Perkins Manor, Contoocook
Encyclopedia
Perkins Manor is a historic building in Contoocook, New Hampshire
. It is the birthplace of Commodore
George H. Perkins
and later served as one of several homes of his daughter Isabel Weld Perkins
and her husband Larz Anderson
.
One 19th century commentator described the approach to the house thus:
and built Perkins Manor on land purchased from the Algonquians
.
His property passed to his son, Hamilton Eliot Perkins, a counselor-at-law
and member of the Merrimack County
bar. This Perkins built profitable mills at Contoocookville (now called Contoocook) on the Contoocook River
.
Hamilton Eliot Perkins married Clara Bartlett George. Their son George Hamilton Perkins (the future commodore) was born here in 1835. When he was eight years old, the family moved to Boston
. Here Hamilton Eliot Perkins invested his means in shipping, including trade with West Africa
.
After the property had passed to the commodore's daughter, the Andersons opened the house to the public for a few summers. Visitors entered to the sight of an elaborate, crystal chandelier
. The stairs were carpeted with bright red, thick carpeting. On each side of the hall was a formal parlor. One parlor was lavishly decorated in red velvet
with beautiful antique furniture
. The other parlor was done in blue velvet.
From the blue parlor was a large dining room furnished with antiques
. There were swinging glass doors from the dining room to a butler
’s pantry. The kitchen was very large with many shelves, a large cupboard and a large pantry
. Upstairs there was a spacious hall. From it were four equally spacious bedrooms, each one elegantly furnished.
house consisting of eight residential units. It is the largest residential building in Contoocook.
Contoocook, New Hampshire
Contoocook is a village and census-designated place within the town of Hopkinton in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,444 at the 2010 census.-History:...
. It is the birthplace of Commodore
Commodore (USN)
Commodore was an early title and later a rank in the United States Navy and United States Coast Guard and a current honorary title in the U.S. Navy with an intricate history. Because the U.S. Congress was originally unwilling to authorize more than four ranks until 1862, considerable importance...
George H. Perkins
George H. Perkins
Commodore George Hamilton Perkins was an officer in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
and later served as one of several homes of his daughter Isabel Weld Perkins
Isabel Weld Perkins
Isabel Weld Perkins , mostly known as Isabel Anderson or Mrs. Larz Anderson after her marriage, was a Boston-area heiress and author who left a legacy to the public that includes a park and two museums. She is interred in the St...
and her husband Larz Anderson
Larz Anderson
Larz Anderson III was a wealthy American businessman and diplomat who briefly served as U.S. Ambassador to Japan ....
.
One 19th century commentator described the approach to the house thus:
"In passing up the Concord and Claremont Railroad from ConcordConcord, New HampshireThe city of Concord is the capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States. It is also the county seat of Merrimack County. As of the 2010 census, its population was 42,695....
, the
observant traveler has doubtless noticed the substantial and
comfortable-looking homestead with large and trim front yard, shaded by thickly planted and generous topped maples, on the right-hand side of the road after crossing the bridge that spans 'Contoocook's bright and brimming river' at the pleasant-looking village of Contoocookville in the northern part of HopkintonHopkinton, New HampshireHopkinton is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,589 at the 2010 census. It consists of three villages: Hopkinton, West Hopkinton, and Contoocook...
."
History
In 1825, Roger Eliot Perkins came from the vicinity of Salem, MassachusettsSalem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
and built Perkins Manor on land purchased from the Algonquians
Algonquian peoples
The Algonquian are one of the most populous and widespread North American native language groups, with tribes originally numbering in the hundreds. Today hundreds of thousands of individuals identify with various Algonquian peoples...
.
His property passed to his son, Hamilton Eliot Perkins, a counselor-at-law
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and member of the Merrimack County
Merrimack County, New Hampshire
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 136,225 people, 51,843 households, and 35,460 families residing in the county. The population density was 146 people per square mile . There were 56,244 housing units at an average density of 60 per square mile...
bar. This Perkins built profitable mills at Contoocookville (now called Contoocook) on the Contoocook River
Contoocook River
The Contoocook River is a river in New Hampshire. It flows from Pool Pond and Contoocook Lake on the Jaffrey/Rindge border to Penacook , where it empties into the Merrimack River. It is one of only a few rivers in New Hampshire that flow in a predominantly northward direction...
.
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. Here Hamilton Eliot Perkins invested his means in shipping, including trade with West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
.
After the property had passed to the commodore's daughter, the Andersons opened the house to the public for a few summers. Visitors entered to the sight of an elaborate, crystal chandelier
Chandelier
A chandelier is a branched decorative ceiling-mounted light fixture with two or more arms bearing lights. Chandeliers are often ornate, containing dozens of lamps and complex arrays of glass or crystal prisms to illuminate a room with refracted light...
. The stairs were carpeted with bright red, thick carpeting. On each side of the hall was a formal parlor. One parlor was lavishly decorated in red velvet
Velvet
Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric in which the cut threads are evenly distributed,with a short dense pile, giving it a distinctive feel.The word 'velvety' is used as an adjective to mean -"smooth like velvet".-Composition:...
with beautiful antique furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
. The other parlor was done in blue velvet.
From the blue parlor was a large dining room furnished with antiques
Antiques
An antique is an old collectible item. It is collected or desirable because of its age , beauty, rarity, condition, utility, personal emotional connection, and/or other unique features...
. There were swinging glass doors from the dining room to a butler
Butler
A butler is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some also have charge of the entire parlour floor, and housekeepers caring for the entire house and its...
’s pantry. The kitchen was very large with many shelves, a large cupboard and a large pantry
Pantry
A pantry is a room where food, provisions or dishes are stored and served in an ancillary capacity to the kitchen. The derivation of the word is from the same source as the Old French term paneterie; that is from pain, the French form of the Latin panis for bread.In a late medieval hall, there were...
. Upstairs there was a spacious hall. From it were four equally spacious bedrooms, each one elegantly furnished.
Today
Perkins Manor is now an apartmentApartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
house consisting of eight residential units. It is the largest residential building in Contoocook.