Jonathan Fisher House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Jonathan Fisher Memorial
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Blue Hill, Maine |
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| Area | 2.3 acres (0.93 ha) |
| Built | 1796 |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000031 |
| Added to NRHP | December 30, 1969 |
The Jonathan Fisher House is a special historic house museum located in Blue Hill, Maine. This house was built in 1814 by Reverend Jonathan Fisher. He was the very first settled minister in Blue Hill. Today, the house is a museum that celebrates his life and work.
Jonathan Fisher (1768-1847) was a busy person. He kept a detailed journal about his life in rural Maine. He also wrote and published books, like Scriptural Animals. He even made the woodcut pictures for his books himself! The house became famous and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. You can visit the museum during the summer and fall, usually from July to October.
Contents
The Story of the Fisher House
Jonathan Fisher was born in New Braintree, Massachusetts. He went to Harvard College to study. In 1796, he moved to Blue Hill to start his new job as a minister. He began building a small two-room house that year. He moved into it in 1797, even though it wasn't completely finished yet.
Building the Main House
In 1814, Jonathan Fisher built the larger house you see today. The older, smaller house was then connected to it. It became an "ell," which is like a wing of the main building. Later, in 1896, Fisher's grandchildren took down the older house. They replaced it with a new two-story addition.
Changes Over Time
In the 1950s, a group called Jonathan Fisher Memorial, Inc. took over the property. They added another section to the house. This new part was used for offices and display areas. Over many years, the other buildings on the property, like the barn, slowly fell apart. The last old barn, built in the 1790s, was taken down in the 1990s.
What the House Looks Like
The Fisher House sits on the southeast side of Mines Road. This road is also known as Maine State Route 176. The main part of the house has two stories and is made of wood. It has a sloped roof and a large chimney in the middle. The outside walls are covered with clapboard siding. The house sits on a strong granite foundation.
The front of the house has three windows and a door. These are spaced out evenly. A simple decorative band goes around the house below the roof. The main front door is on the left side. It has a small, enclosed porch with its own sloped roof. Inside, the house has a classic layout. There are two rooms on the first floor and two on the second floor, all on either side of the big central chimney. Many original items from the Fisher family are still kept inside the house today.
See also
