HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-11-05 JM BOS- HDC Packet - Released JOINT MEETING Board of Selectmen and Historic Districts
Commission
Monday, November 5, 2018
Town Office Building, 1625 Mass Ave. Selectmen's Meeting Room
7:15 PM
AGENDA
ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL,CONSIDERATION
1, 2018 STM-1 Discussion Article 5 Appropriate for Hosmer House Reuse Study 7:15 p.m.
(45 min.)
ADJOURN
1, Anticipated Adjournment 8:00 P,m
Hcarirkff Assistance Deviccw Available on Rcqucwt
All agenda time and the otdcr of itcrns are appim imatc and A1a
subject to charkffe. Recorded by LexMedia
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
JOINT MEETING
AGENDA ITEM TITLE:
2018 SI'M-1 Discussion Article 5 Appropriate for Hosmer House Reuse Study (45 min.)
PRESENTER: ITEM
NUMBER:
Board Discussion LI
SUMMARY-
In preparation for STM-I, discussion with historic Districts Commission regarding the Ilosmer [louse and its
relocation due to proximity to the anticipated renovated Police Station,
SUGGESTED MOTION:
FOLLOW-UP:
DATE AND APPROXIMATE TIME ON AGENDA:
11/5/2018 7:15 p.m.
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
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FORM l3 - BUILDING In Area no, Form no,
I\iASSAC HU ETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION A. 4
Office of the Secretary, State House, Boston
Lexington
,d•
3s _ _1557 Mass. Avenue
Barnes proerty'°}
[it use School Admin. Building
gan �xpt ,.
-..-
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3 pie f nt owner Town of Lexington
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C. 1845
MEa
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a arse d Worthen's notes (LHS )
« Greek Revival
4. Map. 1.)raw t)mvt,%;xx �tect
in relation to nearest cross streets and
other buildings. Indicate north® Exterior wall fabric Clapboard
fr Outbuildings (decrikre)_
11111-4
iOther features E° o f 0 i
(one, also on addition in rear, making three)
s � Three additions - one rear; one an ell to
over
Altered Bate
Moved Date
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f rI n� K n
i .,, m.=, , ,.. .. .. ....... .. One acre or less Over one acre x
Approximate frontage 163'
Approximate distance of building from. street
60'
O NOT WHITE IN THIS SPACE 6® Recorded bar !uth Beebe
USGS Quadrant
Organization Lexington Historical Commission
MIMIC Photo no.
Date Oct® 14, 1975
- (over)
qM-9-75-XO61465 (20M-2476)
7. Original owner (if known)
Original use
Subsequent uses (if any) and dates—1937 - Bought by To for School Administration Bldg.
8. Themes (check as any as applicable)
Aboriginal Conservation Recreation
Agricultural Education Religion
Architectural Exploration/ Science/
The Arts settlement invention
Commerce Industry Social/
Communication Military humanitarian
Community development Political rransportation
9. Historical significance (include explanation of themes checked above)
Other features (cont.) that & attached garage -closed pediment gables either end-
h�e _cornice_- heavy paneled pilasters at corners - front door on gable end, to the
right - side lights posts & lintel doorway - granite & brick foundation.
According to the reminiscences of Mrs. Chas. C. Goodwin, William Hosmer
built this house (no date given, no information on Hosmer's background) .
On the 1889 map, a "Dr. Livermore" is living here (no background informa-
tion on him) .
At one time, the Putnam family lived here, and, of course, in the 1930s,
1940s, it was the homes of Dr. William S. Barnes, who first came to Lexington
in 1-906, but not to this location.
(Source: Lexington Historical Society)
S. Lawrence Whipple, 1984
10, Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records,
early maps, etc.)
LHS - Lexington Historical Society Archives.
FORM - -BUILDING n ,Area no. Form no
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
rim_ aL r C a�arorora4a Rr of ntp T4nmqp, o aton
Co n Lerxingtora
i
kddress sachusetts Ave.
,4a,me Public School Administration
01 Bldg
_....,. h present use—sebool dept. offices
,.
It present owner Town of Lexington
hate mid-19th c.
Source— conjecture
Style Greek Revival
. Map. Draw sketch of building location Architect
in relation to nearest crass streets and
rather buildings. an.dicate north. Exterior wall fabric clapboard
Outbuildings (describe) small attached
,p
Other features
it rear L.
-8 y aide L connectsto carriage �
house.
vellb
Altered by verandah Datesee photos
��, ... Moved hate
5. Lot size:
One acre or less Over one acre
2001
Approximate frontage
Approximate distance of building from street
100,
6. Recorded b __ Harriet it
Organization MAPC
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]sate8/1/78
hover),
37M-7-77
7. Original owner (if known) possibly Putney familyti
Original use dwelling
Subsequent uses (if any) and dates doctor' 9 office, medical clinic, school off ices
8. Themes (check as any as applicable)
Aboriginal Conservation Recreation
Agricultural Education Religion
Architectural Exploration/ Science/
The Arts settlement invention
Commerce Industry Social/
Communication Military humanitarian
Community development Political Transportation
9a Historical significance (include explanation of themes checked above)
May have been Putney Homestead. Was formerly a doctor' s office, known
as the Barnes Property, During WW I served a s a hospital for victims
of the flu epidemic .
10. Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records,
early maps, etc.)
INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Community: Form No:
NIASSAa-RJSF17S HISTORICAL CCKII SSION Lexington
Office of the Secretary, Boston
Property Nam: Q ftocl Adminis. B1
M;=g.
Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below.
Other features .*
Wide corner boards* Fieldstone foundation clad with brick.
2-patial entrance door offset to right with sidelights*
interior--Shaped, plain window lintels, 2-panel doors, beautiful
stair with squat, typically Greek Ravival newel post. Parquet floors.
Marble fireplace mantels, one is an unusual deep, purple—red marble.
Arched hallway openings with Doric columns. High baseboards with
echinus moldings. In attic are several layers of print and stencilled
wallpaper.
kill
Vill
-man
2ta ttom
INVENTORY C; NTN UATION SHEET Town Property address
LEXINGTON ON 1557 MASS. AVE.
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION ISSION Area(s) Form No.
MASSACHUSETTS ARCHIVES HIVES BUILDING
220 MORRISSEY 13c7UIJEVARD � 4
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02125
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[Undated photograph of 1575 bass. Ave.
Dr. Barnes owned this house and used the eying as his office. The property was purchased by the'down of Lexington in
1937 and used as an office building. It was also housed the headquarters for the Sachem Council of the Boy Scouts. The
School Department has used the building as its headquarters since 1958.
Source: I{_elly, Beverly Alison. Lexington: A Century of7'hotographs. Ilexington historical Society, 1980,p. 65.
Supplement prepared by:
Lisa Mau
March 2009
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INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATIONSHEET 'Town Property Address
LEXINGTON 1557 MASS. AVE.
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
MASSACHUSETTS ARCHIVES BUILDING
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD 4
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02125
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
In the late 17th and 18t" century this land, including this building (known as the Barnes Building) and the present
Gary Memorial Building was owned by the Estabrook family. In April 1827, the "front lands" of the Estabrook
estate was sold to Hammond A. Hosmer, an"innholder" from Boston. Worthen believes he might have been
related to the Estabrook family.
On May 25, 1847, Hosmer sold to Abijah W. Farrar the site of the Cary Memorial Building. (Later called the
Plumer place.) Ilosmer apparently built/retained the house that is now 1557 Massachusetts Avenue and lived
here. Not much is known of Hammond Hosmer. Deed records indicate that he bought up several small farms in
the area, and would combine them into large homesteads and sell them off. He also owned one or two nearby
houses (Fogg House at the end of Hayes Lane, for example -- now demolished), where his hired hands
supposedly lived.
Hosmer died in 1854 and his wife, Susan, in 1865. Ownership then passed to their daughter, Susan D. Kenney.
In 1866 the property was sold by Susan Kenney to Isaac Wetherell, who sold it in 1871 for $5,500 to Nancy E.
Wentworth, wife of Otis Wentworth. Dr. Aaron H. Livermore purchased the property on February 20, 1889 and
died in 1896. After his death, his widow Lydia married Bradley Putney. In 1916 the house was sold by Mrs.
Putney's estate to Dr. William L. Barnes for $6,300.
William Lester Barnes was born at Providence, Rhode Island in 1878 and graduated from Harvard in 1900 and
from Harvard Medical School in 1904. Ile became a resident of Lexington in 1906. Dr. Barnes owned this
house and used the wing as his office for approximately twenty years. At some point the carriage house was
moved to the rear of 5 Winthrop Road.
Dr. Barnes died in September 1936. The following March, the Town appropriated $25,000 to purchase the
property and it was used for overflow Town offices. In 1950 the house was restored to some degree of historical
accuracy by the Town. Custance Brothers were the contractors. The front porch which had been added was
removed and new windows with small lights were installed on the front of the first floor.
Over the years, the Barnes Building also housed the headquarters for the Sachem Council of the Boy Scouts.
The School Department has used the building as its headquarters since 1958.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Doran, Sam. Information provided to Marilyn Fenollosa,November 2009.
Hudson, Charles. History of the Town of Lexington. Cambridge: The Riverside Press Co., 1913.
Kelly, Beverly Allison. Lexington: A Century of Photographs. Lexington Historical Society, 1980, p. 65.
Lexington Minute-man, July 27, 1950.
Worthen, Edwin B. Tracing the Past in Lexington, Massachusetts. New York: Vantage Press, Inc., 1998.
Supplement prepared by:
Lisa Mausolf
November 2009
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Hstorilc Structurert
IIIc IIIA o Ic i d A Hosrner House
Leklingtoin, Massachusetts
BH+A Project No.2991.00
"repared by: Bargmann Hendrie+Archetype, Inc.
300 A Street
Boston, MA 02210
617-350-0450
Prepared for: Town of Lexington
Department of Public Facilities
November 30,2010
gA2991._.lexingtcn._white._house._hsr\cdc\report\final report\9._white house hsr.cicc
Cover Photograph:"Hammond A.Hosmer House"circa 1918.Photograph from Lexington:A Century of Photographs by Beverly Allison
Kelly.(Massachusetts:Lexington Historical Society,1980)p.65.
Reference Appendix E Paint Analysis Results for color scheme of Victorian Era exterior paint.
pA2991 lexington white house hsr\doc\report\final report\O white house hsr.doc
TABLE OfCONTENTS
ExecutiveSummary.......................................................................................................................................................v
i Historic Analysis
11 Building History and Evolution ..............................................................................................................1
1.2 OhmnohgycdOwnership ---------------------------------------J
1.3 Identification of SignificanFeatures ---------------------------------12
U. Existing Conditions: Description and Assessment
21 Exterior ------------------------------------------------17
2.2 Interior ------------------------------------------------.41
2.3 Structure ..............................................................................................................................................S1
2.4 Code Compliance ................................................................................................................................S7
UiPrioritized Recommendations
81 PreaemadonPriorkiem ----------------------------------------.SS
IV.Overall Treatment Plan
41 Building Stabilization and Ultimate Treatment .................................................................................. 01
V. Bibliography .........................................................................................................................................................M5
APPEND|CES
A. Drawings
B. Selected Archive Photographs
C. Historic Sanborn Maps ofLexington
D. Notable Interiors Forms
E. Paint Analysis Results
F. Cost Estimate
ii
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p12991 lexington white house hsr\doc\report\final report\O white house hsr.doc
Executive Summary
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Hammond A. Hosmer House, 1557 Massachusetts Avenue in Lexington, MA is located at the easternmost end of the Battle
Groan Historic District and has a prominent position near the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Woburn Street, the
symbolic entrance to downtown Lexington. The building is adjacent to the Minuteman Bikeway,and an approximately 15 minute
walk from the Lexington Depot.
