New Hampshire Governor's Mansion facts for kids
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H. Styles Bridges House
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | 21 Mountain Rd., Concord, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 11 acres (4.5 ha) |
| Built | ca. 1835 |
| Architect | Graham, Charles |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 05001444 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 22, 2005 |
The New Hampshire Governor's Mansion, also known as "Bridges House", is the official home for the governor of New Hampshire and their family. This special house is located at 21 Mountain Road in Concord, which is the capital city of New Hampshire. Bridges House has been the governor's official residence since 1969. It was built in 1836 and is recognized as an important historical building. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in December 2005. It was also listed on the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places in July 2005.
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About the Governor's Home
The New Hampshire Governor's Mansion is in a quiet, green area. It's about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of downtown Concord. The house sits on eleven acres of land with nice views. From here, you can see parts of Concord, Rattlesnake Hill, and the Merrimack River valley.
What the House Looks Like
The house is a two-and-a-half-story building made of brick. It has a roof that slopes down on the sides and chimneys at each end. The front of the house faces south and has five sections. The main door is in the middle. It has windows on either side and a decorative piece above it. All the windows are rectangular. They have granite sills and granite pieces above them on the first floor. The side of the house facing the street has a triangular brick section at the top.
A Glimpse into History
A man named Charles Graham built this house around 1836. It's a very early example in New Hampshire of a style called Greek Revival architecture. This style was popular at the time. Using brick for homes was also quite new in central New Hampshire back then.
Styles Bridges was a very important person who lived here. He was the governor of New Hampshire from 1935 to 1937. After that, he served as a U.S. senator for 25 years. He lived in this house from 1946 until he passed away.
When his wife, Doloris Bridges, passed away in 1969, she left the house to the state. That's when it officially became the governor's residence.
Changes Over Time
In the 1980s, New Hampshire's First Lady, Nancy Sununu, helped make big updates to the mansion. These were the first major renovations the house had seen.
It's interesting to know that not all governors choose to live in the mansion. For example, John Lynch lived in nearby Hopkinton. Also, Maggie Hassan lived in Exeter. She stayed on the campus of Phillips Exeter Academy because her husband, Thomas Hassan, was the principal there.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Merrimack County, New Hampshire
- New Hampshire Historical Marker No. 67: Bridges House-Governor's Residence
- Warren Brown (politician) (1836–1919), who constructed a house in North Hampton, New Hampshire, colloquially known as "the Governor's mansion"
