William H. McGuffey House facts for kids
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William H. McGuffey House
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Front and western side of the house
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 401 E. Spring St., Oxford, Ohio |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1833 |
| Architect | William H. McGuffey |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000605 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | December 21, 1965 |
The William H. McGuffey House is a special historic home in Oxford, Ohio. It is located on the campus of Miami University. This house was built in 1833. It was the home of a famous author and professor named William Holmes McGuffey from 1833 to 1836.
People believe that McGuffey wrote the first four of his famous McGuffey Readers here. These readers were very popular textbooks. They helped teach millions of American children for many years. Because of its importance, the house was named a National Historic Landmark in 1965. Today, Miami University runs it as the William Holmes McGuffey Museum.
Exploring the McGuffey House
The William H. McGuffey House is found in Oxford, Ohio. It sits at the corner of East Spring and South Oak Streets. This house is a two-story building made of brick. It has a pointed roof and a wooden section at the back.
The front of the house has a nice porch. This porch has a flat roof supported by four round columns. The main entrance is on the left side. Inside, the house looks much like it did in the 1800s. You can see old furniture and items that belonged to William H. McGuffey himself.
The Story of the McGuffey Readers
The house was built in 1833 for William H. McGuffey. At that time, he was a professor at Miami University. McGuffey cared a lot about public education. He started writing and publishing the McGuffey Readers while living in this house.
The McGuffey Readers were a series of textbooks. They were designed to teach children reading and morals. These books became incredibly popular. Millions of copies were sold across the country. Schools used them as teaching tools well into the 1900s.
McGuffey only lived in this house for a few years, until 1836. After he moved, the house had different owners over time. Eventually, Miami University bought the house. They carefully restored it to how it looked when McGuffey lived there. Now, it is a historic house museum where visitors can learn about his life and work.
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