Governor John Langdon House facts for kids
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Gov. John Langdon Mansion
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | 143 Pleasant Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire |
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| Built | 1784 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000197 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 2, 1974 |
| Designated NHL | December 2, 1974 |
The Governor John Langdon House is a historic mansion located at 143 Pleasant Street in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It was built in 1784 by John Langdon, a very important person in early American history. He was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, meaning he helped create the United States.
John Langdon was a successful businessman who built ships. He was also a general during the American Revolutionary War. He signed the United States Constitution, which is the main lawbook of the country. He also served three terms as the leader of New Hampshire, a role now called governor. His grand house showed how important he was in Portsmouth. Even George Washington, the first President of the United States, visited the house in 1789 and admired it. Today, the house is a house museum run by Historic New England. It was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1974 because of its historical importance.
A Grand Home
The house John Langdon built looks like other large homes from the late 1700s. It has a classic design with a main entrance in the middle. Inside, there is a large central hall and a grand staircase. The house is much bigger than most homes from that time. It also has very detailed wooden decorations inside. These beautiful carvings are in a style called rococo.
The main entrance is especially fancy. It has a large door with columns on each side. A round porch, supported by more columns, covers the entrance. This porch also has a decorative railing on top.
History of the House
After John Langdon passed away in 1819, his only daughter who was still alive owned the house. However, she did not live there. Between 1833 and 1902, the house was owned by several different people.
In the 1850s, a fire caused damage to one part of the house. This section had to be rebuilt. In 1877, the house came into the hands of Frances E. Bassett. She was a relative of John Langdon's brother, Woodbury Langdon.
Frances's son, Woodbury, and his wife, Elizabeth Langdon, made some changes to the house. They wanted it to look like a grand old colonial home. They added a new two-story section to the house. This new part was designed to match the original building perfectly. It included a dining room that was inspired by a room in another historic building. Elizabeth Langdon gave the property to Historic New England in 1947.
Visiting the House
The Governor John Langdon House was officially named a National Historic Landmark in 1974. This means it is a place of great historical importance to the United States.
The house is open to the public for tours. You can visit on weekends from June through October. The beautiful grounds around the house are also available for special events.
See also
