Jaffrey Center Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Jaffrey Center Historic District
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The Monadnock Inn
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | NH 124, Jaffrey, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 38 acres (15 ha) |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Federal, Colonial, Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000122 |
| Added to NRHP | June 11, 1975 |
The Jaffrey Center Historic District is like the old downtown area of the small town of Jaffrey, New Hampshire. It's where many of the town's first important buildings were located. This special area is found west of Jaffrey's main shopping district.
You can find it along Main Street (New Hampshire Route 124) from Harkness Road to the Jaffrey Common. It also goes along Thorndike Pond Road, heading north from Main Street. This district was once the main center of Jaffrey. It stayed important until the factories in East Jaffrey grew bigger. This historic district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
A Glimpse into History
This district still feels like a small country village from the 1700s and 1800s. Some parts of it date back to shortly after Jaffrey became a town in 1773. For example, the old cemetery was started in 1774. The original meeting house, which was a place for town meetings and church, was built in 1775. Today, it's used as a cultural center.
The district also has schoolhouses from the 1800s. Many houses built in the 1700s and 1800s are still there. They show off popular building styles from that time, like Georgian, Federal, and Greek Revival. You can even find clues of an early business here. There are remains of a tannery, which was a place that made leather. It started around 1810 at the east end of the district.
How the Center Grew
The Jaffrey Center became important for both town life and business. This happened after the Third New Hampshire Turnpike was finished. This old road is now New Hampshire Route 124. The turnpike brought travelers who would stop at inns and taverns in the center. It also brought goods that were sold to local farmers.
Melville Academy, a school for older students, was started in 1832. Its building from 1833 is now a local museum. Even as the factories in East Jaffrey became more important, Jaffrey Center still mattered. In the late 1800s, it became a popular spot for people on vacation. They came to visit the beautiful nearby Mount Monadnock.
