Hard Farm Homestead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Zera Hard House
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | River Rd., Manchester, Vermont |
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| Area | 7.7 acres (3.1 ha) |
| Built | 1804 |
| Built by | Jesse Hard, Zera Hard |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Cape Cod |
| NRHP reference No. | 88002230 |
| Added to NRHP | November 9, 1988 |
The Hard Farm Homestead, also known as the Zera Hard House, is a very old and special farm complex in Manchester, Vermont. It's located on River Road. This farm has buildings from the early 1800s, like a Cape Cod style house and a grand Greek Revival house from the 1840s. It also has many other farm buildings from the 1800s. This collection of farm buildings is quite rare to find still standing in Manchester. Because of its history and unique buildings, the Hard Farm Homestead was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
Exploring the Hard Farm Homestead
The Hard Farm Homestead is in the southern part of Manchester. Its buildings are on both sides of River Road, just north of Muddy Lane. The main house sits on the east side of the street. It looks out over the Battenkill River.
The Main House
The main house is a large, two-and-a-half-story building made of wood. It has a very noticeable two-story portico on the front. This portico is a grand entrance with columns, typical of the Greek Revival style. The way this house was built is quite unusual. Instead of planks going up and down, they are laid sideways. They overlap randomly and are joined together with spikes.
Other Farm Buildings
Across the street from the main house, you'll find more historic buildings. There's a one-and-a-half-story house built in the Cape style. You can also see a barn, a corn crib (for storing corn), a shed, and a chicken coop. All these buildings are from the 1800s. There's also a garage near the main house, but it was built more recently in the 1900s.
A Look Back in Time
The oldest building at the Hard Farm Homestead is the Cape style house. Family records show that Quakers named Soper built it around 1806. Later, a man named Jesse Hard bought this house. His son, Zera Hard, then built the larger Greek Revival house around 1840.
The Hard family has been important in Manchester for a long time. Some family members ran the local drugstore in the town center. Another Hard family member was a well-known local poet. The Greek Revival style front of the main house is very special because it's quite rare to see in Manchester.
