Jefferson Town House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Jefferson Town House
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Jefferson, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1869 |
| Built by | Bruce, Josiah |
| Architectural style | Mid 19th Century Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 99000771 |
| Added to NRHP | July 12, 1999 |
The Jefferson Town House is a really old building in Jefferson, Maine. It used to be the town hall, which is like the main office for the town's government. You can find it where two roads, Maine State Route 126 and Maine State Route 213, meet. This building was made in 1869 and was used by the town until 1958. Now, a local history group takes care of it as a museum. It was added to a special list of historic places, called the National Register of Historic Places, in 1999.
Contents
What is the Jefferson Town House?
The Jefferson Town House is on the west side of Jefferson's village center. It sits on the north side of Route 126, where it meets Route 213. This building has two floors and is made of wood. It has a steep, pointed roof and its outside walls are covered with wooden boards called clapboards. The bottom of the building is made of old stones and some newer concrete.
Building Features
The front of the building looks the same on both sides. It has two doors on the first floor. Above them, on the half-story, there are three windows. A fourth window is higher up, near the very top of the roof. There's also a wooden flagpole attached below the top window. It reaches up past the roof's peak.
Inside, the first floor is one big room. This room was used for town meetings. The second floor has two smaller rooms. Next to the town house, there's a small building with a pointed roof. This building was once used to store the town's hearse, which is a special vehicle for funerals. People think this small building is even older than the town house itself.
History of the Town House
The Jefferson Town House was built in 1869. It cost $895 to build, which was a lot of money back then! It replaced an older town house from 1828 that was located nearby.
Past Uses of the Building
Having an upper level in a town house was a bit unusual for buildings in Maine during the 1800s. The town likely rented out the top floor. It was used by groups like clubs or societies. For one school year, high school classes were even held there.
In 1962, the town house was leased to the local historical society. This group has been taking care of the building ever since. They make sure it stays in good condition for everyone to learn about its past.
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