How Houses facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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How Houses
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23 Danforth St.
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 23 Danforth and 30-32, 40 Pleasant Sts., Portland, Maine |
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| Area | 1.5 acres (0.61 ha) |
| Built | 1799 |
| Built by | Daniel How, Joseph How |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000377 |
| Added to NRHP | January 20, 1980 |
The How Houses are a group of three historic homes in Portland, Maine. These houses were built a long time ago, between 1799 and 1818. They are great examples of a building style called Federal architecture. Today, these houses are surrounded by newer buildings. They remind us of how the area looked many years ago. Because they are so important, they were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. One of the houses, the Daniel How House, was listed even earlier in 1973.
Contents
Exploring the How Houses: History and Design
These special houses show us what homes looked like in the early 1800s. They were built by members of the How family. Let's take a closer look at each one.
The Daniel How House: A 1799 Masterpiece
The first house built was the Daniel How House. You can find it at 23 Danforth Street. It was finished in 1799. This house is made of brick and has two and a half stories. It has special granite details around the windows and doors. The front entrance has a fancy porch with columns, called a Doric entrance portico. Daniel How, who came from Methuen, Massachusetts, built this house on land that belonged to his father-in-law.
John How's House: A Special Wedding Gift
The second house was built for Daniel's son, John. Daniel built it in 1817 as a wedding present for John. This house is located at 40 Pleasant Street. It looks a lot like Daniel's house, with similar Federal style details. The front door is set back in an archway. It has small windows on the sides and above the door. These are called sidelight and fanlight transom windows.
The Joseph How House: A Double Home
The third house is a bit different. It's a double house, meaning it has two separate living spaces. It stands at 30-32 Pleasant Street. Daniel's brother, Joseph How, built this house in 1818. It is three stories tall. Like the other How Houses, it is made of brick with granite details. Its entrances are designed in a similar way to John's house.
A Glimpse into Portland's Past
When Daniel How built his house in 1799, it had a clear view of the water. Back then, you could see Casco Bay from his home. The street called Commercial Street, which is now near the waterfront, didn't even exist yet! Over the years, more buildings have grown up around the How Houses. Even so, these homes are still very well-preserved. They give us a wonderful look at what Portland was like in the early 1800s.
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30-32 Pleasant St.
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40 Pleasant St.