� ��l ,o!, iouoioimoioidr, �mmrr,u,�r�.
Photo 0-1 Aerial view of Hosmer Residence.(www.bing.com/maps)
Variously called the White House,the Schaal Administration Building,the Town Hall Annex,the Barnes Place and the Hammond
A. Hosmer House,the woad frame Greek Revival building was constructed in the 1840's as the residence of Hammond Hosmer,
a gentleman farmer. The changes in the physical form of the Hammond A. Hosmer House over time reflect the changes taking
place in the surrounding neighborhood. As Lexington became less rural in the 1910s and 1920s the building was expanded by
its owner to house offices in addition to a suburban residence. With the construction of the Cary Building, and the increasing
number of public buildings in the near vicinity in the 1920s and 1930s the building's location made it a goad candidate to hold
overflow Town offices when additional space was needed at the end of the 1930s. The building held Town offices until 2009.
Currently unoccupied, the building has been the subject of several planning studies, but a new use has yet to be determined.
The building suffers significantly from deferred maintenance, and will continue to deteriorate if some stabilization is not done
(Photos 0-2 and 0-3).
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Photo 0-2: Front view of Hosmer Residence in 2010. Photo 0-3:Original main entry to Rause.
V
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Historic Structure Report-The HammondA.Homnmdouse
Lexington,IMA
The Town of Lexington retained 8argmann Hendrie +Archetype. Inc. to investigate the building's history and physical condition
and produce a limited Historic Structure Report. The goal of the report is to identify the relative significance ofthe building and
its components, provide options for ways to retain portions of the building and not retain o1hers, and recommend both
a1abi|izadonacopeand |ong-termneak>nadonwmrkandne|a1edcoats. Per1heTown'anequeaLtheneportino|udea1hefoUowing:
m Building architectural history and evolution, including a chronology of alterations
m Comprehensive existing conditions assessment
m Prioritized recommendations for building envelope stabilization
m Identification of remaining significant and character-defining features throughout the building including exterior paint
color analysis
m Apriorkized overall treatment plan addressing the specific building needs including envelope stabilization
m Conceptual construction cost estimates associated with all recommended treatments
8argmann Hendrie +Archetype performed both archival research at various locations and on-site review in order todocument
the history of the building and its condition and provide the basis for establishing priorities and recommendations:
m Research included review of documents available at Town of Lexington facilities and well as regional facilities such as
the Boston Public Library.
m Field survey work included an inspection of all interior spaces and creation of a summary sheet for each space.
m The exterior survey included the limited use of a lift to access upper areas of the building for close inspection.
m Invasive investigations were limited to removals of finishes where materials were already damaged or where non-
historic finishes could be peeled back easily.
on'hiatoriofiniaheacou|dbepee|edbaokeaai|y.
m Retrieval of samples and select testing of exterior paint chips assisted in dating some components of the building.
m A review ofthe structure was included. No specialized meohanioa|, e|eotrioa|, plumbing or landscape consulting was
included inthe project scope.
The neau|1 of the research and investigations reveals that the building is composed of five interconnected pieces that were
constructed oraltered a1different times. The original 1D40abuilding consisted ofamain block(the southernmost portion,facing
Massachusetts Avenue),the attached north ell,the barn,and the connecting piece that is referred to as the'east ell'. The Barnes
Addition was added in 1S1G.and the east ell enlargement added inthe 1S80'a.
ADDITIONT,M (A7
BARNES
~ aARNEy
r*ELL AUUMON-
FIRST FLOOR
SECOND FLOOR
I'M 1840s 1916 0��1msom
��
���0�1m�mfabric mmuWV*6(n1m�w
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Figure i: Diagram ofbuilding evolution over time
The findings of the conditions assessment include a determination that a good deal of original 1D40ahistoric fabric remains and
has not been unduly compromised bysubsequent additions and alterations. The main block and barn are good candidates for
restoration. The north ell has been somewhat changed with some loss of historic material and the east ell has been altered to an
extent that little historic material remains.
Vi
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Executive Summary
While from a preservation perspective it would be ideal to retain and restore the entire bui|ding, particularly given that it is the
combination of parts that creates the connected farmhouse comp|ex, the reality is that other demands for this site may dictate
that that is not feasible. An approach that best serves the needs of the Town might be to retain only parts of the building and
incorporate those parts, together with a new larger addition, into a facility that better provides for needed functions. For this
reason the report identifies five 'acenarioa', ranging from full preservation,topartial demolition,k> more extensive demolition and
moving of the remaining building. The intent is that these give the Town an understanding of the possible ways to retain
components ofthe building, along with related short-term and long-term costs. Retaining and eventually restoring even parts of
the building would be preferable to losing it completely. For parts that are demolished, individual components could be salvaged
and reused,orrelocated somewhere for display.
The expectation is that the Town will select astabilization option and proceed with implementing that work. It should be noted
that the selection could be a variation on one of the stabilization acenarioa, or could be a combination of one stabilization
scenario and adi#enen1 long-range scenario. For example, a possible combination might be stabilizing the entire building now.
but later deciding to demolish the east ell and barn as part ofa long-range solution. Stabilizing this building will provide much-
needed protection of the remaining historic fabric against further deterioration until a more comprehensive renovation project is
uoh'neededpro1ectionof1henemaininghiak>riofabrioagaina1furtherdeterioradonund| amonecomprehenaivenenovadonpnojectia
possible.
Another advantage of doing stabilization work now is that the building is an eyesore in its current state. A stabilization project
would ino|ude, amongst other thinga, stripping of the painted clapboards and repainting. This would be an opportunity to
reintroduce the original paint colors, which included anoff-white body and white trim, with green shutters. This work would help
build momentum for retaining the building and incorporating a restoration into future work. The house across the street, of
similar age,a1one point owned by Hoamerand likely constructed bythe same builder aathe HoamerHouae. is representative of
howattroodveandwmU'aui1edabui|dingof1hiaageandaoa|eoanbeonMaaaaohuae8aAve.(Phok>04).
lip
Photo 04:1598Massachusetts Ave.restored across the street from no.1557.
Vii
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Historic Structure Report-The HammondA.Homnmdouse
Lexington,IMA
For each scenario,the stabilization scope includes the following:
m Demolition of the components not being retained for long term use,and related enclosure of openings where removals
are made. (An exception to this is Scenario 4,where due to the difficulty of removing the north ell and Barnes addition
structurally from the main b|ook, the scope includes deferring the demolition of those until the later work. This is in
order k>avoid duplicate effort a1this aneaj
m Rehabilitation ofexterior envelope items to prevent moisture infiltration and/or further deterioration. Wbrk, where it is
done,will beperformed inaway that isintended k>bepermanent repairs rather than short-term patches.
m Interior ventilation and other items to prevent interior deterioration. This includes fire detection.
m Coats are based on work being done in 2011.
For purposes of this report,the scope of long-range restoration scenarios assumes the following:
m The long-range construction project will occur some years from now, after use has been identified and funding is
made available. Long-range scopes are priced in 2011 dollars and will require escalation added and are-evaluation
before practical use.
m The internal layout will be relatively unohanged, and the a1mdune will not require supporting loads beyond a
residential-type use.
m All mechanical,electrical,plumbing and fire protection systems will be replaced with new,as part of a larger building.
m Interior finishes will berestored,aawill windows.
m The future restoration will include anaddition,with the elevator located inthe new part cdthe building.
m The exterior envelope will be addressed as part of the stabilization done in 2011, and items restored as part of
stabilization will not require additional work or re mova I/rep lace ment as part of the long-range scope.
m Coats include only the work on the existing bui|ding,not including the addition.
The following chart and diagrams identify the five scenarios and the components of the building that remain and are demolished
for each. The Stabilization and Long-Range costs also include the items listed above.
Scenario Sc e Stabilization" Long-range Restoration'
I Retain all coill onents No demolition $282,000 $667,000
2 Retain all exc t east ell* Demo east ell $358,000 $521,000
3 Retain main block, north ell and Demo east ell and $262,000 $443,000
- Barnes addition barn _�_325,000 Demo north ell and Barnes _T4_09,000
4 Retain main block and barn Demo east elll
addition
5 Retain only main block. Move to Demo east ell,barn, $294,000 Move remaining building $402,000
new location on site. north ell,and
J_ Barnes addition
'east ell',for purposes of these scope descriptions, includes east ell enlargement.
Costs are construction coats, including general conditions and design condngenoy,but nosoft costs orconstruction
contingency.
**^Long'nangecoatsaneon|yforwmrkperformeda1a |a1erdate.no1aoumu|advek>ta| ino|udingatabi|izadon.
Viii
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Executive Summary
FA$T FL
k n EAST F1d
ENLARGEMENT
Go/
BARNES /ADDITION �RARRE�x �ADDITIONL
EAST ELL
FIRST FLOOR FIRST FLOOR.
Scenario 1: Retain all components Scenario 2: Retain all except east ell
A. _---.
A
EAST r �.....yw NORTH i EAST ELL / /...
ENLARGEMENT ;w , ELL °, ENAROEMEtlNT
BARNES BARN "So°o"iiA
AnDITI N ADDITION
ESTELR ni
EASTELL A
Wio
FIRST FLOOR.
FIRSTFLOOR
Scenario 3: Retain main black,north ell and Barnes addition Scenario 4: Retain main black and barn.
Dema north ell and Barnes addition
as part of long range restoration
R EASTELL
y ENLARGEMENT 1
. � »� —_ • % 184,0s 1816 19300
BARNES � � u" BARN R //
ADDITION �"NORTRYA 5 R
A a;L R all, has fa6r'rc modified Grr 1930s ELL a IL EASTEkL R !✓
A A
Deterred Demolffimir
FIRST FLOOR
Scenario 5: Retain only main block. Move to new location
on site as part of long-range work.
X
p\2991_lexington_white_house_hsr\doc\report\final report\9_white house hsr.cloc
Historic Structure Report-The HammondA.Homnmdouse
Lexington,IMA
The Hammond A. Hoamer House is an excellent example of a New England connected farmhouse type of bui|ding, and
represents an early stage in the development of the Town of Lexington as it changed from a rural village to its present form. If
restored and reused,this building would be a suitable landmark for the entrance to downtown Lexington.
The next step is for the Town k>select a stabilization scenario and authorize the design team to develop that approach in more
detai|, including the preparation of schematic design through construction documents. The design cost relating to this effort
depends on the scope selected, but iaestimated to range from $80.000'$40.000.Abidding phase and construction would follow
once funding is available.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The successful completion ofthis report iadue to the assistance and support ofthe project bythe following individuals.
Town ofLexington
Frank Kern
Richard Brown
Patrick Goddard
Mark Barrett
Lexington Historical Society
Elaine Doran
BaqgmannHenoWe+Archetype
Deborah Robinson
A|ioia8venaon
Consultants:
Architectural Historian
Edward VV.Gordon, Public History Consulting
Structural Engineer
John Wa1hne.Structures North Consulting Engineers, Inc.
Historic Paint Consultant
Sara B.Chase, Preservation Consultant
Cost Estimator
Char|eaMo8rory. D.8.Jones&Partners, Inc.
