HomeMy WebLinkAboutmarrett-road_0008 AREA FORM NO.
FORM B — BUILDING 515
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
294 WASHINGTON STREET, BOSTON, MA 02108
n Lexington
cess 8 Marrett Road
toric Name Josiah Bryant House
1{
elk. ■® Present residential
4
Original residential
e tom . ;
iESCRIPTION:
e c. 1805
Proceedings of the Lexington
.source Historical Society, II, p. 49
SKETCH MAP
Show property's location in relation Style Federal
to nearest cross streets and/or
geographical features. Indicate Architect
all buildings between inventoried
property and nearest intersection. Exterior wall fabric clapboards
Indicate north.
Outbuildings
Major alterations (with dates) ell added
�qsr, rnA-R-R
(first half of the nineteenth century)
-¢vim between 1898
Moved back from street Date and 1906
Approx. acreage 4.8500 ft.2
Recorded by Anne Grady Setting Set back from busy residential
Organization Lexington Historical Commission street; surrounded by twentieth century
Date April, 1984 houses; across the street from the Museum
of our National Heritage.
(Staple additional sheets here)
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (Describe important architectural features and
evaluate in terms of other buildings within the community.)
This is one of the earliest of the five-bay-wide, one-room-deep with rear
chimneys houses to survive in East Lexington. The building type, which invari-
ably retains the small stair hall with three-run stairs opposite the entrance
door found in Second Period center chimney houses, was built by the dozens in
East Lexington during the economic boom in the first third of the nineteenth
century.
(see Continuation Sheet)
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (Explain the role owners played in local or state
history and how the building relates to the development of the community.)
The house was built by Josiah Bryant, who came to Lexington about 1800
and was a blacksmith here for 35 years. Bryant gave music lessons on the fife
and clarionet and played for military companies. His son, Albert W. Bryant,
who was a poultry raiser, lived in the house until 1902. A.W. Bryant was a
selectman, assessor, town clerk for 25 years, justice of the peace and member
of the school committee. Bryant was one of the leaders of the "old guard"
from whom control of town government was wrested by newcomers in the 1890s.
Also active in the historical society, Bryant wrote an article entitled
"Lexington Sixty Years Ago" for the Proceedings of the Lexington Historical
Society.
BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES (name of publication, author, date and publisher)
Bryant, Albert W. "Lexington Sixty Years Ago." Proceedings of the Lexington
Historical Society, Volume II, p. 49. Lexington: Lexington Historical
Society, 1900.
Hudson, Charles. History of the Town of Lexington, reivsed and continued to
1912 by the Lexington Historical Society, Volume II, p. 73. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin Company, 1913.
Schwemmer, Yvonne. Notes following examination of the building, 1976.
Lexington Historical Commission files.
Worthen, Edwin B. A Calendar History of Lexington, Massachusetts 1620-1946.
Lexington: Lexington Savings Bank, 1946.
10M - 7/82
INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Cammunity: Form No:
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL CUM SSION Lexington 515
Office of the Secretary, Boston
Property Name: 8 Marrett Road
Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below.
- ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
The building exhibits a semicircular fanlight at the entrance door on the
east side. The fanlight is so placed that its height exceeds that of the first
floor ceiling, a solution to which rural carpenters of the period occasionally
resorted when ceiling heights would not accommodate a full fanlight on the first
level.
The house retains Federal trim in the easternmost rooms: on the staircase,
a balustrade with twisted balusters, mahogany newel posts and handrail, and
scrolled, cut out decoration on the step ends; in the downstairs rooms, mantel-
pieces with Adamesque floral garlands on the friezes, plain dado with molded cap
and molded cornices. Finishes in the upstairs rooms are simpler versions of
Federal trim.
The ell appears to have been constructed in the first half of the nineteenth
century. Between 1898 and 1906, the atlases indicate the house was moved back on
the lot.
Staple to Inventory form at bottom
INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Town Property Address
LEXINGTON 8 MARRETT ROAD
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
MASSACHUSETTS ARCHIVES BUILDING
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD 515
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02125
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
According to the present owner(Charles Schock),the ell that was added to the rear(west)of the main house may have
been an older, small center chimney house that was moved there. There is a section between the original house and this
addition which was added later,perhaps around 1900.
Mr. Schock also notes that the house is now shingled over the original clapboards. Mr. Schock had a small addition
constructed on the north (street) side. Also regarding the description of the fanlight in the previous form: "The fan light
is not higher than the ceiling though the trim around the light is"cut in half'at the ceiling".
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Schock, Charles (present owner). Information on history of house, Sept. 2007.
Supplement prepared by:
Lisa Mausolf
July 2009