Prudence Crandall Museum facts for kids
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Prudence Crandall House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1 S. Canterbury Rd., Canterbury, Connecticut |
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| Built | 1805 |
| Architectural style | Early Republic |
| Part of | Canterbury Center Historic District (ID97001446) |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000696 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 22, 1970 |
| Designated NHL | July 17, 1991 |
| Designated CP | April 10, 1998 |
The Prudence Crandall Museum is a special historic house museum in Canterbury, Connecticut. It's also sometimes called the Elisha Payne House. This important building is located right on the village green, where two main roads meet. It's recognized as a U.S. National Historic Landmark, which means it's a very important place in American history.
Contents
Prudence Crandall's Brave School
This house is famous because it was once home to Prudence Crandall's Canterbury Female Boarding School. Prudence Crandall bought the house in 1831. She paid $500 down and took out a $1500 mortgage.
A School for All Girls
From 1831 to 1833, the school taught white students. But then, Prudence Crandall made a big decision. She admitted a highly qualified Black student. This caused many parents of the white students to take their daughters out of the school.
Opening a School for African American Girls
Because of this, Prudence Crandall closed her first school. But she didn't give up! In 1833, she bravely reopened it as a school just for African-American girls. She called them "young Ladies and little Misses of color."
Many people in Canterbury were strongly against this new school. They worried that more African Americans would move to their town. They tried to close the school using legal methods. When that didn't work quickly, some people even used violence.
Forced to Close
Because she was worried about the safety of her students, Prudence Crandall had to close the school in 1834. After this, she left Connecticut and never came back. Prudence Crandall is remembered for her courage and vision. She is even Connecticut's official state heroine. The house became a National Historic Landmark in 1991.
About the House's Design
The Prudence Crandall House was built in 1805. It's a great example of a style often called the "Canterbury type." This means it has a special roof shape, with a gable on a hip, and two chimneys.
Unique Features of the House
The front of the house has a triangular shape above the main entrance. This area is called a pediment. Below it, a part of the house sticks out, called a pavilion. This pavilion has a beautiful Palladian window on the second floor. This window lets light into the stairway. The front doorway is also very fancy.
The house has decorative blocks called modillions and a pattern called a Greek fret around the top edge. The corners of the house have tall, fluted pilasters, which are like flat columns. These pilasters also frame the central pavilion and the Palladian window. The Palladian window itself has three parts: a large central window and two narrow side windows.
The bottom part of the house is made of carefully cut stone blocks. Inside, many original features are still there. This includes the decorative mantel around the fireplace and the main stairway.
Preserving History
The Prudence Crandall House has been studied and cared for over many years. In 1940, it was surveyed by the Historic American Buildings Survey. They called it the "Elisha Payne House" and also the "Prudence Crandall School for Negro Girls."
Becoming a Historic Landmark
The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. A detailed study in 1981 found that about 95% of the house was still in its original condition. This means very few changes had been made since Prudence Crandall lived there.
Because of its importance, the building was named a National Historic Landmark in 1991. It is also part of the Canterbury Center Historic District, another historic area. Today, the house is a museum. You can visit to see rooms from the past, special exhibits, and a small research library. There's also a gift shop.
