Herman Melville House (Troy, New York) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Herman Melville House
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2 114th St., Troy, New York |
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| Built | 1786 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian, Early Republic |
| NRHP reference No. | 92001081 |
| Added to NRHP | August 21, 1992 |
The Herman Melville House is a special old house in Troy, New York, specifically in a part called Lansingburgh. This house was once the home of a famous American writer named Herman Melville. He lived here between 1838 and 1847.
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History of the Melville House
This house was first built around 1786. It was later updated in 1872. The updates gave it a new look, known as the Late Victorian style. It is a two-and-a-half-story building. The house is made of brick and wood, with a sloped roof. It also has a two-story section at the back.
Melville Family Moves In
Herman Melville and his family moved to Lansingburgh in 1838. They had faced some difficult times. Family members had passed away, and they had money worries. Five years later, in 1843, Melville's brother Allan wrote about the house. He said it was "very pleasantly situated on the bank of the Hudson." The family moved there to save money.
During their time in this house, the Melville family often struggled financially. Herman's mother, Maria Gansevoort Melville, relied on help from her family. She often wrote letters asking her brothers for support. For example, in December 1839, she wrote about needing help. She worried the family might have to separate if they didn't get assistance.
Melville's Time in Lansingburgh
Even with financial challenges, Herman Melville was very active here. He joined a local debating club. He also sent letters to the town newspaper. He even wrote a few love poems. In 1839, he published a two-part story. It was called "Fragments from a Writing-Desk." This story appeared in the Democratic Press and Lansingburgh Advertiser.
Melville also took a course in surveying at the Lansingburgh Academy. He hoped to find work with the Erie Canal. In the summer of 1839, he took his first trip on a ship. It was a four-month journey to Liverpool. After returning, he taught at schools in Greenbush and Brunswick. The next year, 1840, he visited family in Galena, Illinois, with a friend. It is believed that Melville wrote his first two novels while living in this house.
Preserving Melville's Home
Today, the Lansingburgh Historical Society takes care of the Melville family's former home. They work to preserve it for future generations. The house was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.
See also
- Arrowhead, the Herman Melville House in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where Melville lived from 1850 until 1863
