Rundlet-May House, Federal architecture house in Portsmouth, United States.
Rundlet-May House is a three-story wooden building in Portsmouth featuring symmetrical design with four chimneys and a centered entrance framed by sidelights and a fanlight above the door. The rooms contain original furnishings and decorative elements that reflect the style of a prosperous household from that period.
James Rundlet, a textile merchant from Exeter, built this house in 1807 during Portsmouth's peak period of maritime trade. The residence was constructed when the city was thriving through its shipping connections and international commerce.
The interior displays furniture made by local craftspeople, imported English wallpapers, and period objects that show how prosperous families in New England lived. These items reveal the tastes and preferences that shaped domestic life among the wealthy during this era.
The house is open to the public with guided tours available on certain days throughout the warm months. The location on Middle Street in Portsmouth is easily walkable and close to the downtown area.
The house was equipped with an early coal-fired central heating system that was remarkably advanced for its time. Inside, there was also an indoor well and specialized cooking equipment that demonstrate how innovative household technology could be in that era.
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