Porter-Bell-Brackley Estate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Porter-Bell-Brackley Estate
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Lower Main St., Strong, Maine |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1866 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000218 |
| Added to NRHP | November 10, 1980 |
The Porter-Bell-Brackley Estate is a beautiful old house in Strong, Maine. Strong is a small town in Franklin County. This house was built in 1866. It is a great example of Italianate architecture. This style was popular in the 1800s. Many people think it is one of the best Italianate houses in Maine. In 1980, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of important historical places in the United States.
Contents
What Does the Porter-Bell-Brackley Estate Look Like?
The Porter-Bell-Brackley Estate is a two-story house. It is made of wood and has a strong granite foundation. The outside walls are covered with clapboards. These are long, thin boards that overlap.
Key Features of the House
The house has a special roof called a hip roof. This means all sides slope downwards to the walls. On top of the roof, there is a square tower called a cupola. This small room often has windows and lets light into the house.
A two-story section, called an ell, sticks out from the back of the house. This ell connects the main house to a carriage house. A carriage house was a building where people kept horses and carriages.
Front of the House Details
The front of the house has three main sections, called bays. The main entrance is in the middle. It has a fancy porch supported by Doric columns. These columns are a classic style from ancient Greece.
Look closely at the roof's edge. You will see decorative blocks called dentil molding. There are also brackets, which are supports that stick out. The corners of the house have flat, decorative columns called pilasters.
The Ell and Carriage House
The ell, or back section, has porches on both sides. These would have been nice places to sit outside.
The carriage house is shaped like a square. It has a pyramid-shaped roof. There is also a small cupola on top of the carriage house. It is simpler than the one on the main house.
Who Built the Porter-Bell-Brackley Estate?
The house was built by a man named Alexander Porter. He and his brother, James, owned a toothpick factory. This factory was very important to the local area. It was an early version of the Foster Manufacturing Company.
Alexander Porter eventually faced business challenges. He had to sell his factory and the house. His brother James also built a similar house. Sadly, James's house was destroyed by fire in 1971.
Images for kids
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The Porter-Bell-Brackley Estate in Strong, Maine.
