Summerseat (Morrisville, Pennsylvania) facts for kids
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Summerseat
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Summerseat
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | Clymer St. and Morris Ave., Morrisville, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | c. 1770 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000685 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 17, 1971 |
| Designated NHL | July 17, 1965 |
Summerseat is a very old house in Morrisville, Pennsylvania. It is also known as the George Clymer House or Thomas Barclay House. This special house is now a historic house museum. It is famous because two important people who signed the United States Declaration of Independence once owned it. These people were George Clymer and Robert Morris.
During the American Revolutionary War, General George Washington even used Summerseat as his headquarters. Today, the Morrisville Historical Society takes care of the house. You can visit it and learn about its history. Summerseat was named a National Historic Landmark in 1965 because of its importance.
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What Summerseat Looks Like
Summerseat is located in Morrisville, near Patriot's Park. It is a large building with two and a half stories. The house is made from both brick and stone. The front and sides are brick, while the back wall is stone.
The main front of the house faces east. It has five sections, with the main door in the middle. The door has decorative pillars and a triangular shape above it. Inside, the house has a traditional layout. There is a central hallway with four rooms on each floor. Many parts of the inside still look like they did a long time ago.
The History of Summerseat
Early Owners and George Washington
The Summerseat house was built around 1765. A man named Adam Hoops built it. Later, his son-in-law, Thomas Barclay, owned the house.
In late 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, General George Washington used Summerseat. He made it his military headquarters. This was a very difficult time for the American army.
Important Signers of the Declaration
After the war, Robert Morris bought the house. He was one of the people who signed the Declaration of Independence. Morris was also very important because he helped pay for the war. He was known as the main financier of the war effort.
Later, Morris had money problems. He sold Summerseat in 1806 to George Clymer. George Clymer was another person who signed the Declaration of Independence. This makes Summerseat special because two signers of the Declaration owned it.
Summerseat Today
In 1931, the house was repaired and made to look new again. In 1935, it became a building for school administration. Now, the Historic Morrisville Society owns and runs Summerseat. It is a house museum that people can visit.
You can take a tour of Summerseat on the first Saturday of every month. The tours are from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. It costs $7.00 for each person to get in. Children under 12 years old can visit for free.
More to Explore
- List of Washington's Headquarters during the Revolutionary War
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvania
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Bucks County, Pennsylvania
