Noah Webster House facts for kids
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Noah Webster Birthplace
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 227 South Main St., West Hartford, Connecticut |
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| Built | circa 1720 |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000886 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | December 29, 1962 |
The Noah Webster House is a special museum in West Hartford, Connecticut. It was once the home of Noah Webster, a famous American. He helped create the first American dictionary. This house is so important that it was named a National Historic Landmark in 1962.
About the Noah Webster House
The Noah Webster House is a wooden building. It has two and a half stories. There is a big chimney in the middle. This house was built a long time ago, in the early 1700s. It was part of a large farm. That farm was about 120 acres big.
Later, a small brick room was added. This room was probably for a kitchen. A wooden section was also added to the back. In the 1970s, a new part was built. It looks like a barn. This new section helps the house work as a museum today.
Who Was Noah Webster?
Noah Webster was born in this house in 1758. His father took out a loan on the farm. This helped Noah go to Yale College. After college, Noah came back home. He worked as a teacher in local schools.
Noah became very interested in words. He wanted to make a dictionary for Americans. This is called lexicography. He started by writing a spelling book in 1783. Then, in 1828, he published his famous book. It was called Dictionary of the American Language.
This dictionary sold millions of copies. It set the rules for dictionaries and spelling books. Many of these rules are still used today.
The House as a Museum
People lived in the Noah Webster House until 1962. Then, it was given to the town. In 1966, it opened as a museum.
Today, you can see many items that belonged to Noah Webster. These include early copies of his dictionary. You can also see his "Blue-backed Spellers." There are also dishes, glasses, a desk, and two clocks. These were all owned by Noah Webster.
The house is also the main office for the West Hartford Historical Society.
