Houghton House (St. Albans, Vermont) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Houghton House
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | 86 S. Main St., St. Albans, Vermont |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1800 |
| Built by | Curtis, John |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000092 |
| Added to NRHP | September 4, 1972 |
The Houghton House is a really old and special building in St. Albans, Vermont. You can find it at 86 South Main Street. This house was built around 1800, which makes it one of the oldest buildings still standing in the city! It has a cool mix of old-fashioned Georgian and Federal styles. Because it's so important, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Today, it's used as a funeral home.
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What Makes Houghton House Special?
The Houghton House is located just south of the main part of St. Albans. It sits on the west side of South Main Street. Across the street, you'll see the Bellows Free Academy.
What Does the House Look Like?
This house is a two-story building made of wood. It has a low, flat-looking roof and its outside walls are covered with wooden boards called clapboards. The front of the house is very balanced. It has five sections, with the main door right in the middle. On each side of the door, there are tall, narrow windows. Right above the main door, there's a special window called a Palladian window. This type of window has three parts, with a tall arched window in the middle.
A Look Inside the Houghton House
Inside, the house has a classic layout. There's a main hallway in the center. On either side of the hall, at the front of the house, are two living rooms, also called parlors. Towards the back, you'll find a library and a dining room. The original kitchen was in a section that extended out from the back of the house.
The wooden decorations inside the house are very old. Most of them were added in the late 1820s. They are very well made and show great skill. The living rooms are especially fancy. They have a fireplace mantel with decorative columns. The edges where the walls meet the ceiling have beautiful designs. These designs include rope-like patterns and small block shapes called dentil moulding.
The Story of Houghton House
The Houghton House was built around the year 1800. A man named John Curtis was the builder.
Who Lived Here?
In 1828, a man named Abel Houghton bought the house. He was the one who made the inside of the house look more stylish. It's believed that a local expert wood carver, Henry Bridges, did this fancy work. The house stayed in the Houghton family for a very long time. They owned it until the late 1900s. Now, it serves as a funeral home for the community.
