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 Wentworth--Gardner and Tobias Lear Houses - Portsmouth, New Hampshire Posted by:  BruceS
N 43° 04.473 W 070° 45.004
19T E 357525 N 4770579
Historic district with only two houses as contributing building in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Waymark Code: WMEQVH
Location: New Hampshire, United States
Date Posted: 06/28/2012
Views: 2
The historic district has two historic home as contributing buildings. The more prominent and elaborate Wentworth--Gardner house is individually listed on the Register as a National Historic Landmark. The second house, the Tobias Lear House, like the Wentworth--Gardner house is in a Georgian style but in a more simple style.
From the National Register nomination:
The Wentworth-Gardner House, 177 Mechanic Street; 1760, Late Georgian Style
The Wentworth-Gardner House faces Portsmouth's waterfront. It was built in l760 by Mark Hunking Wentwort, affluent and influential merchant, as a wedding present for his son Thomas. This two and a half story Late Georgian style residence is characteristic of an 18th century New England house type which is extremely similar to Westover, in Virginia, and derives from English precedents. Although modelled after a masonry prototype, the Wentworth-Gardner House is frame with a front face of rusticated matched boards in imitation of masonry and its corners are embellished with wooden quoins. The remaining walls and rear ell are clapboarded.
Tobias Lear House, Hunking Street; Circa 1750, Georgian Style.
The Lear House adjoins the Wentworth-Gardner Mansion and shares many of its most evident characteristics. Two-and-a-half-stories tall, it has clapboard siding, center hall plan, interior chimneys, and hip roof with similarly pedimented dormers. The Tobias Lear House, however, is much simpler in design. The three-bay front facade features a panelled door framed by pilasters carry ing a triangular pediment. Nine over six double-hung sash windows have simply molded surrounds. This structure is characterized by its simple, straight-forward design.
The houses are now owned by the Wentworth-Gardner and Tobias Lear Houses Association. It is operated as a museum. The houses are open for tours from mid-June to mid-October Wednesday - Sunday 12 - 4 pm. There is an admission charge of $5 for adults and $2 for children.
Street address:
Mechanic and Gardner Sts.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
County / Borough / Parish: Rockingham
Year listed: 1979
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture/Engineering
Periods of significance: 1750-1799
Historic function: Domestic
Current function: Recreation And Culture
Privately owned?: yes
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Season start / Season finish: Not listed
Hours of operation: Not listed
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.
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