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Historic A na/ysis
iHISTORic ANALYSIS
1.1 Building History and Evolution
Naming the"Hammond A, Hoome/House"
Hammond A. Hoamer, variously described as "inn holder ofBoston" (1820a) and later (early 1840a) as "yeoman of Lexington"
was the first owner-occupant of1557 Massachusetts Avenue. Tradidona||y, historic houses in Massachusetts and elsewhere in
the United States have derived their historic name from the original owner occupant of a house. In some cases, if later owners
played a significant role in the communi1y, a house is named after two or even three owners. 1557 Massachusetts Avenue's
second and third owners did not play particularly significant m|ea in the life of Lexington, Middlesex County or the
Commonwealth. The second owner, Isaac Wetherell only lived at 1557 Massachusetts for five-to-six years. The third owner,Otis
G.Wentworth lived here for almost twenty years,commuting to a work place in Boston where he was a mason and contractor.
Over time, 1557 Massachusetts Avenue has been called the Barnes P|ace, the School Administration Building and more
recently,the White House. Local people still refer to this building as the Barnes Place,despite the fact that Dr.William L. Barnes
has not lived there for three-quarters of a century. For the Barnes' name to live on in association with this house as late as the
early twenty-first century suggests that heevidently had a large impact on Lexington. Evidently he is remembered aaadoctor
who tended to the health of multiple generations of families. The fact that the doctor made a place in his home for service men
tonecoverhomwmundaaua1ainedduringWbr|dWar | aawmUaa8orvictimaof1he |a1e1S10aUupandemioa|aohaaeamedhim
an enduring place in local history. Despite the persistence of the Barnes name in the memories of the town's peop|e, his
association with 1557 Massachusetts Avenue is still too recent to reference in regards to this house's historic name.
In addition to the Barnes Place other names have been used to describe this property in recent years. From oa.1950 until
around 2000,the Town of Lexington housed their School Administration in this building. Indeed,the name School Administration
Building is another name that Lexingtoniana adU apply to number 1557. Beginning in 1987. the name White House was
frequently used k> identify this building aathe result ofthis name appearing inTown reports. White House iatoo recent and too
ambiguously generic a name k>apply k> this property. The best choice for a historic name would be the Hammond A. Hoamer
House.
Brief Structural Evolution ofthe Hammond A, Hoome/House:Mid-19mboMid-2Dmcenturies
The Hammond A. Hoamer House is awmod frame Greek Revival residence at 1557 Massachusetts Avenue on aaite within the
boundaries of the Central Business District of Lexington. Adjacent to the Town Buildings Complex, the White House is situated
just tothe east ofthe Police Station.
The Hammond A. HoamerHouse encompasses six structural components. Atleast two ofthe six components date k>ca. 1D45'
1D4G. the year the house's construction. The mid'1840a structural components include: the main block (Rooms 101'104. 201-
204 and 301-303 and the north ell (Rooms 105, 109, 110A and 110B,205, 208,209 and 211).
01204and801'808and1henortheU (Rooma105. 10S. 110Aand1108.205. 20D.20Sand211). |fthe east ell (the first floor, 118
on|y)andthebam (Rooma121. 122and21G)wmneno1buikduringthemid'1D40a.theywmneprobablyextan1by1D50]udgingby
the design and hardware of the east ell's main entrance and structural evidence in the barn's attic.
The two remaining structural components of the building include the expanded north ell or Barnes addition of o1920 (Rooms
10G. 107. 10D. 111. 112. 20Gand 207)aawell aathe enlargement ofthe east ell which was accomplished by1S85 -apparently
a1the behest ofDr.William LBarnes. Theexpandedeaa1eUencompaaaeaRooma117'120whiohane |ooa1edonthenorthaide
ofthe original hall(Room 118)aawell aathe entire second story(Rooms 212'215). The first floor rooms,although housed within
the original, oamid'to'|ate 1840a segment of the east eU, may be essentially considered part of the ca. early-to-mid 1980a
expansion. Best evidence suggests that when the original room configuration of the east ell's first story was altered,the original
south fagade's fenestration was re-configured accordingly. The expansion of the east ell resulted in a uniformity of finishes and
elements throughout its interiors and eliminated virtually all ofthe mid 1D40adetails ofRooms 118'116. Conventional wisdom
would suggest that the east ell expansion occurred after the Town acquired title to the property in early 1988 but the Sanborn
Insurance Atlas of1S85(see Figure D'5 inAppendix D)suggests that these changes were realized during the late Barnes period
ofthe ear|y-to'mid1S80a.
p�\2991Jexingmnwhite house hyhdoc\mpox\fina|mpmN_historic bamkgmund.doo
Historic Structure(Report- The Irlammond A.Irlosmer blouse
Lexington,IMA
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da,xinVoir Pfirwricat Society
Photo 1.1-1:The Hammond A.Hasmer House,suburban residence of Dr.W.L.Barnes,circa 1918.
r
V
Photo 1.1-2:The Hammond A.Hasmer House today. From left to right are the main black,north ell,east ell(as enlarged)and barn.
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Historic Analysis
ka -aa
Photo 1.1-3:The rear(north)elevation of the Hammond A.Hosmer House today. Visible from left to right is the back of the barn,east ell(as
enlarged by the Town of Lexington),north ell gable end and Barnes addition.
Probable Original Room Use of Hammond A.Hosmer House Structural Components
The original use of the interior spaces located within the Hammond A. Hosmer House's structural components is informed by the
knowledge of floor plans of fairly substantial Greek Revival residences of the same vintage. The location of roams in relation to
hallways as well as their proportions and the presence of plain and formal elements are features that assist in determining
original use. Primary sources such as 'Thomas Hubka's Big House, Back House, Little House, Barn (Hanover N.H.: University
Press of New England, 1984). shed light on haw houses of this type were operated as machines for living (and working). The
structural component that corresponds to Hubka's "Big House" is the southern-mast two-story structural component (the main
block). According to Hubka, "the big house is the symbol of the home and the focus of domestic pride on the New England
connected farm. During the nineteenth century, the roams of the big house were not used as extensively as those in the
adjoining little house(or kitchen),which was the working center for the farm family."
The"Little House" Hubka observes"contains the kitchen area in a connected building complex.While it is passible to list specific
house types for the big house (center-hall, side-hall, etc), the little house is not so easily classified because the mixture of
buildings and parts of buildings is so diverse." Obviously, the "little house" at 1557 Massachusetts Avenue is the two story
structural component located on the north side of the main black or"big house". That the Hammond A. Hosmer House's "little
house"(the north ell) is integral to the building's mid-1840s construction is borne out by elements that are identical to those found
in the main black such as base boards, door surrounds, and a classicized mantel piece that is visible beneath the dining room's
later mantel piece. Hubka nates that the "little house" usually resembles a less ornate miniature of the big house, hence the
name. The kitchen in an ell attached to the "big house" is a fundamental component of the connected farm building plan and is
distinctly different from the earlier colonial practice of placing the kitchen within the big house."
Hubka states that "The back house while not as glamorous as the big house or as dominant as the barn, was actually an
important unit in daily operation of the connected farm, and its function is critical to understanding the popularity of connected
farm architecture." Although Hubka's examples of connected farm houses tend to be located in very rural parts of New England
with many acres of land under cultivation, the Hammond A. Hosmer House, on its comparatively small lot nevertheless fits the
definition of a connected house, with the original one-story east ell serving the function of the "back house". The farms Hubka
describes had back houses that "in combination with the kitchen was a small-scale farm production center of agricultural and
industry products for home consumption and commercial sale." Hammond A. Hosmer,the house's original owner, may not have
used his "back house"as intensively as a farmer whose livelihood depended primarily on what could be harvested from the soil.
It is not known haw Hosmer used the three of four roams of his back house (with the exception of a foyer and hall). The original
roam configuration of Hosmer's"back house"or east ell were re-configured during the 1920s or early 1930s to accommodate Dr.
William L. Barnes' medical practice. Nevertheless, the original uses of the "back house" roams conformed to roam uses
described by Hubka. The passibility remains that the roams of the east ell closest to the kitchen were originally used as a dairy
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Historic Structure Report-The HammondA.Homnmdouse
Lexington,IMA
or milk mom. buttery, |aundry,wmrkahop, canning mom or as a general kitchen storage area. Hubka explains that"the areas of
the back house closest to the major barn were frequently the wagon or carriage shed and the privy, but also might serve as a
tool shed,barn,garage,small animal barn,workshop,home-industry shop or barn storage area."
The eaa1em'moa1a1mctuna| component at 1557 Massachusetts Avenue is a barn that was |ike|ybui|1a1approximately the same
time as the main house. Hubka notes that "A major barn usually terminates the connected building complex. In the most
common type of connected farm, the house and barn appear roughly equal in size and importance. The form of the ubiquitous
New England barn with its door inthe gable end has remained practically unchanged since its introduction inthe early 1800a.^
The fenestration of the Hammond A. Hosmer House's barn's main fagade has been drastically altered by the replacement of the
barn doors with asolid wall and narrow windows while access is provided by a standard size door located to the east of the barn
doom original location. Similarly, little evidence remains to suggest how the first story and attic of the barn was used although
logic dictates the first story's floor could accommodate a horse-drawn carriage while the attic presumably contained a hay loft.
8e1 forth below is a Uoopby-floor, structural component-by-structural component overview of probable original mom use over
time.
Main Block:First Floor Interiors
Located on the south aide of the oa1845'1846 main block's principal stair hall (Room 104). Rooms 101 and 102 undoubtedly
originally served as a double parlor. Both rooms exhibit identical mid'1840a baaeboarda, pedimented door and window
surrounds as well as wooden cornice moldings. A key feature that substantiates the use of these rooms as parlors is a wide
opening a1the west/east wall of Rooms 101 and 102. respectively. Set off bya molded and pedimen1ed surround, the doors of
this feature are no longer intact. Abriok. oa1910a Craftsman style mantel piece has replaced the original wooden o|aaaioized
mantel piece inthe east parlor(Room 101). but the west parlor(Room 102) retains its original ebonizedwmoden mantel piece.
Although the parlors' floors are covered with modem wmU-tn+maU oaqpedng, a section of match board floor with a narrow
horizontal parquet border of dark wood is in evidence on the north side of the room. Located onthe north side ofthe west parlor
and a1the heart ofthe main stair hall,the small room numbered 108may have originally served aaagentleman's home office or
library. Interestingly, the north wall of this room does not have a baseboard although the corresponding room on the floor above
(Room 208)adU retains this mid'1D40afeature.Apparently the missing baseboard can be explained by the fact that when a new
kitchen was added after 1916 (Room 106). the original north wall of 108 was removed to provide more square footage for the
kitchen. Room 108'a north wall was reinstated after the Town of Lexington acquired the property for the purposes of offices
sometime after 1S8D.
The basement(Room 301) is a large space enclosed by the fieldstone and granite foundation walls that extends below the main
block and north ell. The area below the main block contains brick piers k>support for the floor above that likely date to the mid-
1840s. There are also additional structural supports in the form of steel |aUy columns that were later additions to the apace,
which may date either to the Barnes era (perhaps when the ma1ohboard parquet floors and Craftsman-style fireplace were
installed) or which may have been installed by the Town of Lexington to increase the load bearing capacity of the floors to
accommodate desks and other office equipment.
It appears that the basement window openings in the portion of the basement below the main block date to the mid-1840s as the
granite blocks at the exterior of the foundation wall do not seem to have been cut away for window installation.
