Exterior
Historic New England acquired the Merwin House in 1966, shortly after the death of Marie Vipont deRiviere Doane Merwin (known as Vipont). She wanted the c. 1825 house to be preserved as a museum, “as an example of an American culture which is fast becoming extinct.” At the time of construction and for the first half of the nineteenth century, it resembled typical late Federal-style homes with a fanlight over the central doorway and a central hall flanked by four rooms on each floor. William and Elizabeth Doane purchased the house in 1875 as a summer retreat. The Doanes added a Shingle-style addition to the original structure, nearly doubling the size of the home. They also significantly renovated the interior so that the simple Federal-style floor plan was no longer recognizable.
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