Richard Jackson House facts for kids
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Richard Jackson House
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ca. 1909 postcard image
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | 76 Northwest Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire |
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| Area | approximately 1-acre (4,000 m2) |
| Built | 1664 |
| Architect | Richard Jackson |
| Architectural style | Colonial |
| NRHP reference No. | 68000009 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 24, 1968 |
| Designated NHL | November 24, 1968 |
The Richard Jackson House is a very old and important house located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It was built in 1664 by Richard Jackson. This makes it the oldest house in New Hampshire that is made of wood. Because of its history, it was named a National Historic Landmark in 1968. Today, it is a historic house museum run by Historic New England. You can visit it on two Saturdays each month from June to October.
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The Story of the Jackson House
Richard Jackson was a skilled woodworker, a farmer, and a sailor. He built the first part of this house on his family's 25-acre plot of land. This land was near an inlet off the Piscataqua River, just north of downtown Portsmouth.
How the House Was Built
Jackson's house looks a lot like older English homes from the time after the Middle Ages. But it's also very American because it uses so much wood! When it was first built, the house had two stories. There were two rooms on each floor, with a huge chimney in the middle.
Soon after, a lean-to section was added to the back (north side) of the house. This part of the roof slopes almost to the ground. Later, around 1764, more single-story rooms were added to the ends of the house.
Saving the Historic House
In 1924, a man named William Sumner Appleton bought the house. He was the founder of a group called the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA). This group is now known as Historic New England. Appleton bought the house from a family member who was the seventh generation of Jacksons to live there!
Appleton worked to restore the house. He removed changes that had been made in the 1800s. He also put in special windows with small, diamond-shaped glass panes. These were like the windows the house would have had in the 1600s.
Because of its age and history, the Richard Jackson House was officially named a National Historic Landmark in 1968.
Images for kids
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ca. 1909 postcard image