Main Block:Second Story Interiors
The interior plan of the main block's second story rooms echoes that of the first story. The upper stair hall (Room 204) provides
access to the east and west bedrooms(Rooms 201 and 202)whose location corresponds with the front and back parlors below.
Aama|| room1ha1mayhaveorigina||ybeenuaedaaadreaaingmomorohi|d'amom (Room208) ia |ooa1eda11heheadof1he
upper stair hall and has direct access to Room202.Theuppera1airha||a|aoprovideaaoceaato1heNorthE||'acenterha||(Room
210). |naddition,anenclosed stairway located onthe north side ofRoom 201 leads tothe attic's three rooms. Located a1the top
of these stairs is a small center hall (Room 801) with flanking east and west rooms (Rooms 802 and 808) that may have
originally served as storage space or as the living quarters of servants. The existence of several layers of nineteenth and early
20th century wallpaper suggests that these rooms were used for domestic purposes rather than storage space.
North Ell, First Floor Interiors
That Room 105 was probably used originally aaa dining mom is based on its location next to the main block's principal stair hall
(Room 104) aawell aa its proximity 1othe room that probably served aathe original kitchen (Room 109). During the nineteenth
century dining rooms were among a residence's public rooms that needed to be updated from time-to-time to demonstrate
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Historic A narysis
knowledge of current interior design trends. That Room 105 conveys owner concern for up-to-date style is manifested in the
arched faux marble wooden mantle that was superimposed over the original Greek Revival mantle at some point during the
1860a or early 1870a. The wood components of the mid 1840a mantle are adU visible on either aide of the present mantle's
arched opening. The brick wall visible within the mantle's opening exhibits small square iron plate that is ornamented with a
raised encircling vine motif. This plate covers the opening of a pipe that lead to a coal-burning stove that provided heat for this
mom during the late nineteenth century. More difficult todate and explain iathe somewhat awkwardly fashioned arched niche to
the left of the mantle that may have been added to accommodate a display of porcelain.
The aforementioned original kitchen (Room 109) is devoid of evidence of a fireplace or stove.A fireplace or stove was probably
located at the wall shared with the dining room -the removal of a modern peg board panel might reveal the outline of a mantel
piece orcircular stove pipe attachment. The most compelling evidence that this interior was the old kitchen lies in the multi-
shelved o|oae1 near the room's northeastern comer; a feature that indicates origins in the mid'1840a and use as a pantry. 8dU
extant is this pantry/closet's sliding pocket door whose hardware appears to date to the mid nineteenth century. On the west
side ofthe old kitchen are three utilitarian interiors that represent the western-most extent ofthe mid 1D40anorth ell, including:
Room 110 (the no'|ongeraoceaaib|e back stairs) and aamaU closet under the stairs (Room 110A). On the south side ofthe
closet iaRoom I I OB,a small entry way containing a short flight of spiral stairs. On the south wall of the original back entry is the
baaemen1doorwhi|e1hewea1wmUpoaaeaaeatheentrancek>theoa1S20baoken1nancehaUof1he8ameaaddidon.
Dr. William L Barnes expanded the north ell at its northwest comer around 1920. Indeed, Dr. Barnes acquired title to the
property in 1916,after ten years as a tenant renting physician's office space in the rooms of the east ell.Apparently, his decade-
long tenancy gave him time to consider future alterations once he became the house's owner. Around 1920. the doctor
proceeded to make changes that allowed him greater flexibility for the purposes of his domestic as well as professional life. For
example,the old kitchen (Room 10S)apparently became an extension of his office suite that was housed in the east ell. He built
anew kitchen (Room 10G) onthe west side ofthe dining room (Room 105)along with abath room and ante room (Rooms 107
and 108)that are located on the north side of the new kitchen. The new kitchen replaced a shed-like structure that was extant by
1908. In addition to converting the old kitchen (Room 109) into a mom within his expanded medical suite he added a new
entrance hall (Room 111) that provided more discrete access k> his offices a1the back ofthe building. Healso added asmall
room(Room 112)of undetermined purpose on the west side of the new entrance hall.
The portion of the basement below the north ell consists of rectangular area that is contiguous with the area below the main
block (Room 801) and a aide chamber that extends below a portion of the Barnes addition (Room 802). There is a rubble
fieldstone wall at the north aide of Room 801 that corresponds with the south wall of Room 109 (the original kitchen) above. It
was not possible to determine if the basement space continued on the opposite side of the wall,so the original kitchen may have
been constructed without a basement. Room B02 consists of a tall space at the east side of the room that corresponds with the
foo1prin1oftheahedbui|dingahowna11hia |ooadonon1he1S08'1S1D8anbommapa(FiguneaC'1 -{-5inAppendixC). A4''5^
deep fieldstone rubble ledge extends from the end of this footprint to the exterior west wall and windows at approximately grade
level. Apparently when adding his addition in the 1920s Dr. Barnes did not feel the need to dig out this portion of the basement.
Unlike the rest ofthe basement Room 802appears tohave once been afinished work space aathere iaevidence ofplaster a1
the brick walls and the ceiling is closed in with wood paneling. A soap stone sink is installed at the north end of Room B02 that is
likely part ofthe 1S20aalterations.
North Ell, Second Story Interiors
Rooma205and20S.on1heeaa1aideof1heha||.apparendyorigina||yaemedaabedmomaconneo1edbyacorridor(Room210).
A small passageway that connected Rooms 205 and 209 was divided in half to provide closet space for the later Town offices--a
change that occurred a1some point after 1S8D. Around 1S20. aathe result ofthe construction ofthe Barnes addition, the west
wall of the north ell's hall became an interior rather than an exterior wall. This hall's west wall was subsequently pierced by two
sets of double doors. The southernmost set opens into a closet numbered 206. Probably used to store linens,this closet boasts
handsome tong ue-and-g roove interior woodwork. The northernmost pair of doors are multi-pane French doors that open into the
house's largest room that was apparently used by Dr. Barnes as a library/conservatory (Room 207). The presence ofbuilt-in
book cases at the south wall is an obvious feature that indicates the room's original use as a library while the three banks of
windows promote a conservatory orsolarium-like effect. The room's handsome tongue and groove woodwork completes the
picture of a room that was probably prized by the Barnes family as an antidote to the smaller, less flexible rooms of the mid
nineteenth century structural components.
At the northern end of the second story hall is a back stairway (Room 110) that is no longer accessible from the old kitchen
(Room 109). The back stairway's opening is boarded over within the second floor hall (Room 210). 8d||visible on the north wall
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Historic Structure Report-The HammondA.Homnmdouse
Lexington,IMA
of 210, ]ua1 above the discontinued stairway opening is the profile or "ghost" of the mid 1840a railing. The small mom that
currently serves as a bathroom (Room 208) may have originally served as a dressing mom in 1845. On the south wall of this
bathroom iaabuilt-in cabinet orcupboard which projects into the hall(Room 210).Based on the appearance of the brass cupped
pulls ofthe two drawers located beneath the cabinet,this distinctive feature probably dates to the ca.1920 Barnes renovations. In
addition,the tongue and groove woodwork of the cabinet door above is more late 1S10aorearly 1S20athan afeature that dates
to the mid'1840a.
East Ell:South Rooms,First Floor Interiors
Based on a comparison of the east ell's original fenestration as seen in late nineteenth century photographs with the current
fenestration it is clear that these alterations were probably made by either Dr. Barnes or the Town after 1980. Changes 1othe
ex1eriorfenea1nadonindioa1eareconfigunadonof1heeaa1e||'aoa. |a1e1D40aaou1hmoma—*i1her8or1hepurpoaeaofDr. 8amea'
medical suite orfor those ofthe Town ofLexington.
In addition to re-fenestrating the south wall, four rooms were constructed on the north side of the east ell's hall while a second
story with five rooms was added—a|| of this expansion was accompanied by new elements that are uniform throughout. The
only evidence of mid -to-late 1840s detail in the east ell is its main door(complete with sidelights, molded surrounds and vintage
bnaaahardwmre)aawm||aaaohairnai|a11henorthweatemcomerof1heha|| (Room 118)that managed tosurvive the post 1S80
renovations. The fact remains that it is probably neither feasible nor desirable to remove the first floor's later north rooms and
entire second floor so as to return the east ell to its original one-story appearance. On the other hand, it may be argued that
early in the house's history, the east e|| was a key component in the house's overall appearance. Therefore the continued
presence of connector between the main house and the barn is justified. The ell's rooms probably originally contained a
workshop as well aastorage spaces for wood and milk.
East Ell, Second Story Interiors
Curiously, the second story of the east e|| was extant by 1985—the year the Town of Lexington began to rent 1557
Massachusetts Avenue and two years before the Town acquired full title to the Barnes Place. The fact that the first floor's north
rooms as well aathe entire second floor were intact by 1985 suggests that Dr. Barnes, rather than the Town, enlarged this ell
between 1928 and 1985. That Barnes was responsible for the east ell's enlargement is surprising given the fact that he was
nearing the end of his medical career and theoretically would seem to have less of a need for more expansive office quarters.
Further research might determine that he had several physicians working with him towards the end of his practice. Logic
suggests that i1was the Town that needed the additional space, but Sanborn Insurance Atlases from 1928 and 1935 suggest
otherwise.
The Barn:First Floor Housing for Horses and Carriages and Second Floor Hay Loft
The large mom on the first floor that originally housed horses and carriages has been dnaadoa||y modernized over time.
Modernization was most likely first undertaken by Dr. Barnes when the building was converted from holding horses to holding
automobiles. The hay loft was closed in to make a complete second story and metal aiding was installed over the interior walls,
which remains in place under the present drywall. It is unclear if the garage door and secondary entrance were also installed at
this time or at a later date. The Town of Lexington undertook a second phase of modernization sometime after it acquired title to
the property in early 1988. The first floor spaces (Rooms 121 and 122) no longer retain horse stalls. Asolid wall pierced by
narrow horizontal windows has been installed at the back of the garage door which has replaced the original barn doors. Boxed-
inwoodandme1a|poatsandmodemfenea1nadonhavecompromiaed1heoharaoterof1hebam'afirs1Uoor.
The barn's original hayloft at the second story retains the roof s trussed timber support system. The metal stairs leading from the
barn's first floor to the hayloft predate the installation of the drywall finish in the current apace and appear to date to the
installation ofthe metal paneling. The hayloft's west wall exhibits a door composed of unfinished vertical boards that also post-
date1he late 1980a.
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Historic A na/ysis
1.2 Chronology of Owneoahip�:The Hammond A.HosmerHouse, i557 Massachusetts Avenue
Set forth below is a chronology of ownership that encompasses information gleaned from Middlesex County deeda, maps and
atlases aawell as local histories and Massachusetts Historical Commission Building Forma. This period-by-period ownership
chronology includes a discussion on alterations that occurred during each period of ownership.
Pue'HosmerHouse Construction History
A history of ownership of the area which became host to Town-owned buildings (including the Hammond A. Hosmer House) is
recounted by Edwin B. Worthen in his book. Tracing the Past in Lexington, Massachusetts (Vantage Pneaa. New York, 1998).
Wbr1henopenahiadeaoripdonof1heareawi1h1heata1emen1: "O1her1han1he8a1degneen (aio) probab|ynoapo1inLexing1onia
better known to the citizens than the area between Vine Brook and Woburn Street where are located the town offices and the
Carey Memorial 8ui|ding.^
Prior k>the construction ofthe Hammond A. HoamerHouse orBarnes Place a11557 Massachusetts Avenue, its house lot was
partofa |arger. 80'40aonepaoe| of&arm|and |ooatedon1henorthaideofthe "Pathk> Concond^ (|a1erMaaaaohuae8aAvenue).
