Williamson House (Goshen, New Hampshire) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Williamson House
|
|
 |
|
 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Messer Rd., Goshen, New Hampshire |
|---|---|
| Area | 30 acres (12 ha) |
| Built | 1850 |
| Architectural style | Kneewall |
| MPS | Plank Houses of Goshen New Hampshire TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 85001324 |
| Added to NRHP | June 21, 1985 |
The Williamson House is a special old house located on Messer Road in Goshen, New Hampshire. It was built around 1850. This house is one of several unique "plank-frame" houses in the area. It stands out because of how it was built. The Williamson House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. This means it's an important building worth protecting because of its history.
Contents
What Makes the Williamson House Special?
The Williamson House is found in a quiet, countryside area in northern Goshen. It sits on the north side of Messer Road. This house is a one-and-a-half-story building made of wood. It has a pointed roof, called a gabled roof, and its outside walls are covered with overlapping wooden boards called clapboards.
How the House Was Built
What makes the Williamson House really interesting is its "plank-frame" style. Imagine building walls using thick wooden planks instead of many smaller pieces of wood. This house uses planks that are two inches thick. Other similar houses in Goshen often used three-inch planks, so this one is a bit different.
The walls of the Williamson House are very strong. They are "load-bearing," which means they help hold up the roof and the rest of the house. This house doesn't have the usual strong corner posts that many buildings do. Instead, its planks are "pinned" directly to the main frame of the house. This is different from the "mortise-and-tenon" method, where pieces of wood fit together like a puzzle.
Looking at the House's Design
The main part of the house is quite wide and deep. It has an attached section, called an "ell," which sticks out. The front of the main house has five windows that are spaced a bit unevenly. The main door is actually on the front of the ell, and it has a small porch with a slanted roof to keep you dry.
History of the Williamson House
The Williamson House was built around 1850. It was likely built for Isaac Messer, who was living there by 1860. The Messer family owned this property for a long time, until the 1940s.
Other Buildings on the Property
Besides the main house, there are other interesting buildings on the property. Behind the house, there's a small building called a sugar house. This is where maple syrup might have been made in the past. Across the road from the house, there is also a barn. These buildings help tell the story of what life was like here long ago.
Images for kids
-
The Williamson House in Goshen, New Hampshire.
