J.E. Buswell House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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J.E. Buswell House
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Methuen, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1875 |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| MPS | Methuen MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 84002317 |
| Added to NRHP | January 20, 1984 |
The J.E. Buswell House is a special old house located at 535-537 Prospect Street in Methuen, Massachusetts. It was built way back in 1875. This house is a great example of a building style called Second Empire architecture. Because it's so unique and well-preserved, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. This means it's recognized as an important historical building!
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What Does the J.E. Buswell House Look Like?
The J.E. Buswell House stands in a quiet, tree-lined neighborhood in eastern Methuen. It's a two-and-a-half story house made of wood.
Unique Roof Style: The Mansard Roof
One of the coolest things about the house is its special roof, called a mansard roof. This type of roof has four sides, and each side slopes down in two parts. The lower part is steeper than the upper part. This design allows for a full third floor inside the roof, which is pretty neat! The outside of the house is covered with wooden boards called clapboards.
Cool Details on the Front
The front of the house has parts that stick out, like big bay windows. These bays go all the way up to the roof. A porch connects these bays and covers the main entrance in the middle. The roof has special windows called dormers that stick out. Some are rounded, and one in the center has a pointed top. Each of these windows has fancy decorations around it. The windows on the bay sections also have cool designs above them.
The porch itself is supported by strong square posts. It sticks out a bit from the house and wraps around the inner sides of the bay windows. The main entrance has narrow windows on either side of the door. Both the porch roof and the main roof have decorative brackets, which are like fancy supports, adding to the house's elegant look.
Who Was J.E. Buswell?
The J.E. Buswell House was built in 1875. It was first designed for one family, but later on, it was changed to be a two-family home.
J.E. Buswell was an important person in Methuen. He was a local businessman, meaning he owned or ran businesses in the area. He was also a state representative. This means he was chosen by the people of Methuen to represent them in the state government, helping to make laws and decisions for Massachusetts.
His house was a typical, fancy home for the Prospect/Brook Street area back then. Today, it's considered the best example of the Second Empire style left in Methuen. It helps us remember what homes looked like in the late 1800s!