Cut through the wilderness as early as 1685. this early highway linked Cambridge's original settlement at Harvard Square with
Lexington or Cambridge Farms. Indeed,one of the early purposes of this"path"was to expedite shipments of farm products from
the farmlands of Lexington and Concord to the market place at what is now the park a1the corner ofMt.Auburn Street and JFK
Street in the Harvard Square area. The Hammond A. Hoamer House is located just k> the west ofMassachusetts Avenue's
intersection with Woburn Street,athoroughfare that was extant by1G70.
The tract that contained the Hammond A. Hoamer House's lot passed from Richard Har|akenden (1686'1642) to his widow to
HerbertPe|ham (1G42'1GS8). Thenextowmerof1hetractwma8enjaminJoaeph Eatabmok (1GS4'1782). This land remained in
the Eatabmokfamily until the late 1820a. More specifically the Eatabmokaowned 1557 Massachusetts Avenue's parcel as well
as that of the Cary Memorial Building next door to the wmaL In April, 1827. "the front lands" of the Ea1abmok Estate (evidently
meaning the segment that was located between Massachusetts Avenue and the Lexington and West Cambridge Railroad Tracks
that were set out in 1845) were sold to Hammond A. Hoamer. an "inn ho|der" of Boston. Reportedly Hoamer may have been
related to the Eatabmokfamily.
The Hammond A.HosmerHouse:: Post 1845 Ownership History
Brief Description of the Town of Lexington:: 1830-18701 The Hosmer Family Era at the Hammond A. Hosmer House::
i845'i866�
When Hammond A. Hosmer had his house built in 1845-1846, Lexington was beginning to stir from its centuries long slumber as
an agricultural community(a slumber briefly and famously interrupted by the first bloodshed of the American Revolution on April
19. 1775). Originally owned by Cambridge beginning in the 1630s and known aaCambridge Farma. Lexington was incorporated
as an independent village in 1712. The Lexington and Arlington Rai|mad, a branch of the Fitchburg Railroad, connected
Lexington with Cambridge beginning in 1846. Between 1840 and 1855. Lexington experienced a steady rise in population
fue|ed, in part. by Irish immigration as well as more affluent Yankee Protestants like Hammond A. Hoamer who sought
residences for seasonal and retirement living. During this period Lexington's population jumped 4096. reaching 2.549 citizens by
1855. Economic activity was primarily focused on milk production with Lexington milk wagons fanning out along a network of
roads leading to Cambridge. Somerville, Charlestown and Boston. Large quantities ofmilk were sent byrailroad to northern
Massachusetts,Vermont and New Hampshire. By the end of the Civil War Lexington cows produced over$59,000 worth of milk.
Other sources of revenue for local entrepreneurs and workers were the manufacture of fur caps, coats and other types of winter
apparel (produced in four factories) while clock making, once an important factor ofthe local economy in the 18m cen1ury,
experienced a brief revival around 1880. The production of peat in the Great Meadow of East Lexington was also a lucrative
business during the mid-nineteenth cen1ury,providing an alternative fuel k>wood.
The house at 1557 Massachusetts Avenue was built for Hammond A. Hosmer of Lexington in 1845-1846. Hewas born inActon,
MA on October 23, 1795. Hosmer is identified as an"inn holder"of Boston in a deed of April, 1827 -the year Hosmer first figures
in real estate transactions related to the Hammond A. Hoamer House. At that time he purchased "the front lands" of the
Eatabmok estate. Reportedly Hoamer was related to Lexington Eatabmoka. Hoamer purchased additional land from Jonas
Russell, alocal farmer, in November of1D44 (8k.471. Page 827). The parcel purchased byHoamerfrom Russell contained ten
(10)acres. Russell, in 1um, had purchased this undeveloped tract in 1824 (8k.429. Page 418). Hoamerapparently enters into
mortgage with a J. Chand|er, Sheriff ofMiddlesex County in June of 1845 -a deed that does not indicate that house was
7
Historic Structure Report-The HammondA.Homnmdouse
Lexington,IMA
extant on the property. The present Hammond A. Hoamer House was first mentioned in a deed ofMay 25. 1847. Atthat time
Hoamer sold AbUah W. Farrar the site of the Cary Memorial Building next door to the west (later the site of substantial
residence called the P|umerp|ace). Interestingly, Farerwma married to Hoamer'a sister. The Farnar/Hoamer1nanaaction of 1847
mentions H.A. Hoamer'a"new houae^.suggesting aconstruction date of1D45'1D4G.
The Hammond A. Hosmer House was constructed at the same time as the Lexington and West Cambridge Railroad and, indeed,
its tracks circumscribe the north side of this property. One wonders if knowledge of this transportation improvement played a role
in Hoamer'a decision to relocate from 8oak>n to Lexington or whether Hoamer was even aware of the train's imminent
appearance when hepurchased the lot for his new house.
The builder responsible for the HoamerHouae'a construction remains unidentified. Deed research did not provide clues in this
regard and no business directories for Lexington were published during the 1840a.The best known builder working in Lexington
during this period was Isaac Me|vin, whose career spanned the period of 1888-to'1858 in Lexington. Cambridge and later
Boston. Melvin was probably not responsible for the Hoamer House's construction (or that of the nearly identical 1598
Massachusetts Avenue across the street to the south) because his work tends to be more sophisticated in terms of proportion
and ornamentation. Judging by Me|vin'a Cambridge residences of the early 1840a (ie. 19 Centre Street on Dana Hill) he was
already capable of a level of sophisticated design that surpasses that of the Hosmer House.With that said,the Hosmer House is
adU a ao|id, wmU'ona8ed example of Greek Revival connected house--minus the more formal flush boarding, well-proportioned
pilasters and cupola aaseen on Dana Hill.
The landscape surrounding the Hammond A. Hosmer House may have originally been quite elaborate as Hosmer was a member
of the state's leading horticultural society. Although information regarding Hoamer'a background is aketchy, it is written that
Hoamer was a member of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society beginning in 1884. He was also an influential figure in
Lexington as he was an incorporator of the Lexington Institute for Savings. He was apparently something of a local real estate
tycoon as he bought upseveral small farms in the area, combining them into large homesteads. Hesubsequently sold them off,
presumably at a profit. He also owned one or two nearby houses, including the Fogg House that once stood at the end of Hayes
Lane, where his hired hands reportedly lived. The house at 1598 Massachusetts Avenue, which has main block that is the
mirror image ofthe main block a11557Massachusetts Avenue (Photo 1.2'1 and 1.2'2) may have been built for Hoameraapart
ofhis real estate holdings. That number 15SD'aland was owned byHoamerduring the 1D40asuggests that hebuilt both houses
around the same time.
Hoamer died in 1854 and is buried in Lexington's Munroe Cemetery. William Chandler was appointed trustee of his widow.
Susanna Hoamer'aproperty and, indeed,an 1859 mortgage in the name of William Chandler,trustee was recorded in Middlesex
County deeds. In this mortgage. the place is referred to as the "Homestead ofHammond A. Hoamer." The mortgage was
assigned in 1DG8k>the widow Susanna, and to the Hoamer'adaughter Susan. The widow lived in the house until her death in
1865.
Hosmer Era Alterations
If alterations to interior fabric and elements occurred during the Hosmer era they may have included cosmetic upgrades such as
the main stair hall's Tuscan columned archway(Room 104)and the installation of the dining room's wooden,faux marble mantle.
The porch located on the south elevation of the main block may also have been added during the end of the Hoamer era. A
more likely scenario is that the ionic columned south porch was original to the house's mid 1840a construction. The bracketed
|1a|ianate door hood shown in vintage photographs was most likely added during the 1860a or early 1870a. The interior
alterations may have occurred between Susannah Hoamer'adeath in 1DG5and the sale ofthe house to Isaac Wetherell bythe
Hoamers'daughter Susan HoamerKenneyjn 1866.
The Wetherell Eoa: i866'i87i
The Hammond A. Hoamer House passed from Hoamerhands k> Isaac C. Wetherell in 1866. Twelve years after her father's
death and one year after her mother's passing Susan D. Hoamer Kenney sold her family's homestead for $3600. The deed
notes that "these are the same premises recently occupied by the mother of said Susan, late deceased." By that time the
original 10 acre parcel(once as large as 30 acres)had been reduced insize k>aone acre lot.
Wetherell Era Alterations
The VVe1hene||'a owned 1557 Massachusetts Avenue for only five years - potentially not long enough to make significant
changes to the property. The possibility remains that the exterior porch, the main entrance hall's Tuscan columned arch, dining
8
pA2991_|^xingmn_white house_hyhdoc\mport\fina|mport\1_historic haokgmund.doo
Historic A na/ysis
room mantel piece and some of the house's hardware dates to this period or represents an effort by either Hoamer'a widow or
daughter k>make the house seem more up-to-dateduring the ear|y-to'mid 1860a.
The Wentworth Eoa: i87i'i889
In September of1D71. Isaac Wetherell of Lexington sold the Hammond A. Hoamer House property to Nancy E. Wentworth of
Boston for $5,500. Nancy's husband Otis Wentworth is variously listed as a mason and builder in 1870a and 1880a 8oak>n
Directories and was located over time at 134 Friend Street, 17 Court Street and Pemberton Square. Listed as living in Lexington
during from the 1870a until the mid'1880a. he evidently commuted to work via the Lexington and Arlington branch of the
Fitchburg Railroad. The Wentwortha held on to the one acre property from 1871 until early February of 1889. Atthat time Otis
Wentworth ofBoston sold i1for$5.500toDr.Aaron H. Livermore ofBoston.
Wentworth Era Alterations
It is unknown what, if any,alterations occurred at the Hammond A.Hosmer House during this era.
0r.Aaron H.Livermore/Bradley Putney Era:: i889'i9i6
Dr. Livermore was a Boston dentist who may have purchased the Hammond A. Hoamer House as his retirement home. One
year after his death in 1896. his widow. Lydia. married Bradley Putney. At that time the house was numbered 865
Massachusetts Avenue. According toanarticle in the Lexington Minuteman ofJuly 27. 1S50i1was noted that"Older residents
will recall Mrs. Livermore-Putney as riding out every afternoon,always with a very heavy make-up."
The"foot print"on the 1898 Atlas shows the familiar L-shaped configuration of the house minus the Barnes addition of 1920 that
"bumped out" the northwest comer of the north e||. The 1898 Atlas also indicates a long driveway that culminates in an oval-
shaped "island" in front of the house.Abutting the easterly line of the property that was shared with C. G. Fletcher is a small out
va|'ahaped "ia|and^ infron1of1hehouae.Abu1dng1heeaater|y |ineof1heproperty1ha1wmaaharedwi1hC. 8. F|e1oheriaaamaUou1
building. This same outbuilding appears onthe 1903 and 1908 Sanborn Fine Insurance maps labeled "Carriage House" (see
Figures D-1 and D'2 in Appendix D).
Livermore Era Alterations
The Livermore-Putney family may have been responsible for the construction of a small shed that projected from the west wall of
the dining mom (Room 105) by 1908. This shed was replaced around 1920bya more substantial kitchen (Room 106). Also
during this time the porch at the south elevation of the main block was extended to wrap around the southeast corner of the main
block–the enlarged porch is present on the Sanborn map of 1908 (Figure C'2.Appendix C). The widow Livermore's marriage
to Bradley Putney in 1897 may have prompted additional interior alterations but information on what these alterations might have
been could not be found. Per the Sanborn maps, the freestanding carriage house disappears from the site between 1908 and
1918. According 1oanarticle from the July 27. 1950 edition of the Lexington Minuteman this structure was reportedly adapted
for reuse aaagarage a15Winthrop Road in Lexington.
