National Historic Landmark

Thornton, Matthew, House

Derry Village, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
Listed
November 11, 1971
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
71000053

About this property

The Matthew Thornton House is a historic house and National Historic Landmark in Derry, New Hampshire. It was from 1740 to 1779 the home of Matthew Thornton, a Founding Father and signer of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. The main block of the house has a roughly square footprint and has the classic New England saltbox shape. It is five bays wide and two deep, with a steeply-sloping leanto section to the north (rear). In the 19th century Greek Revival trim details were added, including wide pilasters at the corners, and a portico sheltering the front entry. The first-floor windows are topped by decorative cornices. A single-story ell projects from one side of the rear, giving the house an L shape; this wing was built to house more modern kitchen facilities and servants' facilities. The interior plan of the main house is a typical center-hall plan, with four rooms on each floor. The house's chimneys were replaced in the 19th century with smaller ones. The house was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1971, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Matthew Thornton was born in Ireland, probably in 1714, and came to North America with his parents in 1718. He trained as a doctor, opening his practice in Derry in 1740. He entered New Hampshire provincial politics in 1758, serving in the assembly until 1775, when a provisional assembly took over governance. Thornton helped draft a new state constitution, and was elected to the Second Continental Congress in 1776. He served there for one year, signing the Declaration of Independence even though he did not take office until November 1776. In 1780 he moved to Merrimack, where he remained active in state politics. He died in 1803, and is buried in the Signer's Cemetery, near his Merrimack home; the cemetery and Merrimack house are also listed on the National Register.

Location

2 Thornton St.
Derry Village, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
42.89407, -71.31243

Categories

POLITICS/GOVERNMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

East Derry Historic District
Listed
1.1 mi
Adams Memorial Building
Industrial
1.3 mi
Frost, Robert, Homestead
Industrial
1.8 mi
Young, Gen. Mason J., House
Industrial
4.3 mi
Stevens Memorial Hall
Industrial
5.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Thornton, Matthew, House listed on the National Register?

Thornton, Matthew, House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 11, 1971.

What type of historic resource is Thornton, Matthew, House?

Thornton, Matthew, House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Thornton, Matthew, House a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Thornton, Matthew, House has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Thornton, Matthew, House?

The period of significance for Thornton, Matthew, House is recorded as the industrial era.

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