Rockledge (Swanton, Vermont) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Rockledge
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | St. Alban's-Highgate Rd., VT 207, Swanton, Vermont |
|---|---|
| Area | 8 acres (3.2 ha) |
| Built | 1918 |
| Architect | Saxe, Charles |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 94000474 |
| Added to NRHP | May 19, 1994 |
Rockledge is a beautiful old house in Swanton, Vermont. It sits on Vermont Route 207. This house was once a large summer home. An architect named Charles Saxe changed an older farmhouse into this estate in 1918. Rockledge is the main part left of what was once a big farm owned by a wealthy person. Because of its history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. This list includes important places in the United States.
Contents
What Does Rockledge Look Like?
Rockledge is in the southern part of Swanton. You can find it on the west side of VT 207. The property is about 8 acres in size. Much of the old farmland around it has been sold.
The House's Outside Features
A stone wall runs along the front of the property. There are maple trees between the wall and the house. A curved driveway leads from the road to the back of the house.
The house itself is two and a half stories tall. It is made of wood. It has a roof that slopes down on the sides. There are two-story sections on each side. The front of the main house has five sections. The front door is in the middle. It has a special porch called a Colonial Revival portico. This porch is held up by round columns. The side walls of the house have fan-shaped designs. These designs are called Federal style fans.
The History of Rockledge
We don't know the exact year Rockledge was built. Some parts of its design suggest it was built around 1803. But other parts show changes made around 1819. These changes used newer building methods.
Big Changes in the Early 1900s
Most of how the house looks today is from a big renovation. Clark Jennison oversaw this work between 1918 and 1920. A famous architect from Montreal named Charles Saxe designed the changes. The house became much larger during this time. Its inside rooms were given a formal, elegant look. This style is known as Colonial Revival.
The gardens and outdoor areas were also designed during this period. Originally, there were many barns and other buildings on the property. Sadly, these caught fire in 1980. Rockledge is a great example in Vermont. It shows how an old farm property can be turned into a beautiful summer estate. What's even more interesting is that the same family owned it through these changes.