Dr.William L Barnes era; 1916-1935
Dr. William L Barnes acquired "the White House" from Lydia Livermore Putney's estate in 1S1Gafter ten years ofrenting office
apace in the house's east ell. Reportedly he kept patients a1his home who were recovering from injuries sustained during World
War |. Evidently, Dr. Barnes was a popular local physician whose name lives on in local parlance as 1557 Massachusetts
Avenue is still referred k>be long time locals aaThe Barnes Place.
Barnes Era Alterations
By far, Dr. Barnes,of all the Hammond A. Hosmer House's owners, made the most structural alterations to the property.Around
1S20.1hedoo1orexpanded1henorthe|| byen|argingi1anorthwea1comertobeUeraocommoda1ehiamedioa|officea(aeeRooma
111 and 112) aawell aatoupgrade the house's living quarters. Headded anew kitchen (Room 10G) and adjacent ante room
and rest room (Rooms 107 and 108).Among the cosmetic changes tothe Hammond A. Hoamer House interiors effected by Dr.
Barnes were the construction of parquet floors in the double parlors as well as matchboard floors located throughout the house.
He superimposed a brick Craftsman style fireplace mantle in the front parlor(Room 101) and had the second floor linen o|oae1
and large library/solarium enlivened with handsome tongue and groove woodwork—most ofthese alterations seem to have
occurred around 1920.
Between 1927 and 1985. Dr. Barnes was evidently responsible for the enlargement of the east e|| – reconfiguring the existing
rooms of the mid-to-late 1840a first floor and adding four rooms on the north aide of the building with five rooms on the new
second floor. The possibility remains that Dr. Barnes had this expansion completed during the early 1S80awith the knowledge
that the Town would purchase the building.
9
pA2991_|^xingmn_white house_hyhdoc\mport\fina|mport\1_historic haokgmund.doo
Historic Structure Report-The HammondA.Homnmdouse
Lexington,IMA
Town Offices Era' i935'preseot
On March 22. 1987. the Town of Lexington appropriated $25,000 to purchase the Barnes Estate. Clearly the Town was using
the Hammond A. Hoamer House before 1987. as the 1985 Sanborn Atlas oaUa the building "the Town HaUAnnex.^ That the
Town needed additional office apace by the late 1920a had everything to do with the rise of automobile ownership and the
attendant need for the financing of new streets and schools as well as new municipal buildings that could deal with a burgeoning
population. Indeed, the Town Records show that"improving the major roads" was continually being conaidened.^ In 1927. the
two large houses to the west of the Barnes House were demolished so that Carey Memorial Hall and a new Town Office Building
could bebuilt. The construction of the new municpal buildings were completed on the eve of the Great Depression. 8ythe late
1980a the economy had recovered sufficiently to enlarge the civic center a1the eastern edge of Lexington Center. Rather than
deal with the expensive proposition of building a new Town Offices Annex during a time of lingering economic crisis,"the Barnes
P|ace^wma purchased outright bythe Town in February of1S8D.
By 1950, the Hammond A. Hoamer House's use for "overflow Town Officea^ took on a more specific focus as the home of
Lexington School Administration Offices. Astudent paper researched under the guidance from Richard KoUen quotes statistics
that provide further context: between 1850 and 1970. Lexington school enrollment rose from 2.D18k> G.2D0. Furthermore, in
1966. the METCO program began, necessitating additional administrative work and employees. The first printed mention of
1557 Massachusetts Avenue as the"White House"occurred in 1987 during reporting of a strike by Lexington teachers.
During the early 1950a. Cuatance Brothers, Architects restored the building. The firm's goal was to return the building to what
was deemed to be its original appearance. According to an article in the Lexington Minuteman of July 27. 1950. restoration
included the removal of the porch and replacement of the clapboards where the porch was connected to the front ofthe building
and the division ofthe first floor front windows into"small |ights^ Evidently the reference to"small lights" meant that replacement
2/2 double hung wood sash were in tum replaced by 6/6 double hung wood sash that would have been more appropriate for a
mid'1840ahouae.
After the departure of the School Administration offices from the site the Town of Lexington used the Hammond A. Hoamer
House to house the Department ofPublic Works. The building has been unoccupied since 2005 when the D.P.W. moved to a
new building on Bedford Street.
61
'7r,4",
Photo 1.2-1and 1.2-2:Views ofthe main block of1598Massachusetts Avenue. The size,shape and detailing ofthis building iaexactly the
same aathat found onthe Hammond A.HoamerHouse
10
pA2991Jexingmnwhite house hyhdoc\mpox\fina|mpmN_historic bamkgmund.doo
Historic Analysis
LAROE ENT,
f
BARNES
ADDITION
off
SECOND FLOOR.
EAST E
ELAEP�IEIT ��
BARNESj
ADDITIOIN
EASTELE �f
FIRST FLOOR
1840,s 1916 1930
184O184Os fabric rmod'ified in 1930s
Figure 1.2-1: Diagram of building evolution over time
11
p\2991_Lexington_white_house_hsr\doc\report\final report\1_historic background.doc
Historic Structure Report-The HammondA.Homnmdouse
Lexington,IMA
1.3 Identification of Significant Features
The main preservation priority a11557 Massachusetts Avenue iak> retain and restore as much ofthe original 1845-1846 fabric
as feasibly possible. Just as it is highly desirable to retain character-defining elements at the exterior and interiors of the original
segments of the house, retention of original exterior massing and interior room configuration is also important. One might argue
that the retention ofthe ca. mid 1D40anorth ell iaalower priority than that ofthe more intact main block because ofalterations
carried out inthose spaces concurrently with the oa.1S20Barnes Addition. However,the surviving elements and finishes ofboth
its early and later periods along with the evolution of its room use tells an interesting story of changing domestic and professional
requirements. The north ell interior, including the Barnes addidon, is a repository for some of the most aesthetically pleasing
features in the house ranging from the mid nineteenth century faux marble mantel piece through the tongue and groove walls of
the second floor linen closet and library/conservatory ofoa1S20. |naddition, the exterior and interior fabric ofthe north ell and
Barnes addition are intricately tied inwith the main block. For those reasons there is a strong argument against altering the north
ell and Barnes addition with the exception of the removal of evidence of mid twentieth-to-early twenty first century office use.
The exterior of the east elevation of the north ell is evident in mid-to-late nineteenth century photographs. The north ell,together
with the main b|ook,east ell and barn adU read visually(despite later additions and interior alterations)as quintessentially New
England "connected houae.^
Exterior
Significant exterior features include the early beveled clapboard aiding at the main block and north ell and the Greek Revival-
style pilasters, trim and cornice features of the main block. The wood comer boarda, pediment and cornice feature of the barn
are also of note. Also character-defining are the shape of the main block with its pained chimneys, the 6-over-6 window
configurations (although not the replacement window sashes within them)and casing,and the two original entrance doom at the
main block and east ell.
The relationship of the original "big house" (main b|ook) and "back house" (north eU) to the barn with an ell at the east aide is
significant. While the existing ell has little historic fabric left consideration should be made to maintaining this layout in a future
use either through maintaining the existing eU, reconstructing atrue one story link,orconstructing something that maintains the
feeling of connection between the spaces.
Early building images show the footprint of a porch at the south side of the building (Figure C-1 Appendix C), and it is likely that
the porch was part of the original construction. It was later replaced by the |1a|iana1e wraparound porch in the early 1900a.
Reconstruction of this element is not recommended. Reconstruction of missing elements is to be avoided unless it is critical to
the understanding of the building and only if the missing element is well documented. Neither ofthese requirements iafulfilled in
the case ofthe porch.
Other significant features of the building exterior are the dressed granite foundation wmUa at the main b|ook, the window
configurations added post 1840s,and the wood shutters. The existing wood shutters are in poor condition and i1iaunlikely they
are original. However,having shutters at the window openings is a character defining feature of buildings from this time.
Interior
The earliest interior fabric and elements (mid-to-late 1840a) are located primarily in the main b|ook, north ell and barn and very
minimally in the east ell. These original features consist of three classicized mantle pieces (Rooms 102. 201 and 202) (Photos
1.8'1 and 1.8'2), molded base boards, pedimen1edsurrounds ofdoors and windows (Photo 1.8'8) aawell aawooden cornice
moldings. Numerous multi-panel doom survive from the mid'1840a but most have been altered by the replacement of solid
upper panel with aglass pane (Photo 1.84); a modification implemented for the purposes ofthe Town office space during the
mid-twentieth century. Particularly noteworthy iathe main entrance hall's original staircase with its mahogany railing, newel post
and wooden cylindrical ba|uaters (Photo 1.8'5). This formal stair hall's stairway iaofatype typical ofLate Federal and Greek
Revival houses in New England and should be retained at all coats. Although practioa|, the wooden stair rail that was added to
the stairway's south wall at an undetermined date iaoflesser importance aa an element that should be retained. In addition,the
main block's attic (Rooms 801'808) contains original floorboards that are wider than the later replacement match boards of the
floors below. Similarly, the barn retains an original mid'1D40asystem ofwooden trusses (Photo 1.8'6). Here and there, in the
main block are mid nineteenth century doorknobs that are composed of porcelain and boast marbleized finishes. Survivals such
as these merit retention as do circular door knobs composed of wood (mid-to-late nineteenth century) and metal (early 20m
cen1ury).|n several oaaea,door plates orescutcheons,survive from the early 20th century and are enlivened by curving lines that
acknowledge the influence ofthe Art Nouveau style.
1%
pA2991Jexingmnwhite house hyhdoc\mpox\fina|mpmN_historic bamkgmund.doo
Historic A narysis
One might argue that the alterations sustained by the Barnes Place after the mid'1840a offer a less compelling came for
preservation.The noteworthy exceptions include the oa1860a'to~ear|y 1870a features such aathe Tuscan columned archway at
the western end ofthe main stair hall (Room 104) (Photo 1.8'7). the wooden faux marble fireplace mantle ofthe dining mom
(Room 105) (Photo 1.8'D) and the arched and recessed niche located to the west ofthis mantle. Most recently used aaacoat
closet, this recessed niche may have been added around 1S20k> house shelving for the display ofchina (Photo 1.8'8). One of
the house's most noteworthy early twentieth century features is the pressed tin ceiling of the double parlor (Photo 1.8'9).
Although presumably installed k>cover updamaged plaster i1iaan interesting feature worth saving,particularly aaan example of
this ceiling material used in a domestic setting rather than the more common commercial setting. Also of interest are the
parquet, match board floors of the double parlors that were probably installed by Dr. Barnes after 1916. Although a prominent
feature within its apace. the early twentieth century Craftsman style fireplace mantle in Room 101 arguably does not merit
retention because its brickwork's lack of quality crafts manahip—i1 might be advisable to remove this brick mantelpiece this
mantel piece k>accommodate a reproduction wooden Greek Revival mantle
Other noteworthy features
While not aasignificant aathe 1D40aera fabric,the Barnes addition a1the northwest corner ofthe house ia interesting as it has
not been altered since its oa1920 construction. Barnes addition interiors are noteworthy for their tongue and groove woodwork
aaseen inthe second story linen closet(Room 20G)and library/conservatory(Room 207)(Photo 1.8'10).
