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 very old and important building in Jefferson, Maine. It's located where two roads, Route 126 and Route 213, meet. This building was built way back in 1869. For many years, until 1958, it was the main place where the town's leaders met and made decisions. Today, a local history group takes care of it as a museum. Because it's so important to history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
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What is the Jefferson Town House?
The Jefferson Town House stands on the west side of Jefferson's village center. It is on the north side of Route 126, right where Route 213 joins it. This building is made of wood and has two stories. It has a steep, pointed roof and its outside walls are covered with clapboard siding. The bottom part of the building sits on old fieldstone and newer concrete supports.
Looking at the Building
The front of the building looks balanced and even. It has two doors on the first floor. Above these, on the half-story, there are three windows. There is also a fourth window higher up, near the top of the roof. A wooden flagpole is attached below this top window. It reaches up past the roof's peak. Inside, the first floor is one big room, perfect for meetings. The second floor has two smaller rooms.
The Hearse House
Next to the Town House, there is a small building with a pointed roof. This building used to be a "hearse house." A hearse is a special wagon or car used to carry a coffin to a funeral. This little building was where the town kept its hearse. People believe this small building is even older than the Town House itself.
A Look Back at History
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 nearby. The upper floor of this building was a bit unusual for town houses in Maine during the 1800s. It was sometimes rented out to clubs or groups. For one school year, it was even used for high school classes! In 1962, the building was given to the local historical society. They have been taking care of this special piece of history ever since.
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