Silas Deane House facts for kids
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Silas Deane House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Silas Deane House
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 203 Main Street, Wethersfield, Connecticut |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1764 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Part of | Old Wethersfield Historic District (ID70000719) |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000835 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 6, 1970 |
| Designated NHL | November 28, 1972 |
| Designated CP | December 29, 1970 |
The Silas Deane House is a special old house in Wethersfield, Connecticut. It was built a long time ago, in 1766. This house was once the home of Silas Deane, who was the very first diplomat for the United States. A diplomat is like a country's representative who works with other countries. Today, it is a historic house museum where you can learn about the past.
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The Silas Deane House
What Does the House Look Like?
The Deane house has two stories and is made of wood. It has four main sections across the front. Inside, there are two chimneys that are not perfectly centered. A two-story section also extends from the back.
The front door is on the right side. It has decorative columns, called pilasters, on each side. Above the door, there is a fancy, decorated top piece called a pediment. Inside the house, you can see the original wooden details. This includes more pilasters, fireplaces with full wood panels, and a beautiful staircase railing.
Who Was Silas Deane?
The house was built by Silas Deane in 1766. He was trained as a lawyer. In the late 1760s, Silas Deane became involved in protesting against the British Parliament. The Parliament was trying to make the American colonies pay new taxes.
Deane was chosen to be part of the First Continental Congress in 1774. This was a meeting of leaders from the American colonies. He was then elected to the Second Continental Congress in 1775. In March 1776, this Congress chose Deane to represent the new United States in Kingdom of France.
Silas Deane successfully worked out a secret agreement with France. Through this agreement, France supported the new United States before it officially joined the American Revolutionary War in 1778. Later, he helped sign a formal agreement of alliance with France. This agreement was negotiated by a group that included Deane.
Visiting the House Today
In 1959, Silas Deane's house was given to The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in Connecticut. Between 1963 and 1965, the house was carefully restored to look as it did long ago.
Today, the Silas Deane House is open to visitors. It is part of the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum. Inside, you can see original furniture and pictures of Silas Deane and his second wife. The Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum also owns two other old houses nearby. These are the 18th-century Joseph Webb House and the Isaac Stevens House in Old Wethersfield. They also manage the nearby Buttolph–Williams House, which belongs to Connecticut Landmarks.
The Silas Deane House was officially recognized as an important historical place in 1970. It was then named a National Historic Landmark in 1972.
See also