Thee|ementsoftheeaa1eUareextreme|yp|ainandpoatdate1S8D.Thenotewmrthyexcepdonato1ha1m|earetheeaa1eU'a8oup
pane| mainen1nancedoorwi1hitsbraaadoorhand|eand mail slot(Photo 1.8'11).Additionally,aremnant ofthe original chair rail
iastill intact a1the west and north walls cdthe east ell(Photo 1.8'12).
Photo 1.3-1:Room 102 mantle.
Photo 1�-2:Mantle inRoom 201
13
pA2991 mporN_hismric backgmund.doc
Historic Structure Report- The Irlammond A.Irlosmer blouse
Lexington,IMA
+ ( �, Ill miu u i 6 Gin i�NG�rmulu�;P'iP,f
I�
u III
�'''�r ,I I�����IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIII I
Plata 1.3-3:Pedimented door and window surrounds in Roam 101 and 102.
Plata 1.3-4:Modified four- Anel char in Raam 103.
�r f f/f��i��✓i a
t 1i ll�f fl, .,
r�
I�i�Vl uYl,
it
ff
Plata 1.3-5:Stair newel past in Roam 104.
Plata 1.3-6:Truss system in barn attic.
14
p12991._Lexington._white._house._hsr\doc\report\final report\1._.historic background.doc
Historic Analysis
r
r iu
4
Photo 1.3-7:Tuscan columned archway at Room 104 stair hall.
Photo 1.3-8:Fireplace surround in Room 105.
i f rr� ori r r. oii��/ir viii
1
1 f �
1
r
r'
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Photo 1.3-9:Arched niche at north wall of Room 105.
Photo 1.3-10:Pressed tin ceiling in Room 101.
15
p\2991_Lexington_white_house_hsr\doc\report\final report\1_historic background.doc
Historic Structure Report- The Irlammond A.Irlosmer blouse
Lexington,IMA
c
�rlrnirw
r �
' IIIIIII�
J
Photo 1.3-11:Tong tue-and-groove paneling at Barnes addition,Roam 207.
� r syr�n�I i�',rmm,9�JYd��r �' ,✓ %
i
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Photo 1.3-12:East ell entrance door.
Photo 1.3-13:Clair rail remnant at north door to east ell.
16
pA2991._Lexington._white._house._hsr\doc\report\final report\1._.historic background.doc
Existing Conditions
11.EXISTING CONB0ON&:0GSCRIPT0N AND ASSESSMENT
2.1 Exterior
General Description
For ease of locating items on the building exterior in this condition assessment the building has been divided into aeodona,
roughly corresponding with its historical growth over time and existing rooflines. As illustrated in Figure 1.2-1, the "main block"
corresponds to the southernmost area of the west building mass (the area below the southwestern gable roof). The "north eU^
extends northward from the end of the main block and includes the east aide on the first and second floors of the remaining
portion of the western building mass and the southernmost portion of the west side on the first floor until the change in foundation
height. The "Barnes Extenaion^ (added in 1916) compromises the remaining portion of the wma1em building mass — the
northwest comer of the first floor and the west aide of the second floor. The "east eU^ corresponds to the area of the building
between the west and east sides (for ease of description this includes both the original one story east ell and the second floor
added above inthe 1S80a). The"bam^ iathe easternmost mass ofthe building.
Definitions for terms used inthe condition assessment:
mExcellent condition: Element iainnew orequivalent condition. Nowork needed other than routine maintenance.
•Good condition: Element is performing its intended function or is otherwise serviceable,although it may show signs
of wear. Norepair required other than routine maintenance.
*Fair condition: Element may require work,usually minor,to better perform its intended function,bring to a
maintainable state,orreturn toacondition resembling its historic appearance.
mPoor condition: Major work needed to for element to perform its intended function or to bring item to a maintainable
state.
mOriginal: Dates to the period ofinitial construction.
mModem: Element dating after 1S50.
17
p\2991Jexingmn white.-house hsr\doc\reportAnaImpor0existing conditions.coc
Historic Structure Report-The HammondA.Homnmdouse
Lexington,IMA
Building She
The Hammond A. HoamerHouae site (1557 Massachusetts Avenue) is located in a RS Zone, which emphasizes low-density
residential development and allows related public and institutional uses. The site is also located within the boundaries of the
Battle Green Historic District.
The building is set back approximately 100feet from the sidewalk behind a large lawn. To the west is driveway leading to the
Police Station parking area. There is a large parking lot at the north and east sides of the building and additional parking at the
south in front of the east ell and barn. The parking is largely screened from view from the sidewalk by a hedge at the south
elevation. The parking area behind and k>the side ofthe site iacontinuous with the parking area behind the Police Station and
which serves the Police 8tadon,Town HaU,and the Town of Lexington Commuter Permit program. In addition to the parking |o1
access road adjacent to the Police Station there is also a curb cut on Massachusetts Avenue that provides access to the parking
lot. The approximate number ofparking spaces and their assignments can be seen in Figure 2.1-1. The site is served by the
Lexpneaa bus service and by M8TA8ua Route 62 and 76 and iaadjacent tothe Minuteman Commuter Bikeway. The site is
approximately 1/4 mile from Depot Square,the main public transportation hub in Lexington.
12
PACE
NVDW 50,FT'OF GREEN
9 SPACES
CARY HALL
POLICE DEPARTMENT SPACES
46 OTHER SPMES
POLICE
PROPERTY UW.
w==rVftwTT*AVE4=r ' �~
--- - �-- ------ ---- --- ------ -_ ~~'~ �y
/ --
Figure 2.14:Diagram ofexisting site conditions(fromMuzzey Senior Center and Hammond A.Hosmer House Conceptual and Feasibility
Study,July 2008byBargmannHendhe+Archetype,|ncj
18
pA2991Jexingmn white house hsr\doc\report\finalmpor0existing conditions.coc
Existing Conditions
Exterior Envelope
Foundations
Overall Description
At the main block the foundation consists of stone rubble with dressed granite blocks with brick backup above grade along the
east and west elevations (Photo 2.1 1. Photo2.1'2). Atthe south elevation ofthe main block the above-grade foundation wall
between the east and west comers is entirely briok, corresponding to the location of the porch which may have been added to
the building inthe 1DG0a. The foundation below the north ell and Barnes addition is stone rubble above and below grade,except
at the east elevation of the north ell, where the stone blocks found on the main block continue. There is a full basement below
the main block and the north ell and basement windows are present at the foundation on the west elevation. A step down at the
foundation wall at the west elevation marks the beginning of the Barnes addition (Photo 2.1'8). A portion of the original north
foundation of the main block became an interior wall in the basement when the north e|| was added, and reveals the battened
profile ofthe stone rubble walls (Photo 2.14). Anexterior bulkhead for basement access ia located a1the east elevation ofthe
north e||. There is also access to the basement via an interior stair in the north e||. The east ell and barn foundations are atone
rubble,with nobasement. Very little ofthe east ell and barn foundations are exposed 1oview.
Condition Assessment
The foundation of the main block and north ell are in fair condition overall. A description of structural conditions found is located
in the Structural section of this report and consists of crumbling stone at the west side of the north ell and a shifted granite block
at the southwest comer of the main block (Photo 2.1'5). There is also a crack in the foundation wall at the east elevation
between the east wall ofthe north ell and the south wall ofthe east ell(Photo 2.1'G). The above-grade portions ofthe foundation
have been painted. The paint finish is in good condition except at the brick portion at the south side of the main block foundation
where there is peeling paint(Photo 2.1'7). There are also several apa||ed bricks across this elevation.
During a site visit on a rainy day an active leak was noted in the northwest comer of the basement of the main block. The
location of this leak roughly corresponded with the entrance point for the building's electrical service,which is through a closed-in
window a1the west elevation (Photo 2.1'8). The window opening has been covered with plywood. There are also several small
holes between the stones of the exposed rubble wall below the granite blocks below the electrical service entrance, which could
also be the source of the water infiltration. Other holes are present around the base of the rubble foundation at the west and
north walls of the north e|| and Barnes addidon, possibly due to rodent activity. A board is nailed over a portion of the Barnes
addition foundation at the west corner of the north elevation,presumably to cover a larger hole(Photo 2.1-9).
As noted in the description section above,very little of the east ell and barn foundations are visible from the exterior due to the
grade level ofthe surrounding site. In many locations the wall cladding of these buildings rests directly against the earth,which
iacausing the wood siding 10rot(Photo 2.1 10). Several holes can beseen a1grade level along the north elevation ofthe east
ell and barn, most likely due torodents. There is a large hole near the center of the north elevation of the barn where the siding
haam8edawayand1heendofoneof1hedmberai||aaupporting1hea1ruo1uneiaexpoaed(Pho1o2.1 11). The sill end appears to
beextensively rotted. Dense vegetation and the presence of a large wasp nest prevented careful investigation of any exposed
portions ofthe south elevation ofthe east ell foundation.
19
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Historic Structure(Report- The Irlammond A.Irlosmer blouse
Lexington,IMA
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2.1-1:Stone blocks above stone rubble foundation at main block. Nate transition to entirely stone rubble foundation wall at change in roofline
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2.1-2:View of interior side of foundation wall showing brick backup above stone rubble foundation at south elevation of main block.
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2.1-3:Stone rubble foundation wall at west elevation of north ell. Nate step in foundation wall at the where Barnes addition begins.
2.1-4:Exposed crass section of the main block foundation wall at the basement interior at the junction with the north ell.
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Photo 2.1-5:Shifted granite block at southwest corner of main block foundation.
Photo 2.1-6:Crack at foundation between east wall of north ell and east ell.
26
p12991._Lexington._white._house._hsr\doc\report\final regort\2_._existing conditions.doc
Existing Conditions
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Photo 2.1-7:Peeling paint at brick foundation at south elevation.
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Photo 2.1-9:Board nailed over Dale at northwest corner of Barnes addtition foundation.
21
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Historic Structure Report- The Irlammond A.Irlosmer blouse
Lexington,IMA
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Photo 2.1-10:Ratted woad siding where siding touches grade at east wall of barn.
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Photo 2.1-11:Hale,ratted siding,and exposed timber sill at north wall of barn.
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Existing Conditions
Walls and Trim
Overall Description
Wa||aabovefoundadon |eve|a11heendrea1ruo1ureanewoodframedwi1hwmodo|apboardaiding (moa1|ike|ypine). pain1edwhite
(Photo 2.1-12). The clapboards on the exterior ofthe main block are G^, beveled with 4 1/4^exposed to the weather. The east
andwea1comersof1hemainb|ookhave1''4^widewoodcomerpi|aaterawi1hcenterreceaaedpane|a(Photo2.1 18). There are
caps at the top of the pilasters]ua1 below a frieze board at the top of the second floor that stretches along the east, north and
west elevations. Above the frieze board at the east and west gable ends is a closed pediment with molded trim along the sloping
sides and acornice element above the second floor level.
The north ell and Barnes addition have similar clapboards to the main block. There is a 1''1^ pilaster at the west side of the
northwea1comerofthe8ameaaddidon1ha1tronaidonatoa10^pi|aateronthenorthe|evadon.Clapboards onthe south elevation
ofthe east ell are similar to the north ell. Clapboards on the wall of the shed extension at the first floor of the north of the east ell
are smaller,with a 3 3/4" exposure. There are 7 3/4" flat corner boards at either side of this shed extension and on the smaller
shed extension a1the second floor above. The most variation in clapboard size is at the bam,where exposure sizes range from
3 1/4" to 5". The siding here is wavy, an indication that it was likely resided after some settlement of the structure. There are 7"
comer boards at the barn's northeast corner and the northwest corner above the east ell shed moUine. At the southeast and
west corners are 8"wide corner boards. There is a closed pediment at the gable end of the south side of the barn with a cornice
element along the base and trim a1the sloping sides. This element ianot repeated a1the north gable end.
