Historic New England's Newburyport houses (3) Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm

 I had been to Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm a few years ago for a Revolutionary War encampment and battle.   Its a very cool house, the tour was not so good but I realy like the house you can see how it has grown over the years.  The property is know as "the Farm" and given the number of farms that means something.

 The oldest part of the home is done in the style of an English Manor home. 

 Some time latter a more "modern" federalist section was added becasue the owners wife found the older section too cold and dark.

I think this is an original Lightning Rod! The Guide didn't think they had them in the 18th century but set her straight about one of Ben Franklin's most important inventions.

This is the back of home were you can also see the tenant farmers home that was attached to the main farm house and shared the kitchen.

Now the coolest thing about this location is the are running a full animal rescue program.

 A quater horse "Schooner"

 Ariana saying hi to Schooner.

 and 800 lbs pig

 These sheep and are used in scheering, spinning and weeving demos

what a farm with out chickens.

Historic New England's Newburyport houses (2)

Our next stop was Tenderfoot Farms because it was unbelievable hot and we needed cold drinks.

 We were told this was a good place and it was very cool a working farm with its own store selling fresh produce, and meats. 

 Ariana nautualry grab my camera and photgraphed all the animals.

Historic New England's Newburyport houses (1) Cofin House

Saturday Historic New England was hosting an open hose with free admission to all its 35 or 36(I heard both numbers) historic houses. We went to Newbury as there are 4 houses clustered in a small area.  The first stop was the Coffin House the oldest of the homes we visited. The Street facing front of the house is actually an addition the original front of the home faced south to take advantage of the sun for heat.

They have the very nice gut away that shows the brick used to build that would have then been covered with stucco but this did not hold up so over the years varius wood covering have been used.

In side we were required to were these little booties.  They have a wonderful collection of artifacts that due to their unenlightened policies I could not photograph.  Most of the artifacts are original to the house.  The kitchen table with two tops one for every day use and one for special occasions was especially interesting. The adult cradle was also quite interesting.  Traveling though the house is traveling tough several stages of US history form the late 17th to the early 20th century as we seen the house modified and updated by successive generation.  This home is unique in that it was in the same family for its whole history prior to its acquisition by Historic New England.