Richard Jackson House
History
Richard Jackson was a woodworker, farmer, and mariner, and built the oldest portion of this house on his family's 25-acre (10 ha) plot, located on an inlet off the Piscataqua River, north of Portsmouth's central business district. Jackson's house resembles English post-medieval prototypes, but is notably American in its extravagant use of wood. The house as first built consisted of a two-story structure with two rooms on each floor, flanking a massive central chimney. Not long afterward, a lean-to section was added to the rear (north side) of the house, which slopes nearly to the ground. Further single-story additions were made to the gable ends of the house, probably c. 1764.
The founder of the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA, now Historic New England), William Sumner Appleton, acquired the house for SPNEA in 1924 from a member of the seventh generation of Jacksons to live there. Appleton undertook a restoration of the property, removing 19th century modifications, and providing the building with leaded diamond-pane windows of a type that it would have had in the 17th century.
It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1968.
The George Rogers House, located just east of the Jackson house, is also a Historic New England property, but is not open to the public.
See also
- Oldest buildings in America
- List of the oldest buildings in New Hampshire
- List of National Historic Landmarks in New Hampshire
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Rockingham County, New Hampshire
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
- ^ "Richard Jackson House". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved October 17, 2007.
- ^ James Dillon (March 11, 1975). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Richard Jackson House" (pdf). National Park Service.
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(help) and Accompanying 5 photos, exterior, from 1967 (3.24 MB)