Hoxie House Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Hoxie House
The Hoxie House in 2011
General information
Type	House
Architectural style	First Period
Location	Sandwich, Massachusetts
Address	16 Water St
Coordinates	41°45′18″N 70°29′55″W / 41.75503°N 70.49852°W / 41.75503; -70.49852
Completed	c. 1675 (MACRIS)
Renovated	1959 (restored)

The Hoxie House is a very old and special house in Sandwich, Massachusetts. It was built around 1675 and looks like a "saltbox" because of its unique shape. Many people believe it's one of the oldest houses still standing in its area! The house was once owned by the Smith and Hoxie families. Today, it's a museum where you can learn about history. The town of Sandwich took care of it and opened it to visitors in 1959.

History of the Hoxie House
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History of the Hoxie House

Early Days with the Smith Family

This unique saltbox-style house was built in the mid-1600s. Around 1675, a man named John Smith moved in. He was a reverend, which means he was a religious leader. Reverend Smith was the pastor of the First Church of Sandwich from 1673 to 1689. This church belonged to a group called Separatists.

John Smith was also involved in local government. He was a representative in the legislature, which is like a group of lawmakers. He believed in being fair to everyone, even a religious group called the Quakers. John Smith's family lived in the house for many years. His descendants, or family members, owned it until 1856. That's when Bethia Smith, who was a school teacher, passed away.

The Hoxie Family and Modern Changes

After the Smith family, a retired whaling captain named Abraham Hoxie bought the house. This happened sometime between the 1850s and 1860. Abraham Hoxie died in 1887, but his family continued to live there. For a long time, the house didn't have modern things like electricity or indoor plumbing. These were finally added in the early 1950s. Central heating was also put in around this time.

Becoming a Museum

In 1957, the town of Sandwich took ownership of the house. This happened because the Hoxie family had not paid their property taxes. The house was in bad shape, so it needed a lot of work. In 1959, the town carefully restored it. They kept most of the original parts of the house. However, the fireplaces and chimneys had to be rebuilt.

Today, the Hoxie House is a two-and-a-half-story building. It has a special sloped roof at the back, which is typical for a saltbox house. There's also a small, one-story section on the west side. In 2008, new cedar shingles were added to the roof and sides. The town used $50,000 from community funds for this project.

In 2011, there was an idea to change the name to the Smith-Hoxie House. This would honor both the original builder, John Smith, and the Hoxie family. However, this name change never happened. The town of Sandwich now runs the Hoxie House as a museum. It is open every year for visitors to explore and learn about its long history.