Ruth Mansion House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ruth Mansion House
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Ruth Mansion House, HABS Photo, 1936
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 Location in Delaware
Location in the United States
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| Location | Main St., Leipsic, Delaware |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1780 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| MPS | Leipsic and Little Creek MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000496 |
| Added to NRHP | April 11, 1973 |
The William Ruth Mansion House is a very old and important house located in Leipsic, Delaware. It was built for William Ruth, who was a merchant and helped start the first free school in Delaware. This special house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 11, 1973. This means it is recognized as a significant historical building.
Building a Historic Home
William Ruth bought the land for his home in 1807. He soon began building what he called his "Mansion House." The builder used ideas from a book called "The Young Carpenter's Assistant." This book, published in 1805, provided designs for buildings. For example, the step brackets on the main staircase in the house match designs from this book exactly.
Changes Over Time
The Ruth Mansion House has been changed and updated many times. A new section was added to the north side around 1841. The house has nine fireplaces. Six of these are in the original brick part of the house. This includes a large kitchen fireplace with its original crane still in place.
During the Victorian period, a bay window was added to the second floor of the main part of the house. In the 1910s, the main section was updated again. A new newel post and front door were added in the entrance hall. Sliding double doors were put into the main parlor. French doors were added between the main parlor and a new dining room. A new front porch was also built. The new front door and newel post looked like designs from Sears catalogs of that time.
An open porch behind the kitchen was enclosed in the 1950s. Several smaller shed additions were also built at the back of the house over the years.
About William Ruth
William Ruth was a merchant. He bought local farm products and shipped them to Philadelphia. He sent these goods from the port of Leipsic, Delaware. This town was known as Fast Landing back then. It was renamed Leipsic in 1814.
William Ruth passed away in 1822. He left his property to his family. He divided the house into two halves in his will.
Images for kids
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A close-up of a stair bracket inside the house.
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A fireplace mantel inside the Ruth Mansion House.
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The outside of the Ruth Mansion House from the southeast.
