Riverview House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Riverview House
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | US 201, 0.15 mi S. of Cushnoc St., Vassalboro, Maine |
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| Area | 9.1 acres (3.7 ha) |
| Built | 1796 |
| Architectural style | Federal, Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 01000369 |
| Added to NRHP | April 12, 2001 |
The Riverview House is a special old house in Vassalboro, Maine. It was built way back in 1796. This makes it one of the oldest buildings still standing in the town!
The house is also famous because several important local leaders used to live there. Because of its history, the Riverview House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. This list helps protect important buildings across the United States.
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Discovering the Riverview House
The Riverview House is located on the east side of US 201. It's a short distance south of Cushnoc Street. This street used to be the main road that ran next to the Kennebec River.
What Does It Look Like?
The house is a single-story building made of wood. It sits on a strong foundation made of granite. The roof slopes down on two sides, which is called a "side gable roof." The outside walls are covered with overlapping wooden boards, known as "clapboard."
There's also a part of the house that sticks out from the back. This section, called an "ell," seems to be part of the original building.
A Closer Look at the Front
The front of the house has three sections. Windows are on the left and right sides. The main entrance is in the middle. The front door has narrow windows on each side, called "sidelight windows." Above the door, there's a cool, half-circle window called a "transom window."
A porch in the "Greek Revival" style covers the door. This means it looks a bit like an ancient Greek temple. The porch has two sets of columns that hold up a triangular roof section. This triangular part has a cutout that lets you see the half-circle window above the door.
Inside the House
Inside the Riverview House, you can still see signs of two large fireplaces. Each of these fireplaces was used for cooking long ago.
A Rich History
The Riverview House was likely built around 1796. Town tax records mention it around that time. We know for sure it was standing by 1821.
Even though it looks simple compared to a fancier Greek Revival house nearby, the Riverview House has some special features. It has unusually tall ceilings and a more detailed inside than you might expect. This is because it was updated in the 1830s.
For many years, the Brown family owned the house. Three members of this family became important politicians. They served in the state legislature, which is where laws are made for the state.
