Monday, June 3, 2013

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.

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