Rundlet-May House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Rundlet-May House
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Rundlet-May House
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | 364 Middle St Portsmouth, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1807 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000133 |
| Added to NRHP | June 7, 1976 |
The Rundlet-May House is a historic house museum located at 364 Middle Street in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Built in 1807, it is a great example of a fancy Federal style home. This house is special because many old papers about how it was built still exist today. It is now owned by Historic New England and you can visit it during certain times of the year. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Welcome to the Rundlet-May House!
The Rundlet-May House stands in a neighborhood with many homes in Portsmouth. It is a three-story house made of wood. It has a flat roof with a fence-like railing around it. The house is covered in wooden siding and has four chimneys. The front of the house has five windows and a door in the middle. The door has special glass on the sides and above it.
This house was built in 1807 by a rich merchant named James Rundlet. He made his money by trading textiles, which are fabrics and clothes. Mr. Rundlet bought his fancy wallpapers from England. He also bought furniture from local craftspeople. Their furniture was known for being very well made.
A Peek Inside
James Rundlet made sure his house had the newest technology of his time. The kitchen had special fireplaces called a Rumford roaster and a Rumford range. It also had a large kettle and a clever system to remove smoke. This system even helped a smoke room on the third floor!
The house also had an early heating system that used coal. Plus, it had its own well inside the house. We know a lot about how the house was built. This is because James Rundlet and his family kept detailed records of all the work done on it.
Gardens and More
Later, Ralph May, who was a descendant of James Rundlet, gave the house to Historic New England. Many of the original furniture pieces are still in the house. There are also some items added by later family members.
The beautiful gardens, fruit orchard, and other small buildings are still there. They look much like they did when the Rundlet family lived there. There is even a small pet cemetery on the property.
Visiting the House
The Rundlet-May House is open to the public. You can take tours on weekends from June to October. It's a great place to see what life was like long ago!
