Windsor House (Windsor, Vermont) facts for kids
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Windsor House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | N. Main St., N of jct. of Main and State Sts., Windsor, Vermont |
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| Built | 1836 |
| Part of | Windsor Village Historic District (ID75000212) |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000060 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 29, 1971 |
| Designated CP | April 23, 1975 |
The Windsor House is an old building in Windsor, Vermont, that used to be a famous hotel. It was built in 1836 and became a very important spot for travelers visiting the town. Many well-known people stayed there, including Theodore Roosevelt, who later became a U.S. President.
Today, the Windsor House is no longer a hotel. It has been changed into a place with different shops and businesses. Because of its long history and importance, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. This means it's recognized as a special historical landmark.
What Does Windsor House Look Like?
The Windsor House is located right in the middle of Windsor village. It's a three-and-a-half-story building made of brick, with a roof that has two sloping sides (called a gabled roof).
At the front, there's a two-story porch with a flat roof. This porch is held up by six tall, fancy columns. The front of the building has six main sections with windows. In the pointy part of the roof, there are four more windows, and above them, you can see a cool fan-shaped design, which was popular in the Federal style of architecture.
A Look Back at Its History
The Windsor House was built on the same spot where an even older inn once stood. That first inn was quite famous too! A very important French general, Marquis de Lafayette, even visited it in 1825.
The current Windsor House was built in 1836. This was a time when Windsor town was doing very well financially. For many years, it was a busy and important hotel. Famous guests like the singer Jenny Lind stayed there.
The hotel closed its doors in the early 1970s. After that, it was changed into the commercial building you see today, with different shops and businesses inside.
People Who Worked at the Hotel
The Windsor House was also a place where many different people worked. For example, when J. H. Simonds was the owner, the hotel hired several freemen. These were people who used to be enslaved or were the children of formerly enslaved people.
One of these workers was Joseph Little. He was the son of Fortune Little and Lorancy Little, who were both freed slaves. Joseph worked as a porter at the hotel, helping guests with their luggage and other needs. Another person who worked there was Private Henry Parks. He was a veteran of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, a famous African American regiment that fought in the Civil War. Henry Parks worked as a groom at the hotel, taking care of the horses.
