Noah Cooke House


The Noah Cooke House is a historic house on Daniels Hill Road in Keene, New Hampshire. Built in 1791, this saltbox colonial is one of Keene's oldest surviving buildings, and a good example of Georgian residential architecture. The house was originally located on Main Street, but was moved to its present rural setting in 1973. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

Description and history

The Noah Cooke House stands in a remote and wooded area of western Keene, on the north side of Daniels Hill Road. It is a 2-1/2 story wood frame structure, with a gabled roof, central chimney, and clapboarded exterior. Its main facade is five bays wide, with sash windows arranged symmetrically around a center entrance. The entrance is framed by simple moulding and topped by a transom window and cornice. The interior retains many period finishes, including paneled fireplace surrounds, plaster wainscoting, and a winding front staircase.
The house was built in 1791, although it is connected to an ell of older construction, appearing to date to c. 1770. Originally located on Main Street, it was built for Noah Cooke, a prominent local lawyer who served as town clerk and underwrote the town's first fire company. It was purchased in 1906 by Horatio Colony, a prominent local businessman, and remained in his family until 1966. Threatened with demolition, it was moved to its present site in October 1973.