Benjamin Thompson House-Count Rumford Birthplace

Rumford, Count, Birthplace
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
Benjamin Thompson House, Woburn, Massachusetts
Location:	90 Elm St., Woburn, Massachusetts
Coordinates:	42°28′45″N 71°8′50″W
Built:	1753
Governing body:	Private
NRHP Reference#:	75001942
Designated NHL:	May 15, 1975

Benjamin Thompson's cradle, exhibited within the house

The 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.

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.

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.

See also

• Loammi Baldwin, childhood friend of Benjamin Thompson
• Rumford fireplace

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