The Wilder Homestead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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The Wilder Homestead
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 Location in Massachusetts
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| Location | Buckland, Massachusetts |
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| NRHP reference No. | 10001178 |
| Added to NRHP | January 24, 2011 |
The Wilder Homestead is a very old and special place in Buckland, Massachusetts. It's located on Ashfield Road, about 0.25 miles (0.40 km) south of the Upper Road junction. This historic property includes three buildings. Two of these buildings are very important to its history.
The main house was built around 1775. It's a classic two-story house from the Georgian period. Its back roof slopes down to the first floor, making it look like a "saltbox." This was a common style back then. A part added in the 1800s, called an "ell," sticks out from the east side of the house. Gardner Wilder built this house after he moved to the area. He bought 200 acres (81 ha) of land to start a farm.
Exploring the Historic Buildings
The Wilder Homestead has more than just the main house. It also has an old barn and a shoe shop. These buildings help us understand what life was like long ago.
The Old Barn
The barn is another important building at the homestead. Gardner Wilder also started building it around 1775. It was made much bigger in 1840 with a full-size addition. Later, in the 1900s, a smaller shed for equipment was added.
The oldest part of the barn shows how buildings were made in early English colonies. It used a "post and beam" method, where large wooden beams were cut with an axe. The first addition, however, has beams with saw marks, showing newer building tools were used. The equipment shed was built using "balloon framing," a more modern way to build with lighter wood pieces.
The Shoe Shop
The property also has a 19th-century shoe shop. This building was not originally on the homestead. The Buckland Historical Society moved it to the property in 1991. It helps show visitors what a shoe shop from that time looked like.
A Museum for Everyone
The Wilder Homestead stayed in Gardner Wilder's family until 1981. That year, the homestead and 58 acres (23 ha) of land were given to the Buckland Historical Society. The Society now runs the site as a historic house museum. This means you can visit and learn about life in the past! The property was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.
See also
