John Tarr House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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John Tarr House
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View of the house's rear
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | 29 Ferry Lane, Biddeford, Maine |
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| NRHP reference No. | 80000263 |
| Added to NRHP | April 23, 1980 |
The John Tarr House is a very old and special home located at 29 Ferry Lane in Biddeford, Maine. It was built around 1730, making it one of the oldest houses still standing in the entire state of Maine! This house is famous because its inside parts are still in great shape and have some really cool, unique designs. Because it's so important, the John Tarr House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. This means it's officially recognized as a historic treasure.
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What is the John Tarr House?
The John Tarr House faces east, looking out towards the Saco River. It sits at the very end of Ferry Lane. This spot is about halfway between downtown Biddeford and the Biddeford Pool area, which is where the river meets the ocean.
How Does It Look?
This house is a "Cape style" building. It has one and a half stories. It's made from a strong timber frame, which means it uses large wooden beams. The house has five sections, or "bays," across its front. It has a roof that slopes down on two sides, called a side gable roof. There's also a big chimney right in the middle of the house. The outside walls are covered with clapboard siding, which are long, thin wooden boards.
The main front door is in the middle of the east side. This is the original entrance. There's another door on the south side. This second door was probably added later, maybe in the 1800s or 1900s. The back of the house, which faces the street, has five windows. A smaller, one-and-a-half-story section extends from the north side of the house.
A Glimpse into History
Experts believe the John Tarr House was built around 1730. This makes it one of the very oldest buildings still standing in Maine today. Its age alone makes it very important. But what truly makes it special is how well its inside has been kept.
Unique Inside Features
The inside of the John Tarr House is amazing because many parts are still original. For example, the living rooms, called parlors, have all their original wooden wall panels. This is quite rare to find in such an old house.
The kitchen area at the back of the house is also very unique. Its walls and even its ceiling are completely covered with "wainscoting." Wainscoting means wooden panels that cover the lower part of a wall, or in this case, the whole wall and ceiling! This kind of complete wainscoting is super rare. It's only known in two other places from New England. One of these rooms is now in a museum in Concord, Massachusetts. The other is at the famous Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The wooden panels in the John Tarr House were all smoothed by hand, showing the craftsmanship of the time.
