Benjamin Franklin Gates House

The Benjamin Franklin Gates House is a Greek Revival residence built in Barre during the 1800s with distinctive construction methods. The structure features vertical wooden planks as its load-bearing walls, a stone-faced foundation, and a cedar shingle roof with gabled ends.

The residence was built in 1831 for Benjamin Franklin Gates, who opened the first tannery in Barre. His growing business and land holdings helped establish the town as an industrial center beyond its agricultural roots.

The house reflects how residents adopted new architectural fashions while relying on local building skills and materials available in the region. It shows how a thriving family business shaped the way people built their homes during that era.

The property sits on seven acres with the main residence, a carriage barn, and several other outbuildings spread across the grounds. The site is best explored on foot, and visitors should allow time to walk around the entire property to see all the structures.

The house was built using an unusual stacked-plank construction system that differs from the typical frame buildings of its time. This building method shows how local craftsmen adapted construction techniques to the materials readily available in the region.

Location: New York

Architectural style: Greek Revival architecture

GPS coordinates: 43.20278,-78.27861

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:22