Jonathan Root House facts for kids
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Jonathan Root House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 140–142 N. Main St., Southington, Connecticut |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | c. 1720 |
| Architectural style | Colonial, New England Colonial |
| Part of | Southington Center Historic District (ID88002961) |
| MPS | Colonial Houses of Southington TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 88003113 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | January 19, 1989 |
| Designated CP | May 8, 1989 |
The Jonathan Root House is a very old house in Southington, Connecticut. You can find it at 140–142 North Main Street. It was built around 1720. Many people believe it is the oldest colonial building still standing in Southington.
This historic house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. Today, it is used for professional offices.
Exploring the Jonathan Root House
What Does It Look Like?
The Jonathan Root House is located north of Southington's town center. It sits on the west side of North Main Street. This house is two and a half stories tall. It is made of wood.
The front of the house has five sections for windows. It also has a large chimney in the middle. The main entrance is in the center. The front door has small windows on its sides. A small, gabled roof sits above the door.
Originally, the back roof sloped down steeply. This gave it a "saltbox" shape. But in the 1900s, the roof was made taller. This created more space on the second floor. Inside, you can still see an old built-in cupboard. It shows how houses were designed long ago.
Who Was Jonathan Root?
We don't know the exact year the house was built. But it was the home of Jonathan Root. He was an important person in Southington in the 1700s. Experts think the house was built around 1720.
Jonathan Root was born in 1707. He married into the Woodruff family, who were well-known in the area. Southington became an official town in 1779. At that time, the people chose Jonathan Root as one of the first five leaders, called selectmen.
Root also helped his community during difficult times. He was part of a group that helped families of soldiers. These soldiers were away fighting. In 1774, he helped deliver supplies to Boston. This was because the British had blocked Boston's harbor. Besides living here, Jonathan Root also ran a tavern at his house.
