Levi Woodbury Homestead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Levi Woodbury Homestead
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1 Main St., Francestown, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 5 acres (2.0 ha) |
| Built | 1787 |
| Architectural style | Georgian, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 07000152 |
| Added to NRHP | March 15, 2007 |
The Levi Woodbury Homestead is a very old and important house located at 1 Main Street in Francestown, New Hampshire. It was first built in 1787. This house is a great example of the Federal period style of architecture.
What makes this house really special is its connection to a famous American statesman named Levi Woodbury (1789–1851). He had a long and successful career as a politician and a judge. This house is the only known building still standing that is strongly linked to him. Because of its history, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.
Contents
About the Levi Woodbury Homestead
The Levi Woodbury Homestead sits in a very noticeable spot in the center of Francestown. It is on the west side where Main Street meets New Boston and Greenfield Roads.
What Does the House Look Like?
The main part of the house is two and a half stories tall. It has a special kind of roof called a hip roof. The outside walls are covered with clapboard, which are long, thin boards.
A smaller, one and a half story section extends from the main house to the north. The front of the house, which faces the street, has five sections or "bays." The main door is in the middle. It has decorative columns called pilasters on each side. These support a fancy frame and a triangular shape above the door. The side of the house that faces south has three bays. It also has a similar main door in the middle.
Inside the house, many of the original details are still there. Most of these parts were added in the early 1800s. This was when the house had some big changes made to it.
History of the House
The very oldest part of the house was built in 1787. This section is now part of a wing connected to the main house. The house was made bigger over time, in different steps. It reached its current size and shape around 1832.
Who Was Levi Woodbury?
The Levi Woodbury Homestead is most important because it is the only known building still standing that is strongly connected to Levi Woodbury. He was born in this house in 1789. From 1813 to 1819, he even ran his law business right out of this house.
Woodbury had a very long and important career in politics and law. He held many high-level jobs:
- He served on the New Hampshire Supreme Court, which is the highest court in New Hampshire.
- He was the Governor of New Hampshire, leading the state.
- He worked in several positions in the Cabinet of the United States, which is a group of advisors to the President.
- He became an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, one of the most powerful judges in the country.
The house stayed in the Woodbury family for a very long time. They owned it until the 1960s.
