Justin Smith Morrill Homestead facts for kids
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Justin S. Morrill Homestead
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Justin Smith Morrill House, from Historic American Buildings Survey
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | Strafford, Vermont |
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| Area | 3 acres (1.2 ha) |
| Built | 1855 |
| Architect | Justin Smith Morrill |
| Architectural style | Carpenter Gothic |
| Part of | Strafford Village Historic District (ID74000246) |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000795 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | September 22, 1960 |
| Designated CP | June 20, 1974 |
The Justin Smith Morrill Homestead is the beautiful historic home of U.S. Senator Justin Smith Morrill (1810–1898). It is located in Strafford, Vermont, and was one of the very first places to be named a National Historic Landmark in 1960. You can find it at 214 Justin Morrill Highway, just south of Strafford's village green. Today, the homestead is a Vermont State Historic Site. It is owned by the state and is open for tours from May to October, so you can visit and learn about its history!
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Exploring the Morrill Homestead
The Morrill Homestead sits on about 3 acres of land. It is on the east side of Justin Morrill Memorial Highway. The property includes the main house and several other buildings. These include barns and sheds. A reddish fence with granite posts separates the property from the road.
The Unique Carpenter Gothic House
The main house is a large, rambling structure. It is made of wood and has a brick foundation. The walls are smooth, and the roof is made of steep slate tiles. Parts of the roof have special decorations called vergeboard and finials. It also has crenellated parapets, which look a bit like the top of a castle wall.
Inside, the house is very fancy. It has detailed mahogany wood everywhere. The style is mostly Gothic Revival, matching the outside. However, the main living room has a Greek Revival style. Many original items from the Morrill family are still in the house. You can see their furniture, linens, and even kitchen tools. The inside walls have changed very little over time. Only small repairs, like new paint, have been done. The outside of the house has also stayed mostly the same. Only rotted wood parts have been replaced with new, matching materials.
How the House Was Built
Justin Morrill himself designed and oversaw the building of his home. Most of the construction happened between 1848 and 1851. The house was finished in 1851, the same year Morrill married Ruth Barrell Swan. They had two children together. Senator Morrill mostly used this house as a summer home. He spent much of his time in Washington, D.C., where he passed away in 1898.
The property stayed in the Morrill family for a long time. It changed very little until World War II. Then, it was sold to a group that wanted to start a boarding school. This plan did not work out. Later, people who wanted to save old buildings bought the house. They then sold it to the state of Vermont in 1969.
Justin Morrill's Important Legacy
Justin Morrill was a very important person in American history. He served in Congress for a long time. He is best known for two major laws that still help people today. Both laws are named after him.
The Morrill Land-Grant Acts
The first important law was the Morrill Land-Grant Acts of 1862. This act created the idea of "land-grant universities." The federal government gave land to states. The states then used this land to build new universities. These schools focused on practical subjects. They taught agriculture (farming) and mechanical arts (engineering).
The second act, in 1890, expanded on this idea. It gave money to these universities too. These acts helped create many state-run universities across the country. They also helped some private schools that worked with the states. These laws made higher education available to many more Americans.
Other National Achievements
During his long time in Congress, Justin Morrill helped with other big projects. He helped finish the Washington Monument. This famous monument honors George Washington. He also helped build the Library of Congress Building. This is one of the largest libraries in the world. Finally, he helped with the landscaping of the United States Capitol Building grounds. This made the area around the Capitol beautiful.
See also
