Wakefield House facts for kids
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Wakefield House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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The house in 2012
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | NH 153 at Wakefield Rd., Wakefield, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 2.2 acres (0.89 ha) |
| Built | 1820 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Part of | Wakefield Village Historic District (ID84002521) |
| NRHP reference No. | 83001133 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | June 23, 1983 |
| Designated CP | March 15, 1984 |
The Wakefield House is a very old and special house located in Wakefield, New Hampshire. You can find it on New Hampshire Route 153. People think it was built around 1785, but it looks more like homes from the 1820s. For a while in the 1800s, it was a busy inn, a place where travelers could stay overnight. Because of its history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. This means it's an important building worth protecting!
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What Does the Wakefield House Look Like?
The Wakefield House is in the center of a small area called Wakefield Corner. It sits on the east side of where New Hampshire Route 153 and Wakefield Road meet. It's a two-and-a-half-story house made of wood. It has a roof that slopes down on two sides and chimneys at each end. The outside is covered with wooden boards called clapboards.
Details of Its Design
The front of the house has five sections, with a double door in the middle. This double door was added around the mid-1800s. It was probably put in when the house became an inn in 1853. There's also a porch that goes all the way across the front of the house. This porch was also added around the same time. The property also has other old buildings, like a barn, a carriage barn, and a toolshed.
The History of Wakefield House
Wakefield Corner is one of the oldest parts of the town. By the year 1800, it was a busy place for business and travel. It had the town offices, shops, and places like taverns and inns. These inns served people traveling by stagecoach, which was like a bus pulled by horses.
How the House Became an Inn
The Wakefield House was first built as a private home in the late 1700s. But in 1853, it was changed into an inn. This was to help serve all the travelers passing through. Even though the railroad later bypassed Wakefield Corner, the house continued to be an inn until the 1870s. Today, it's a great example of a place where travelers stayed in the mid-1800s.
