Gov. Smith Homestead facts for kids
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Gov. Smith Homestead
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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 | South Main St., Sharon, Connecticut |
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| Area | 15 acres (6.1 ha) |
| Built | 1765 |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Georgian |
| Part of | Sharon Historic District (ID93000257) |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004475 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | March 25, 1982 |
| Designated CP | April 15, 1993 |
The Governor Smith Homestead is a very old and important house in Sharon, Connecticut. It's located on South Main Street and has been a special part of the town for over 200 years. This large stone house was built between 1765 and 1777.
For many years, it was the home of John Cotton Smith. He was a famous person who served as the Governor of Connecticut during the War of 1812. John Cotton Smith was also the nephew of the person who started building the house, Simeon Smith.
Because of its history, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. This is a list of places in the United States that are important to history. Later, in 1993, it became part of the Sharon Historic District.
What Does the Governor Smith Homestead Look Like?
The Smith Homestead is at the very end of the long Sharon Green. The Sharon Green is a big, open grassy area that stretches for about 1.5-mile (2.4 km) and is the center of the town. The house is on the east side of South Main Street.
It's a large, two-and-a-half-story building made from stone. This stone was dug up right from the local area. The roof is a special kind called a truncated hip roof. This means the top part of the roof is flat.
Around the house, there are stone walls that create different levels in the garden. This makes the house look even more impressive. The flat part of the roof has a fence-like railing around it. Brick chimneys stick up from both sides of the roof.
The sloped parts of the roof have small windows called gabled dormers. There's also a small gable above the main front door. Inside, the house has a central hallway with rooms on either side. Many of the original beautiful details are still there.
Who Lived at the Smith Homestead?
Building the Smith Homestead began in 1765. It was started by Simeon Smith, who was a well-known doctor and pharmacist in the area. He was also a leader in the local militia, which was like a volunteer army.
The oldest part of the house is a section at the back. People lived there while the main part of the house was still being built. It's believed that an Italian craftsman helped with the stonework. Simeon Smith had traveled a lot in Europe and brought this craftsman over.
The finishing touches on the house were delayed because of the American Revolutionary War. This was a big war where the American colonies fought for their independence from Great Britain.
In 1779, Simeon Smith held an important meeting at the house. Several other doctors joined him. They called it the first meeting of its kind in the new United States. After the war, Simeon Smith had some money problems. He then gave the property to his brother.
Later, Simeon Smith's nephew, John Cotton Smith, made this house his home. John Cotton Smith was a very important politician in Connecticut. He served as the state's Governor and was also a member of the United States Congress. The house stayed in the Smith family until 1915.
