Webster Estate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Webster Estate
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One of the houses on the Webster Estate
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | Holderness, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 16.4 acres (6.6 ha) |
| Built | 1886 |
| Architectural style | Shingle style |
| NRHP reference No. | 89000448 |
| Added to NRHP | June 9, 1989 |
The Webster Estate is a special group of old buildings in Holderness, New Hampshire. It's a historic summer estate, which means it was a large property where a family spent their summers long ago. The estate is located near Carns Cove on Squam Lake, a beautiful lake in New Hampshire. It belonged to the important Webster family.
The estate includes several houses. The Homestead was built in 1899 for the family leader, Frank Webster. Another house, the Laurence Webster House, was built in 1903. This estate was one of the biggest summer homes on Squam Lake back then. A part of the original estate, about 16.4 acres, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. This means it's recognized as an important historical site.
Contents
Exploring the Webster Estate
The Webster Estate is located a few miles northeast of the village of Holderness. It sits on land that slopes down towards Carns Cove on Squam Lake. You can reach the estate by using private roads like Webster Lane.
The Estate's Layout
A big part of the estate is open meadow. This gives the three houses built for the Webster family amazing views of the lake. The houses are grouped together on the hillside. They are set back from Route 113. There is also a garage, a greenhouse, and a formal garden nearby.
The Main Houses
The Homestead was the estate's first main house. It is a two-story building with a special type of roof called a gambrel roof. It is built in the Shingle style, which means it has a foundation of fieldstone and its outside is covered in wooden shingles. Its main rooms have covered porches, called piazzas, that extend outside. The inside of the house still has its original simple and natural finishes.
The Laurence J. Webster House is located to the west of the Homestead. It is also built in the Shingle style. However, it has a more complex shape than the Homestead.
The Webster Family History
Frank G. Webster was a very important financial manager. For many years, he played a leading role in a big investment company called Kidder, Peabody & Co.. He first visited the Squam Lake area in 1881. He stayed at a hotel called the Asquam Hotel.
How the Estate Began
In 1891, Frank Webster bought a farm from a person named Willy Sleep. This farm became the main part of the Webster Estate. The houses that are still standing today are on this original farm land. At its largest, the estate grew to be about 5,000 acres. This made it one of the biggest private land properties in New Hampshire.
Managing the Land
Frank Webster managed the estate like a timber farm. This means he carefully controlled how many trees were cut down. The Homestead is the most important building connected to Frank Webster's life on the estate.
