Ira C. Allen Mansion
Encyclopedia
The Ira C. Allen Mansion is a historic property on the Green in Fair Haven, Vermont. It is a contributing property to the Fair Haven Green Historic District.

History

In 1866 the Hon. Ira C. Allen, a former Rutland County state senator, state representative, and prominent Fair Haven businessman, purchased the property on the west side of the town Green. Allen, who had interests in real estate, banking, the railroad, marble, and slate, was a distant relative of American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...

 patriot and Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...

 Founding Father Ethan Allen
Ethan Allen
Ethan Allen was a farmer, businessman, land speculator, philosopher, writer, and American Revolutionary War patriot, hero, and politician. He is best known as one of the founders of the U.S...

. Allen was married to Mary E. Richardson, the niece of one of his business partners.

By 1867 Allen finished construction on the twenty-two room, 8000 square feet (743.2 m²) French Second Empire/Italianate mansion. In January 1868 Allen and his family moved into the home. The home was the first in Fair Haven to have electricity.

After he died, Allen left the mansion to his four children: Charles R., Ira R., Jessie A., and Francis. Charles R. Allen and his wife Jessie Dailey Allen lived on the property before he and his brothers sold their shares in 1889 to their sister, Jessie, for $15,000.00. In 1903 the home moved from Jessie A. Allen to George Vail, whose wife Elizabeth was a distant relative of the Allen family. The Vails then in turn sold the property to Aaron Vail Allen, Sr. and his wife Rebecca. The last Allen to live in the mansion Sherman Vail Allen, who died in 1975.

From 1975 to 2007 the mansion was alternately a private residence and an inn. In 2009 Greg and Sharon Parke purchased the home.

Architecture

The Ira C. Allen Mansion is an example of the French Second Empire and Italianate architectural style. The exterior is made from numbered white marble blocks. An Italianate porch and porte cochere encircles the main house. The wood trim is painted white. The mansion has a mansard roof and a belvedere. Also on the property is a pump house. The mansion was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 24, 1980.

Current Use

Currently the Ira C. Allen Mansion is used as a private residence and as the Marble Mansion Inn, a historic bed and breakfast. The Parke family owns and operates the Inn.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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