Lt. Robert Andrews House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Lt. Robert Andrews House
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 Location in Maine
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| Location | 428 South Bridgton Road, Bridgton, Maine |
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| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 05001440 |
| Added to NRHP | December 21, 2005 |
The Lt. Robert Andrews House is a very old and special house in Bridgton, Maine, United States. It was built way back in 1805 by a skilled builder named John Kilborn, Jr. For many years, it was the home of Robert Andrews. He was a brave soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. He was also one of the first people to settle in the Bridgton area. This important house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
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About the Andrews House
The Andrews House is located on the east side of South Bridgton Road. This area is mostly rural, meaning it has lots of open land. The house is actually a group of connected wooden buildings. The main part of the house is at the south end. Other sections, called ells, stretch out to the north and east.
The main part of the house has two and a half stories. It has five windows across the front. The roof slopes down on two sides, and there is a chimney in the middle. The outside walls are covered with wooden boards called clapboards. The house sits on a strong stone foundation.
There are not many fancy decorations on the house. The main door has columns on each side and a fan-shaped window above it. There is also a small decorative border above the door. A porch with a sloped roof runs along the south side of the house. It is held up by round, fluted columns.
How the House Grew Over Time
A smaller, one-and-a-half-story section with four windows extends north from the main house. It lines up perfectly with the front of the main building. Another section goes even further north, connecting the house to a carriage barn. On the east side, two more sections connect the house to a barn where animals used to live. This design, with many parts added over time, is quite unique.
History of the Andrews House
Lieutenant Robert Andrews came from Boxford, Massachusetts. He was one of many soldiers who fought in the American Revolutionary War. In 1780, he received land in what is now Bridgton. We don't know where his first house was. But in 1805, he asked John Kilborn, Jr. to build this "mansion house." Kilborn was also a war veteran and known for his excellent work.
Robert Andrews and His Impact
Robert Andrews was a very important person in Bridgton. He helped the town a lot. He served as a town selectman, which means he was an elected official who helped manage the town. He also gave land and money to help build churches and schools.
Robert Andrews never married. As he got older, he shared his house with younger relatives. He even built the four-window section on the north side just for himself to live in. After he passed away in 1845, the house was split into two separate homes for two families. In the 1990s, it was changed back into a single-family home. The many additions to the house happened because of this period when it was divided.
A Future Governor's Birthplace
One of the families Robert Andrews shared the house with was his niece, Sophia, and her husband, Thomas Cleaves. Their son, Henry, was born in this very house in 1840. Henry Cleaves later became the Governor of Maine.
