Pratt House (Essex, Connecticut) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Pratt House
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 19 West Ave. Essex, Connecticut |
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| Area | 2.1 acres (0.85 ha) |
| Built | 1701 |
| NRHP reference No. | 85001824 |
| Added to NRHP | August 23, 1985 |
The Pratt House is a very old house in Essex, Connecticut. It is now a historic house museum located at 19 West Avenue. This special house is one of the oldest buildings still standing in Connecticut.
What makes it even more amazing is that one family, the Pratt family, owned it for 250 years! Today, the local historical society takes care of it. They show visitors what life was like for the Pratt family and in the local area. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
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Exploring the Pratt House
The Pratt House stands in the center of Essex village. You can find it on the north side of West Avenue. It is a short walk east from the town hall.
What Does the House Look Like?
The house is a two-and-a-half-story building. It is made of timber, which means it has a strong wooden frame. The roof is pointed, and there is a chimney in the middle. The outside walls are covered with wooden boards called clapboards.
The front of the house is not perfectly even. The main door is a little off-center. It has fancy fluted columns on each side. Above the door, there is a window with four small panes of glass. There are two windows on each side of the door. The second floor also has four windows. Two older parts, called ells, stick out from the back of the house. The inside rooms of the house are very well kept.
A Long History of the Pratt Family Home
The main part of the Pratt House was built around 1732. However, one of the back sections is much older. Experts believe it dates back to the mid-1600s! This older part was probably moved to this spot in 1701. That's when the middle back section was built.
The first builder was William Pratt. He was one of the very first people to own land in Essex. Six generations of the Pratt family lived in this house. They called it home from 1701 until 1915. After that, it was divided into apartments for people to rent.
The Pratt House as a Museum
In 1952, the house was given to a group called the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities. Then, in 1985, they gave it to the local historical society. Now, the historical society offers tours of the house.
You can take a thirty-minute tour during the summer. Tours are available every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. They usually run from 1 PM to 4 PM. It's a great way to step back in time and learn about early American life!
See Also
