Owners:
1892: Levi Bean owned the property in 1892 and is listed on the 1892 map.
1858: Mrs. A. Bean owned the property at the time of the Merrimack County Map.
2019: Roger & Martha Heath owned the property at the time of the printing.
Location: 155 Old Turnpike Road
Tax Map Reference: 244-1
Type: Colonial
Built: c.1792 by Joseph Bean Esq.
This was the second house built by Joseph Bean, Esq, the first one being on South Road, now Franklin Road was moved from Calef Hill, as noted in this book on page 78. After the completion of this house, Joseph, Esq., gave the South Road house, now Franklin Road, to his son Amos. In previous printings of this book, it was stated, “This was the second house built by Joseph Bean, the first being on Calef Hill, taken down, moved to this house site, and rebuilt with large additions”. This was incorrect, as explained on page 78 of this book.
His son, Levi, built an addition and ran a hotel. A succession of two Levi’s kept the home in the family until after they died in 1904, when their heirs sold the property to Able Colby. It has had several owners since then.
Its present appearance testifies to its age. Although some changes inside have been made, it still
has six fireplaces, four downstairs, two upstairs. Wide pine floorboards with a peculiar knit nine pattern in the kitchen, original glass in twelve-over-twelve windows, gunstock corners, Indian shutters in two rooms downstairs, a large master keeping room, and bull’s eye glass in the windows over the front door are the features that speak to its antiquity.
One striking feature of this house is the very high ceilings, considering the early period of the house. They would have been about 8’6” from the floor if they still existed; however, they were replaced by exposed beams fashionable in the American Revival period.
Owners:
1792 Esq. Joseph Bean
1804 Levi Bean
1814 Levi Bean, Jr.
1855 Levi Bean
1904 Able Colby (Adm.. Levi Bean Est.)
1904 Elinus Elliott
1915 Clifton and Hazel Dunlap
1922 Leston and Florence Cook
1967 Omer and Louise Lassond
1972 Charles Alexander
1995 Roger and Martha Heath