Tate House (Portland, Maine) facts for kids
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Tate House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Tate House in 2013
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| Location | 1270 Westbrook St Stroudwater, Portland, Maine |
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| Built | 1755 |
| Architect | George Tate |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Part of | Stroudwater Historic District (ID73000126) |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000072 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | January 12, 1970 |
| Designated NHL | November 11, 1971 |
| Designated CP | February 16, 1973 |
The Tate House is a very old and special house in Portland, Maine, United States. You can find it in the Stroudwater neighborhood, close to the Fore River. Built in 1755, it is one of the oldest homes in Portland. It was built for George Tate, a former captain in the Royal Navy. He came to Maine to help get trees for ship masts.
The Tate House is quite far from the center of Portland. This helped it survive many big fires that destroyed other parts of the city. The house is now a historic house museum. It is known for its unique "clerestory gambrel roof," which was once common but is now very rare. Since 1935, the National Society of the Colonial Dames has taken care of it as a museum.
Contents
Exploring the Tate House
The Tate House sits on a small hill above the Stroudwater River. This river flows into the Fore River on the west side of Portland. The house is made of wood and has two and a half stories. It has a large chimney in the middle.
A Unique Roof Design
The roof of the Tate House is very special. It has a "gambrel" shape, which means it has two slopes on each side. But what makes it unique are the "clerestory" windows. These are small windows placed between the lower and upper parts of the roof. This design was once popular in northern New England. Today, the Tate House is one of only two buildings in Maine known to still have this exact roof style. The other is the Burnham Tavern.
Inside the Historic Home
The outside of the house is covered in plain wooden boards called clapboards. Inside, the house has a classic layout for its time. There is a narrow entrance hall with a winding staircase. On the first floor, you'll find three main rooms. To the right is a living room, and to the left is a dining room. A large kitchen stretches across the back of the house.
Upstairs, on the second floor, there are three bedrooms. The third floor has two more bedrooms. The main rooms of the house have beautiful wooden panels. People believe these fancy panels were brought all the way from England.
Digging Up History
In 2014, archaeologists did a special dig at the Tate House. An archaeological dig is when experts carefully dig into the ground to find old objects. They found many interesting pieces from the 1750s to the 1780s.
What They Found
The team discovered pieces of old pottery and dishes. These included:
- Salt-glazed stoneware from the 1750s.
- Creamware from the 1760s.
- Pearlware from the 1780s.
They also found a small white piece of porcelain with tiny brass decorations. These finds help us learn more about what life was like at the Tate House long ago.
Protecting the House
The dig happened before some important repair work began. The house had a problem with its drainage system. Water was getting into the basement, causing a lot of moisture. This moisture could damage the old house. Fixing this drainage issue was very important to protect the historic building for the future.
See also
