Roscoe Conkling House facts for kids
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Roscoe Conkling House
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Roscoe Conkling House, January 2008
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 3 Rutger Park, Utica, New York, USA |
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| Built | 1829–1830 |
| Architect | Philip Hooker |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 75001214 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 15, 1975 |
| Designated NHL | May 15, 1975 |
The Roscoe Conkling House is a special historic home located at 3 Rutger Park in Utica, New York, USA. It's recognized as a National Historic Landmark, which means it's a very important place in American history. This house was once the home of Roscoe Conkling (1829–1888), who was a very powerful and sometimes controversial politician.
Contents
Roscoe Conkling's Political Journey
Starting in Politics
Roscoe Conkling began his political career in 1858 as the mayor of Utica. He then became a U.S. Congressman, serving from 1859 to 1863 and again from 1865 to 1867. His career continued to grow, and he became a U.S. Senator for New York from 1868 to 1881.
Becoming a Political Leader
By 1870, Conkling became a very influential leader in New York's Republican Party. He was known for being a "political boss," which meant he had a lot of control over how the party worked and who got important jobs. He helped Chester A. Arthur get a big job as the collector of the port of New York in 1871. Conkling was even offered the chance to become a Chief Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court in 1872, but he chose not to take it.
Big Political Debates
Disagreements and Divisions
When Rutherford B. Hayes became president in 1877, Conkling strongly disagreed with him. Their main argument was about "civil service reform," which was about making sure government jobs were given based on skill, not just political connections.
In 1880, the Republican Party was very divided. Conkling was part of a group called the "Stalwarts" who wanted former President Grant to run for a third term. This disagreement was so strong that it took 36 votes at the 1880 Republican National Convention to finally choose James A. Garfield as their candidate for president.
A Major Protest
Conkling was very upset when Chester Arthur, his political friend, accepted the nomination to be vice-president with Garfield. In May 1881, Conkling and New York's other U.S. Senator resigned from the Senate. They did this to protest some of President Garfield's choices for government jobs. They expected the New York State legislature to immediately re-elect them, but that didn't happen.
While the New York legislature was trying to decide who to elect, President Garfield was sadly assassinated. This event caused a huge public outcry and effectively ended Roscoe Conkling's political career. Even though Chester Arthur became president, he kept Conkling at a distance. Arthur did offer Conkling another chance to join the U.S. Supreme Court in 1882, but Conkling refused again.
About the Conkling House
Design and History
The Roscoe Conkling House was designed by Philip Hooker in the Greek Revival style. This style was popular in the early 1800s and often features columns and grand entrances, similar to ancient Greek temples. The house was started between 1820 and 1824 and finished in 1830 by the Miller family. It is sometimes also called the Miller-Conkling-Kernan House.
Roscoe Conkling bought the house in 1863 and lived there until he passed away in 1888. The house is made of brick and has a special "hip roof" (a roof that slopes on all four sides). It's covered with grey stucco that is made to look like stone.
Changes Over Time
After Conkling's family sold the house in 1894 to Nicholas Kernan, some changes were made. A two-story wing was added to the left side, and the current porch, dormer windows (windows that stick out from the roof), and chimney tops were also added.
The house was officially recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1975 because of its importance. The house and its surrounding park are part of the Rutger-Steuben Park Historic District, an area known for its historic buildings.
As of 2010, the Conkling House (3 Rutger Park) is owned by the Landmarks Society of Greater Utica. This group is working to fix up the building, hoping to turn it into a museum that people can visit.
