Wheelock Law Office facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Wheelock Law Office
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Location | 135 N. Main St., Barre, Vermont |
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Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
Built | 1871 |
Architectural style | Second Empire |
NRHP reference No. | 75000148 |
Added to NRHP | June 18, 1975 |
The Wheelock Law Office is a special old building in Barre, Vermont. It was built in 1871 for a very important local lawyer. This building is a great example of a style called Second Empire architecture. It's also one of the few smaller, older buildings left in an area now full of bigger shops and offices. Because it's so unique and historic, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. This list helps protect important places in the United States.
Contents
What Does the Wheelock Law Office Look Like?
The Wheelock Law Office is located in the main business area of Barre. You can find it on North Main Street, between Keith Avenue and Pearl Street. It's on a narrow piece of land, right between a newer one-story building and a taller, older three-story building.
Building Style and Features
This building is made of brick and has 1.5 stories. It has a special roof called a mansard roof. This type of roof is steep and curved, making space for a full second floor inside.
On the right side of the front, there's a small tower that is 2.5 stories tall. The main door is at the bottom of this tower, shaped like a round arch. Above the door, on the second floor, there's another round-arch window. The very top of the tower has a curved roof with small, round windows called oculus windows.
On the left side of the building's front, there's a big window on the first floor. This was likely a display window for a shop. The steep part of the mansard roof has other windows called gabled dormers. These windows stick out from the roof and have their own small roofs.
A newer, one-story part was added to the back of the building. Inside, the building has been changed many times over the years. It doesn't have its original look inside anymore because it has been used for different businesses.
A Glimpse into History
The Wheelock Law Office was built in 1871 for a man named Langdon Wheelock. He was one of the most important lawyers in Barre at that time.
The Area's Past
Back in 1871, this part of North Main Street looked very different. It was a quiet, tree-lined street with many homes. Langdon Wheelock's own house, an old brick building, was right next door. However, his house was taken down in 1946.
After Langdon Wheelock passed away in 1873, his law office building was used for many different kinds of businesses. Today, it stands as a special reminder of how this busy street used to look. It shows us what the smaller, home-like buildings were like before bigger commercial buildings took over.