Kennedy Stone House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Kennedy Stone House
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The Stone House in 2009.
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | North Salem, Ohio |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1837 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 75001412 |
| Added to NRHP | October 03, 1975 |
The Kennedy Stone House is a historic building located inside Salt Fork State Park. This park is found in Guernsey County, Ohio. The house and other nearby buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 3, 1975. This means it's a special place recognized for its history.
Contents
History of the Kennedy Stone House
Building the House in 1837
In 1837, a man named Benjamin Kennedy bought about 80 acres (32 hectares) of land. He was from Ireland. He bought the land from Solomon Sturgis. Solomon had received this land as a "land grant" for his military service. A land grant is like a gift of land from the government.
Benjamin Kennedy started building the house almost right away. The walls were made of strong stone. The roof was covered with slate, which is a type of rock.
Over a Century of Family Life
The Kennedy family lived in this house for more than 100 years! Benjamin's descendants, or family members, continued to own and live there. In 1942, the state government bought the land. However, the Kennedy family was allowed to keep living in their home.
When Salt Fork State Park was being built, the house could no longer be lived in. The last family member to live there was Don Kennedy. He was Benjamin's great-great-grandson. Don moved out of the house in 1966.
Saving and Restoring the Stone House
In 1975, the house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. But it remained empty and unused for a while. During a storm, a tree branch fell and damaged the roof. The park's team quickly replaced the roof.
This damage helped start a movement to fix up the house. It was called the Guernsey County Bicentennial Commission Legacy Program. Local volunteers began to clean up the area around the house. Soon, they formed a group called Friends for the Restoration of The Kennedy Stone House. Major repairs and updates were done between 2000 and 2002.
The Stone House as a Museum
The volunteer group later changed its name. It became the Friends of the Kennedy Stone House Salt Fork State Park. This group now helps take care of the house. They keep it open as a museum for people to visit.
One special program they have is called the docent program. In this program, retired people or history students from Muskingum College live in a cabin near the house. They act as caretakers and guides for the property. They help visitors learn about the house's history.
Exploring the Exterior of the House
Main Features of the Stone House
The Kennedy Stone House has a main door in the middle. You reach it by walking up a flight of stairs to a small porch. A long time ago, during the Victorian era, this porch was covered. It even had columns and a balcony.
On each side of the main door, there are two rectangular windows. On the second floor, there are five windows. These windows are lined up right above the ones on the first floor. The roof is shaped like a triangle, which is called a gabled roof. At each end of the roof, there is a large stone chimney.
Additions and Other Structures
The main part of the house was only one room deep. As the Kennedy family grew, they needed more space. So, they added a two-story wooden section to the back of the house. This part included a summer kitchen and several bedrooms. A summer kitchen was used for cooking in warmer months to keep the main house cool.
This wooden addition did not last over time. Today, when the house was rebuilt, only the summer kitchen part was included in the reconstruction.
To the right of the house, there is a root cellar. This cellar is built with very thick stone blocks. The sides of the cellar are covered with dirt and plants. This helps keep the inside cool for storing food. The ceiling has two diamond-shaped holes. These holes let in some light and help with air flow. The old well is now covered. A natural spring nearby has also been capped, which means it's covered to control the water flow.
