Solomon Goffe House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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The Solomon Goffe House
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Solomon Goffe House as seen in May, 2007
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| Location | 677 N. Colony St. Meriden, Connecticut |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1711 |
| NRHP reference No. | 79002645 |
| Added to NRHP | January 16, 1979 |
The Solomon Goffe House is a special old house in Meriden, Connecticut. It's like a time capsule! Built way back in 1711, it is the oldest building still standing in the entire city of Meriden. Today, it's a historic house museum. This means you can visit it to learn about life long ago. The city owns the house, and you can take tours to explore its history.
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Discovering the Solomon Goffe House
The Solomon Goffe House is located north of downtown Meriden. You can find it on North Colony Street. It's a charming house with a unique look. It has one and a half stories and is made of wood. The roof is called a gambrel roof, which has two different slopes on each side. A big chimney stands in the middle of the house. The outside walls are covered with wooden boards called clapboards.
The house has eight sections across its front. There are two doors and six windows. You can also see four small windows on the front roof. These are called dormers. Inside, some parts of the house have changed over time. But three rooms downstairs still look much like they did centuries ago. Other old features are also kept safe inside.
A Glimpse into History
The house was built around 1711 by a person named Solomon Goffe. We don't know much about him. When it was first built, the house probably had five sections. The three sections on the north side were likely added later. Over the years, especially in the 1900s, many small parts were added to the house. However, during its restoration, most of these newer additions were removed. This helped the house look more like it did when it was first built.
Visiting the Museum Today
Today, the Solomon Goffe House is a museum. The city of Meriden takes care of it. You can visit the house on the first Sunday of each month. Tours are available from April to November, usually from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM. Each month, the museum has a different theme for its tours. This makes every visit a new experience!
One of the coolest parts of the house is its traditional herb garden. This garden was designed to look like herb gardens from the 1700s. It shows what kinds of plants people grew back then.
The Archaeology Society of Connecticut has also explored the property. They have done some "digs" there. During these digs, they found many interesting objects. One exciting discovery was an old axe blade! This helps us learn even more about the people who lived there long ago.
More to Explore
