Gilman family built this house in 1709. They were a very important family in early Exeter. They owned sawmills, which cut wood, and were also involved in shipping goods. This house was originally a log house.
Famous Visitors and Changes Over Time
Later in the 1700s, a skilled carpenter named Ebenezer Clifford owned the house. He was well-known throughout New Hampshire's coastal area. A famous person named Daniel Webster even lived here for a while as a tenant. This was when Daniel Webster was a student at Phillips Exeter Academy.
In the 1900s, the house was carefully fixed up, or "restored." It was then turned into a museum. This museum showed off old American items and the special features of the house itself.
Becoming a Museum and a Historic Landmark
In 1966, the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities bought the house. This group is now known as Historic New England. They work to protect historic places.
The Gilman Garrison House was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. This means it's recognized as an important historical site. In 2005, scientists used a special method called dendrochronology to study the wood in the house. This test looks at tree rings to figure out when the trees were cut down. The results 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
