woburn-street_0036 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

" APCH17-ECI'URAL SIGNIFICANCE (Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the community.) Set on a brick foundation near many mid-nineteenth century workers cottages and small houses, this house has lost most of its exterior finishes and might, except for its profile, appear to date from the same period as its neighbors. A few remaining interior finishes, however, are Federal in character: the narrow three-run stair; the wide board dado; and the Federal fireplace with a molded, mitered surround and a broad frieze with lateral panels. The house is currently being renovated and the doorway has recently been changed: a hood with brackets has been removed and new Federalesque pilasters added on either side of the door. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community.) This house originally stood on the farm of Deacon' James Brown, which was located on the east side of Massachusetts Avenue at the intersection of Marrett Road. It may be the house described as originally being two stories, unfinished inside, framed with oak, and having diamond-shaped window glass, but if so, nothing about the house now would indicate a seventeenth or early eighteenth century core consistent with these features. About 1830 it was remodeled, Bryant states, and moved to the front of the Nunn estate, then located in the fork between Massachusetts Avenue and Marrett Road on the property now occupied by the Museum of Our National Heritage. Sometime between that year and 1876 it was moved to Woburn Street, for it is shown in its present location on the 1876 map. In that year and on subsequent maps it was owned by someone named Davis who is not listed in any of the Directories, so he was presumably a nonresident landlord and the house was occupied by tenants. Moved: (1) from Deacon James Brown farm (east side of Massachusetts Avenue at Marrett Road) to Nunn estate (fork of Massachusetts Avenue and Marrett Road) (1830) ; (2) from Nunn estate to this site (before 1675) BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES (name of publication, author, date and publisher) Bryant, Albert W. "Lexington Sixty Years Ago," 1890. Proceedings of the Lexington Historical Society, Volume II, pp. 47-48. Lexington: Lexington Historical Society, 1900. Worthen, Edwin. Notes Made in 1941-1942. No. 57, Worthen Collection, Cary Memorial Library, Lexington, Massachusetts. 1876 map 1889 map 1898 map 1906 map 10x1 - 7/82