Nelson Family Farm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Nelson Family Farm
|
|
 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
|
|
| Nearest city | Livermore, Maine |
|---|---|
| Area | 58 acres (23 ha) |
| Built | 1830 |
| Architect | Nelson, Alexander |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 92001707 |
| Added to NRHP | December 17, 1992 |
The Nelson Family Farm is a special old farm in Livermore, Maine. It's famous for its unique farmhouse, which was built around 1830. This house was made from strong, rough-cut granite stones. The Nelson family built it after a fire destroyed their first home. This historic farm was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. This means it's an important place that America wants to protect and remember.
Contents
Discovering the Nelson Farm
The Nelson Farm is located in a quiet, country part of Livermore. You can find it on the west side of Shackley Hill Road. The farm used to be very large, over 100 acres (40 ha)! Today, it is about 58 acres (23 ha). You can still see old stone walls that once marked the farm's edges.
What the Farm Looks Like
The land at the farm is hilly and mostly covered with trees now. There is also a small apple orchard. The main farm buildings are the house and a barn. Both of these buildings are very old, from the 1800s.
The Stone House
The main part of the house is one and a half stories tall. It was built using granite stones found right in the area. These stones were roughly cut and laid in rows. The front of the house has a stone entrance that sticks out. Its doorway is shaped like an arch. On the south side of the roof, there's a wooden dormer window. A wooden addition extends from the back of the house.
The Barn
South of the house, you'll find a wooden barn. This barn was built around 1877. It has stood for many years, just like the stone house.
The Farm's Story
The Nelson Family Farm began in 1816. Deacon Alexander Nelson started the farm on land his father bought. A sad event happened in 1819. Alexander Nelson's wife and baby daughter died in a house fire.
Building the Stone House
People say Alexander Nelson started building the stone house soon after the fire. However, the house's style, called Greek Revival, became popular a bit later. This suggests he might have started building it around 1830. That was the year he married his third wife. The farm stayed in the Nelson family for a long time. Their descendants owned it until the early 1900s.
