Henry Barnard House facts for kids
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Henry Barnard House
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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 | 118 Main Street, Hartford, Connecticut |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1807 |
| Part of | South Green Historic District (ID02001453) |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000803 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | December 21, 1965 |
| Designated CP | November 17, 1977 |
The Henry Barnard House is a special old house located at 118 Main Street in Hartford, Connecticut. It's recognized as a National Historic Landmark, which means it's a very important place in American history. This house was the lifelong home of Henry Barnard (1811–1900). He was a famous educator and played a huge role in creating the public school system we have in the United States today.
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The Henry Barnard House: A Historic Home
This house was built in 1807. Four years later, Henry Barnard was born here. Back then, it was in a very popular part of the city. The house stayed in the Barnard family until Henry died in 1900. After that, a group called the Sisters of Mercy bought it. They use the house to help people who don't have a home.
What Does the House Look Like?
The Barnard House is a three-story building made of brick. It has a roof that slopes down on two sides. The main door is in the middle of the front. It has a small porch with fancy columns. Around the door, there are narrow windows and decorative flat columns. Above the door, there's a round window shaped like a half-circle.
The inside of the house has changed a bit over time. This is because it's now used by an organization. But it still has its original layout with a main hallway in the center. Two big sections have been added to the back of the house. These additions have almost tripled its size. They are used to provide shelter for people experiencing homelessness.
Who Was Henry Barnard?
Henry Barnard was a very important person in American education. He helped create the public school systems in both Connecticut and Rhode Island. These systems then became examples for other states to follow.
Barnard's Big Ideas for Schools
Henry Barnard went to Yale College and became a lawyer. In 1837, he was elected to the Connecticut state legislature. Before this, he had traveled in Europe and studied how their schools worked. He used what he learned to suggest new laws for public education in Connecticut.
Because of his ideas, he became Connecticut's first secretary of education. Later, he took a similar job in Rhode Island. There, he helped create the first "normal school" in the country in 1845. A normal school was a special college for training teachers.
His Work in Different States
After his time in Rhode Island, Henry Barnard came back to Connecticut. He became the superintendent of schools there. He also helped set up Connecticut's own normal school.
Later in his career, he worked in education in Wisconsin and Maryland. In 1867, he became the first United States Commissioner of Education. This was a very important job for schools across the whole country. Henry Barnard lived in this house until he passed away in 1900. In 1965, the house was named a National Historic Landmark because of his important work.
