Stow-Hardy House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stow-Hardy House |
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|---|---|
| General information | |
| Location | Concord, Massachusetts |
| Address | Lexington Road |
| Coordinates | 42°27′22″N 71°18′55″W / 42.4561617°N 71.3151880°W |
| Completed | c. 1786 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 3 |
The Stow-Hardy House is a very old building in Concord, Massachusetts. It is famous because it is linked to the start of the American Revolutionary War. This war began with the first battles in Lexington and Concord in 1775.
The house stands on Lexington Road. It is part of the Minute Man National Historical Park. This park protects important places from the Revolutionary War. The Stow-Hardy House is one of only eleven original houses still standing in the park today.
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A Look Back: The House's Story
The first house on this spot was built around 1689. Nathaniel Stow built it on ten acres of land. It even had a barn! When Nathaniel passed away in 1724, his son Joseph took over the house.
The house gets its name from Olive Stow. She was a widow who lived there in the late 1700s. Her brother, Farwell Jones, lived right next door.
Rebuilding and New Owners
About 100 years after the first house was built, it was rebuilt. This happened around 1786. Ebenezer Hardy rebuilt the house. He was married to Sarah Stow, who was Olive's daughter. Olive continued to live in the house with the Hardy family.
The Hardy family owned the house until 1834. After that, it had many different owners. The last private owner was Hagop Hovagimian. He bought the house in 1945. By then, the property had grown to twenty acres.
Joining the National Park
In 1959, the Minute Man National Historical Park was created. The government used a process called eminent domain to buy land for the park. This means the government can buy private land for public use, even if the owner doesn't want to sell.
The Stow-Hardy House became part of the park in 1975. Mr. Hovagimian was paid $195,000 for the property. He was allowed to keep living in the house for 25 more years. The National Park Service took full control of the house in 2000.
The Battles of Lexington and Concord
The famous battles of Lexington and Concord happened on April 19, 1775. This was a very important day for American history. British soldiers marched past the Stow-Hardy House before dawn. They were on their way to Concord. Later, they marched past the house again on their way back to Boston. The house stood witness to these first moments of the American Revolution.
