Osgood Family House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Osgood Family House
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Main St., Fryeburg, Maine |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1810 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 90000576 |
| Added to NRHP | April 5, 1990 |
The Osgood Family House is a very old and special house in Fryeburg, Maine. It was built around 1810. This house is one of the best examples of a building from the Federal style period in town. It has not changed much over the years. Henry Young Brown Osgood likely built it. The Osgood family owned it until 1940. In 1990, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, a law office uses the building.
What is the Osgood Family House?
The Osgood House is a two-story building made of wood. It has a square shape, with five windows across the front and five windows deep. The roof is flat on top and slopes down on all sides, like a pyramid. It sits on a strong foundation made of granite stone.
A smaller, two-story section extends from the back of the house. This part has a pointed roof. At the very end, there is a small shed. This shed looks just like an older one that used to be there.
Discovering the House's Design
The main front door faces the east. It has narrow windows on both sides. Above the door, there is a decorative fan-shaped vent. Another door is in the middle of the south side of the house. This door has tall, thin columns on each side. It also has a small window above it and a decorative frame.
Inside, the house has a common layout for its time. A main hallway runs through the center. From this hall, you can reach rooms on both sides. The staircase has a fancy newel post and balusters. These are the main post and the small vertical poles that support the handrail.
The public rooms have special details. You can see Federal style wood panels on the walls. The frames around the doors and windows are also decorative. There are also chair rails, which are strips of wood on the walls to protect them from chairs.
A Look into the House's Past
Henry Young Brown Osgood probably built this house. He was named after one of the first important people in Fryeburg. However, his father may have bought the land and lived there before him. The Osgood family lived in this house for a very long time, until 1940.
Many old houses in Fryeburg were changed over the years. People often updated them to new styles. But the Osgood House is special because it kept its original look. It did not get any major changes to its style later on.
Around 1990, the house was carefully fixed up. This happened when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This listing means the house is important to history. It helps protect the house for future generations.
