Ladd-Gilman House

The Ladd-Gilman House is a colonial residence built with brick and covered in wooden siding, notable for its deep window seats found throughout the interior. Today the building serves as part of the American Independence Museum, displaying period objects and hosting educational programs about early American life.

The house was built in 1721 and later became significant during the Revolutionary War when it functioned as the state treasury of New Hampshire. The Gilman family managed the colony's finances from this location during the struggle for independence.

The house reveals how prosperous New England families arranged their homes and daily life during the colonial period. Its furnishings and layout show the practical ways people organized their living spaces across different rooms.

The house is located in Exeter and accessed through the American Independence Museum housed within it. Plan to spend time exploring both the rooms and the museum displays to get a full sense of the space.

In 1985 researchers found a rare original Dunlap Broadside of the Declaration of Independence hidden in the attic. This discovery showed that important historical documents sometimes remain concealed in private spaces for centuries.