INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET LEXINGTON 55 FARMCREST AVE.
<br /> MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
<br /> 220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD,BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125
<br /> 2220
<br /> Barry E. Supply, a professor, and his wife Sonia lived at 55 Farmcrest Avenue in 1960, moving here from Cambridge in 1959.
<br /> By 1965, the house was occupied by Edward M. Gaposchkin, described as a scientist, and his wife, Anne. The Goposchkin
<br /> family remained at this property at least through 1975.
<br /> Farmcrest Avenue is part of a cohesive, early 20th century subdivision created from the former Valley Field Farm, which was
<br /> owned by Francis Paul Kendall. Descendant of a family that had settled in Lexington by the early 18th century, Francis Kendall
<br /> (1854-1912)was married to Frances Aline Webber McGinness (b. 1868)of Missouri. Valley Field Farm occupied the entire area
<br /> bounded by Marrett and Stedman roads on the north and east and Allen and Waltham streets on the south and west.
<br /> New transportation systems established in the early 20th century opened up large areas of rural land in Lexington for residential
<br /> and commercial development. Street railway service began in Lexington in 1900, replaced by bus lines in 1924). Two state
<br /> roadways were designated in the town, including Marrett and Middle streets as the Route 2A bypass in the 1920s, and parts of
<br /> Mass. Ave., Woburn Street, and Waltham Street as components of an early Route 128 in the 1920s and 30s. By 1921, 35 new
<br /> residential subdivisions were being developed in Lexington. Small commercial centers were established to service the
<br /> expanding population at various cross roads, including what was known as Grape Vine Corner at the intersection of Waltham
<br /> Street and Marrett Road, near the western end of Farmcrest Avenue.
<br /> Known as "Farmhurst,"the subdivision encompassing Farmcrest Avenue was developed by Neil McIntosh, a Lexington resident
<br /> who was active in Lexington,Wellesley, and Arlington. McIntosh's properties comprised more than 500 acres throughout
<br /> Lexington, including Farmhurst, Fair Oaks (just to the north across Marrett Road), the Cary estate, and the Prospect Hill Road
<br /> area.
<br /> In the 1930 federal census, the first to represent Farmcrest Avenue, residents of the street worked in a diverse array of
<br /> occupations: in addition to Mr. Remick, the coal dealer at#55, there were a college professor, dentist, owner of a radio service
<br /> business, plumber, landscaper on a farm, and several salesmen (for furniture, automobiles, printing office supplies, and tea).
<br /> Reflecting the rapid popularity of the automobile, in 1927, of the approximately 37 parcels laid out on Farmcrest Avenue, 23
<br /> were occupied by new houses and more than half of them (13) also had garages.
<br /> BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES
<br /> Historic maps and atlases: Stadly 1898; Walker 1906; Sanborn 1908, 1918, 1927, 1927/1930, 1935, 1935/1950
<br /> Hudson, Charles. History of the Town of Lexington. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1913.
<br /> Lexington Historical Commission website. "Period Summaries: Suburbanization (1870-1915)" and "Early Modern Period (1915-
<br /> 1940)". historicsurvey.lexingtonma.gov . Accessed 6 May 2015.
<br /> Massachusetts Historical Commission. "MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report; Lexington." 1980.
<br /> Town of Lexington directories, 1916, 1918, 1921, 1922, 1924, 1930, 1940, 1950, 1960, 1965.
<br /> U.S. Census, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.
<br /> Continuation sheet 2
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