- Benjamin Thompson House-Count Rumford Birthplace
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Rumford, Count, BirthplaceBenjamin Thompson House, Woburn, Massachusetts
Location: 90 Elm St., Woburn, Massachusetts Coordinates: 42°28′45″N 71°8′50″W / 42.47917°N 71.14722°WCoordinates: 42°28′45″N 71°8′50″W / 42.47917°N 71.14722°W Built: 1753 Governing body: Private NRHP Reference#: 75001942[1] Designated NHL: May 15, 1975 Benjamin Thompson House, also known as the Count Rumford Birthplace, located at 90 Elm Street, in the North Woburn area of Woburn, Massachusetts, is the birthplace of scientist and inventor Benjamin Thompson (1753–1814), who became Count Rumford of the Holy Roman Empire as well as Sir Benjamin Thompson of the United Kingdom. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1975.
Contents
History
Benjamin Thompson (Jr.), later to become Count Rumford, was born on March 26, 1753, in the west end of this house which had been built by his grandfather, Captain Ebenezer Thompson and in which his parents had lived since their marriage. Young Benjamin's father died on November 7, 1754, and he lived in the house with his grandfather and his mother until she married Josiah Pierce, Jr., of Woburn and he was taken to live in his house.[2]
Current ownership
The birthplace of Benjamin Thompson is now owned by the Rumford Historical Association founded in 1877 to maintain it as a site of historic interest. In its museum are reconstructed models of Count Rumford’s scientific experiments and inventions. A copy of a portrait of Count Rumford by Gainsborough is on display. The house also has a library of Rumford biographies and essays. It is open weekend afternoons 1 - 4:30PM. Admission is free.[3]
See also
- Loammi Baldwin, childhood friend of Benjamin Thompson
- Rumford fireplace
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-13. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html.
- ^ Genealogy Life Story of Benjamin Thompson Jr. - Livshistorie af Benjamin Thompson Jr
- ^ The Life and Legend of Count Rumford
External links
- Official Count Rumford website
- Biography of Benjamin Thompson (Jr.)
- Life and Legend of Count Rumford
- Woburn Historical Society: 14 min Film on Rumford's Theory of Heat
U.S. National Register of Historic Places Topics Lists by states Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • WyomingLists by territories Lists by associated states Other Categories:- Woburn, Massachusetts
- National Historic Landmarks in Massachusetts
- Historic house museums in Massachusetts
- Science museums in Massachusetts
- Biographical museums in Massachusetts
- Museums in Middlesex County, Massachusetts
- Houses in Middlesex County, Massachusetts
- Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
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