White-Ellery House, First Period house in Gloucester, Massachusetts, United States
The White-Ellery House is a colonial-era building with two and a half stories in a saltbox form, featuring a central chimney and vertical wooden frame construction. The front facade has a framed overhang and the structure is now cared for by a museum.
The house was built in 1710 for a clergyman and later served several residents, including someone who ran a tavern in the early 1700s. In the 20th century, the entire structure was moved to make room for a new highway.
The interior shows early New England decorative choices with painted wall designs and carefully crafted ceiling beams that reflect the craftsmanship of the time. These details give a sense of domestic comfort and artistic taste from the colonial period.
The building is accessible through a museum setting located on a well-known street in Gloucester that opens on certain days. Visitors should check ahead for hours and wear appropriate clothing for spending time in an older building with uneven floors and limited climate control.
A striking aspect of this structure is that it was moved approximately 100 yards in the 1940s to make room for a new road, which is extremely rare for a building of this size. The relocation shows a commitment to preserving a historic structure, even when the cost involved major engineering work.
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