Roswell Butler House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Roswell Butler House
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | Upper Main St., Essex, Vermont |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1822 |
| NRHP reference No. | 01001226 |
| Added to NRHP | November 08, 2001 |
The Roswell Butler House is a special old house located on Upper Main Street in Essex, Vermont. It was built around 1822 and shows off a style called Federal architecture. This house was built for Roswell Butler, an important local businessman. The area around the house, known as Butler's Corner, is even named after him! In 2001, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's recognized as a very important historical site. You might also hear it called the 1820 Coffee House or the Kilmoyer House on the town's list of historic places.
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Exploring the Roswell Butler House
The Roswell Butler House is found on Upper Main Street (Vermont Route 15). It sits between the modern downtown area and the older part of town. The house is on the south side of the road. It is just west of where Commonwealth Avenue meets Main Street.
What the House Looks Like
This house is a 2-1/2 story building made of brick. It has a roof that slopes down on two sides, called a gabled roof. Inside, there are chimneys at each end of the house. The house sits on a strong stone foundation.
The front of the house is five sections wide. A porch from the late 1800s covers three of these sections. It also wraps around to the left side of the house. The windows have special stone tops that spread out. The roof has decorative blocks called modillions. The main front door is in the middle. It has a rounded, fan-shaped window above it.
Porch Details
The porch has a style called Queen Anne. It features turned posts, which are shaped like spindles. There are also fancy brackets and a lattice design around the bottom.
Inside the House
When you go inside, you can still see many original parts of the house. This includes the old wooden details and the plaster walls. These features help us imagine what the house looked like long ago.
History of Butler's Corner
The area known as Butler's Corner was bought in 1822 by Roswell Butler. Soon after, he built this house and a store. His brother also built a house nearby. This is how the area got its name.
A Center of Activity
Until 1830, Butler's Corner was a busy place for town activities. However, it later became less important. This happened when the town hall, school, and churches were built in Essex Center.
Roswell Butler's Businesses
Roswell Butler was involved in many different businesses. His main business was lumber. He would ship lumber to towns along the Hudson River. This was done using the Champlain Canal. He also started a hemp mill in Essex Junction. Hemp is a type of plant used to make ropes and fabrics. Sadly, this mill was destroyed by a spring flood in 1830.
