Windswept Acres-Powers House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Windswept Acres-Powers House
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | NH 31, Goshen, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 48 acres (19 ha) |
| Built | 1800 |
| MPS | Plank Houses of Goshen New Hampshire TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 85001325 |
| Added to NRHP | June 21, 1985 |
Windswept Acres, also known as the Powers House, is a very old and special house in Goshen, New Hampshire. It's located right on New Hampshire Route 31. This house was built around the year 1800, making it one of the oldest homes in Goshen. It's also famous for being a "plank-frame house," which is a unique way houses were built back then. Because of its history and special design, Windswept Acres was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. This means it's recognized as an important historical building in the United States.
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What Makes Windswept Acres Special?
Windswept Acres sits in a quiet, country area in the southern part of Goshen. You can find it on the east side of New Hampshire Route 31. It's about 2 miles (3.2 km) south of where Route 31 meets New Hampshire Route 10.
House Style and Features
The house is a 1-1/2 story building, meaning it has one full floor and a half-story above it. It's built in a style called "Cape," which is a common type of house in New England. The roof has a gable shape, which means it slopes down on two sides. The outside of the house is covered with shingles.
The front of the house is quite wide, with seven sections or "bays." The main door is not exactly in the middle. It has simple molding around it and a small window above it with four glass panes. To the left of the door, there are two windows, and to the right, there are four windows.
Unique Building Method
A smaller section of the house, called an "ell," extends from the south side. This ell has three bays. There's also a closed-in porch at the back of the house. A garage is connected to the north side of the house by a short hallway called a breezeway.
The most interesting part of Windswept Acres is how it was built. It uses a special "plank framing" method. Instead of using only vertical wooden beams, this house has thick wooden planks laid horizontally. These planks are placed across a more typical "box frame" structure. This horizontal planking is quite rare, especially compared to other old houses in the area that might use vertical planks.
History of the House
Built around 1800, Windswept Acres is one of the very first houses constructed in Goshen. Its unique plank-frame construction makes it stand out. It's part of a group of similar plank-frame houses found in the Goshen community. These houses show us how people built homes a long time ago and how building styles changed.
