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 very old and important mansion in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It was built in 1784 by John Langdon. He was a very important person in early American history.
John Langdon was a Founding Father. He was a merchant and a shipbuilder. He also fought as a general in the American Revolutionary War. Langdon signed the United States Constitution. He was also the leader of New Hampshire three times. This job is now called governor.
Langdon built this house for his family. It showed everyone how important he was in Portsmouth. Even George Washington visited the house in 1789 and loved it. The house has beautiful rooms with fancy wood carvings. These carvings are in the rococo style.
In 1974, the house became a National Historic Landmark. Today, it is a house museum. Historic New England takes care of it.
Contents
The House's Design and Style
The Langdon House looks like other large houses from the late 1700s. It has five sections across the front. There is a main door in the middle. Each floor has four rooms. These rooms are on either side of a big central hall. A grand staircase is also in the hall.
This house is much bigger than most homes from that time. It also has very high-quality wood details inside. A famous woodworker named Ebenezer Clifford likely did the interior work. He was well-known in the Portsmouth area.
The main entrance is very special. It has a large door with columns on both sides. A round porch covers the door. This porch is held up by fancy Corinthian columns. A railing sits on top of the porch.
History of the Langdon House
John Langdon passed away in 1819. His only daughter who survived continued to own the house. However, she did not live there herself. From 1833 to 1902, the house had several different owners.
In the 1850s, a fire caused a lot of damage. The southwest part of the house was badly hurt. It had to be rebuilt. In 1877, Frances E. Bassett bought the house. She was a relative of John Langdon's brother, Woodbury.
Her son, Woodbury Langdon, and his wife, Elizabeth, made big changes. They turned the house into a "Colonial Revival" showplace. They added a new two-story section. This part was designed by famous architects, McKim, Mead & White. The new section matched the old house perfectly. It included a dining room. This room was based on one built by the family's ancestor, Woodbury Langdon. That original room was saved in the Rockingham Hotel.
Elizabeth Langdon gave the property to Historic New England in 1947.
Visiting the House Today
The Governor John Langdon House was named a National Historic Landmark in 1974. This means it is a very important historical place. You can visit the house for tours. It is open on weekends from June to October. The beautiful grounds around the house can also be used for special events.
See also
