Gov. George S. Boutwell House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Gov. George S. Boutwell House
|
|
Gov. George S. Boutwell House
|
|
 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Groton, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Built | 1851 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Italianate |
| Website | http://www.grotonhistoricalsociety.org |
| NRHP reference No. | 04001431 |
| Added to NRHP | January 5, 2005 |
The Gov. George S. Boutwell House is a special old house in Groton, Massachusetts, USA. It was once the home of George S. Boutwell, who was the Governor of Massachusetts. The house was built in 1851. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005 because of its important history. Today, it is the main office for the Groton Historical Society, a group that helps preserve local history.
Contents
About the Boutwell House
The Boutwell House is located on Main Street in the center of Groton. It is a large, two-and-a-half-story house made of wood. It has a unique style called Italianate, which was popular in the 1800s. This style often includes decorative brackets under the roof and fancy corners. The house has a main part and several additions built later.
The front of the house has a wide porch supported by square posts. This porch covers the main entrance. Inside, the house has many rooms that show what life was like long ago.
A Governor's Home
The house was built in 1851 for George S. Boutwell. At that time, he was the Governor of Massachusetts. He and his family were the only people who lived in the house for many years. When his daughter, Georgianna, passed away in 1933, she left the house to the Groton Historical Society.
Today, the Boutwell House is a museum. You can see old furniture and art from that time period. It also has special exhibits that change often.
Life in the Mansion
Imagine light filling the front study, just like it did when Governor Boutwell worked there. He would prepare his important speeches in this room. A big window looked out over Station Avenue. From there, he could see trains arriving from Boston. Governor Boutwell would often wave to his guests as they got off the train.
Downstairs, in the red-walled drawing room, Governor Boutwell would host important people. These included government officials and special guests. Even President Ulysses S. Grant visited the house in 1869!
Saving the House from Flooding
In 2010, the Boutwell House had a big problem. Two water pipes broke, causing floods in parts of the museum. The Groton Historical Society needed to fix the damage.
They worked hard to get money for repairs. They received a grant of $176,525 from the Community Preservation Act. This money was approved by the town of Groton in 2013. They also got another grant of $79,000 from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
These grants helped pay for important repairs. They installed new electrical wiring and plumbing. They fixed the plaster walls and added a fire safety system. A new furnace was also put in. The first part of the repair work was finished, and the house reopened on October 5, 2013.
See also