Condition Assessment
The clapboard aiding is in fair condition overall, despite the deteriorated paint and some specific areas of significant damage.
There is widespread failure of the exterior paint at the siding at all locations,and localized areas of wood rot particularly at those
areas subject to roof run-off from failed gutters and areas located near grade. The wmm1 of these areas of m1 is at the north
elevation at the junction between the Barnes addition and the east ell where a failed gutter at the northeast corner of the addition
roof has created an area of water damage and staining down the entire wall (Photo 21'14). Other areas of deteriorated
clapboards include: below the soffit at the southwest aide of the Barnes addition on the west elevation (Photo 21'15); the
]unction between the east ell wall and barn roof at the south elevation where several clapboards are detached (Photo 21'16);
grade level at the northeast comer and east elevation of the barn (Photos 21'17 and 21'18); grade level at the center of the
northbamwmU;1he]unctionbetween1heeaa1wmUof1henortheUand1heeaa1eUmofa11heaouthe|evadon (Photo21'1S); the
junction between the wall of the small "pop-out"extension at the second floor of the east ell at the north elevation where it abuts
theaecondUooreaa1eUmof, bothaidea (Phok>2.1'20); andtheaou1hwmUoftheeaa1eU.adjacen1to1heentrancedoor(Phok>
21'21).
There are isolated missing siding boards at the south elevation of the east ell between the rear door and the window to the west
(Photo 2.1'22) and the upper northwest comer of the barn north elevation (Photo 2.1'28). At both of these locations building
paper has been installed a1the area ofmissing siding.
The bottom of the corner boards at the barn are deteriorated where they meet grade. With the exception ofextensive paint loss
the remainder ofthe building's comer boards are in good condition. The mitered comer of the pediment cap at the southeast
comer of the main block is beginning to split apart. most likely due to water runoff from the failed gutter above (Photo 2.1'24).
The cornice elements at the gable pediments at the main block and barn are in fair condition. There is complete paint |oaa and
wood checking a1the horizontal surface ofthe cornice. Atthe east elevation ofthe main block pieces ofmetal flashing has been
face nailed to the junction of the cornice and building wall and at a horizontal joint at the cornice surface to keep water from
soaking into these vulnerable areas (Photo 21'25). A aimi|ar, amaUer, piece of flashing has been nailed to the]unction of the
cornice and building wall at the barn (Photo 21'26).
As the clapboards in the main field of the aiding are not peeling or our|ing, there is no reason to believe there is damage to the
wood sheathing. The clapboards cdthe 1D40'awould have been radial sawn,which isbetter than the plain sawn boards that are
typically used today. Assuming the wood has paint stripped and is properly prepaned, much of the existing is suitable for
preservation rather than replacement.
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Historic Structure(Report- The Irlammond A.Irlosmer blouse
Lexington,IMA
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Photo 2.1-12:East elevation of main block and north)ell,south elevation of east ell.
Photo 2.1-13:Corner pilaster at west elevation of main block.
Photo 2.1-14:Area of staining and woad rat atjunction between Barnes addition and east ell at north)elevation.
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Photo 2.1-15:Deteriorated clapboards at the southwest corner of the Barnes addition,west elevation.
Photo 2.1-16:Deteriorated clapboards at the junction between the east ell wall and barn roof,south elevation.
Photo 2.1-17:Deteriorated clapboards and corner board at northeast corner of barn.
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p12991._Lexington._white._house._hsr\doc\report\final regort\2_._existing conditions.doc
Existing Conditions
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Photo 2.1-18:Area of deteriorated clapboards at east elevation of barn.
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Photo 2.1-20:Deteriorated siding at the east wall of the"pap-out"extension of the east ell at the north elevation where it abuts the second floor
east ell roof.
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Historic Structure(Report- The Irlammond A.Irlosmer blouse
Lexington,IMA
Photo 2.1-21:Deteriorated siccing adjacent to south east ell door.
Photo 2.1-22:Missing siding board above the north door of east ell with building paper installed in opening.
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Photo 2.1-23:Missing siding board at the north elevation of barn,with building paper installed in opening.
Photo 2.1-24:Spit at mitered corner of pilaster cap,southeast corner of main block.
26
pA2991._Lexington._white._house._hsr\doc\report\final regort\2_._existing conditions.doc
Existing Conditions
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Photo 2.1-25:Metal flashing at junction of cornice element and building wall,main block.
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Photo 2.1-26:Metal flashing at garage flashing element.
27
g:\2.991._Lexington._white._house._hsr\doc\report\final regort\2_._existing conditions.doc
Historic Structure Report-The HammondA.Homnmdouse
Lexington,IMA
Doorways
Overall Description
There are six exterior doors a1the Hammond A. HoamerHouse:
m The entrance door into the main block a1the east elevation,accessed via exterior stair
m The door into the Barnes addition at the west elevation
m The door into the Barnes addition at the north elevation
m The entrance door into the east ell at the south elevation
m The entrance door into the barn at the south elevation
m The large garage door a1the south elevation which ianolonger operational
There is also a bulkhead with basement access located at the east elevation of the north ell.
Condition Assessment
The entrance door into the main block is a six panel wood door with vision glass installed at the center two panels and sidelights
a1ei1heraideof1hedoor. Anunaighdya|uminuma1ormdoorhaabeeninataUeda11heexterioraideof1hedoor(Photo2.1'27).
The wood door and aluminum storm door are in good condition. There are three glazed lights at each sidelight, vertically
a1aoked, and a wood panel fills in the bottom third of each opening. The sidelights are in fair condition as the putty around the
lights and the exterior paint has failed. The door and sidelights are framed with pilasters and an entablature which are in fair
condition with paint delamination throughout. There is some evidence of wood rot at the top of the pilaster caps at either side of
the opening. The wood sill below the door is completely devoid of paint and is wmm, with evidence of wood rot at the exterior
edge. The door is located 8''8^ above grade level and is accessed via non'hiak>riowmod stair and landing. The stair and
landing elements are in poor condition, with checked and rotten boards and a north railing that is leaning away from the stair
(Photo 2.1'2D). Neither the stairs nor railings comply with modern codes.
The door into the Barnes addition at the west elevation is a wood door with a divided light window installed at the top two-thirds
ofthe door and two wood panels below (Photo 2.1'2S). Door trim consists of5^ wide casing with amolded profile and awood
sill. The top ofthe sill ia f'2^above grade level. The door is in fair condition with some wood rot at the lower rail and failed paint
throughout. The glazing putty a1the lights has also failed. The exterior door handle is missing. The door casing and door sill
are also infair condition,with extensive paint loss.
The door into the Barnes addition at the north elevation isatwo-panel wood door retrofitted with modem lever hardware (Photo
21'80). Thiadooriain&airtopoorcondidon.withaomewmodm1a11hetopandboUnmrai|.partiou|ar|yon1hein1erioraide. The
west panel isdisplaced a1the interior side. Analuminum storm door has been installed a1the exterior cdthe door opening which
is in good condition. Door trim consists of 5^ casing with a plainer molded profile than the west door. The casing is in fair
condition. Sealant residue is present at the casing at the perimeter of the storm door frame. The door has a wood sill that is in
poor condition.
The entrance door into the east ell at the south elevation is a six panel wood door with sidelights at either side of the door(Photo
21`81). The door opening is 2'-8" wide and 6'46" high. The door is in fair condkion,with rot a1the bottom rail and paint failure.
Hardware consists of a thumblatch pull and a deadbolt and a mail slot with hinged cover at the center of the door. There is wood
rot at the base of the door frame on both sides of the door. The sidelights have four glazed lights each,stacked vertically, and
wood panels below. Between the glazing and wood panels is thick wood rail. The sidelights are in fair to poor condition with
failed glazing putty and failed paint throughout. Both the door and the sidelights appear to be wracked within their openings,
particularly the sidelight at the east side of the door. A board has been nailed to the door frame at the east sidelight. The door
and sidelights are framed with pilasters and apedimen1edentablature which are infair condition with widespread paint loss. A
piece ofthe west pilaster iamissing from the base ofopening. The door ia 1''8^ above grade and is accessed byone concrete
step and one wood step that also serves aathe door sill. The wood step/sill is in poor condition. The steps do not meet current
codes.
The entrance door into the barn at the south elevation is a six panel wood door of similar construction to the east ell entrance
door with flat 1/2^ casing and a atone sill (Photo 21'82). The door is in fair condition with paint loss throughout. Hardware
consists ofaknob,deadbo|Land mail slot with hinged cover a1the center ofthe door. The door casing iainpoor condition,with
rot at the base of the casing on both sides of the door,which is directly in contact with the ground. There iaalso checking and
splitting at the top of west jamb where it meets the head casing. The stone sill is in fair condition, with gouges at the projecting
exterior edge.
28
pA2991Jexingmnwhite house hyhdoc\mpox\fina|mpou\2_existing oondihons.doo
Existing Conditions
The large garage door at the south elevation is a 24 panel rolling door with glazing installed in the second row of panels (Photo
21'88). This door is no longer operational, and has been closed in on the interior side with wall homing and drywall except at
the window openings. The door is in poor condition with extensive paint loss. Rot is present along the bottom nai|, which is
directly in contact with the ground. There is a badly mated pull handle installed at the bottom rail of the door. Door casing
consists of41/2^wide flat boards that are also inpoor condition.
The door at the basement bulkhead consists of two leafs made of individual boards braced on wood boards at the interior side of
the door leafs (Photo 21'84 and Photo 21'85). Hardware consists of strap hingea, a pull mounted to each leaf and a surface
mounted deadbolt lock at the interior side of the door. The door leafs extend from the bottom to top of the opening, and have
wide wood rails a1the sides where the hinges are mounted. The door iainpoor condition,with areas ofrot a1the bottom edge of
each individual board and at the intersection between boards. The handle hardware is mated. This door is a significant source
ofwater infiltration into the basement.
Photo 2.1-27:Entrance into main block
Photo 2.1-28:Stairs and landing to main blocentrance.
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Photo 2.1-29:Entrance into Barnes addition at west elevation.
Photo 21-30:Entrance into Barnes addition atnorth elevation.
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pA2991Jexingmnwhite.-house hyhdoc\mpoxAna|mpou\2_existing oondihons.doo
Historic Structure(Report- The Irlammond A.Irlosmer blouse
Lexington,IMA
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Photo 2.1-31:Door to east ell at south elevation.
Photo 2.1-32:Entrance to barn at south elevation.
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Photo 2.1-34:Basement hatch at east elevation
Photo 2.1-35:(interior view of basement hatch slowing water infiltration at basement.
39
pA2991._Lexington._white._house._hsr\doc\report\final regort\?_._existing conditions.doc
Existing Conditions
Windows
Overall Description
The windows a1the main block are aG'ovepGdouble hung wood sash configuration with 4 1/2' wide molded casing (Photo 2.1
86). The windows at the first and second floors appear to be replacements. The third floor windows are constructed with
1hrough'1enoncomerpegaho|ding1herai|aandad|eatoge1her.auggeadngano|der. poaaib|yorigina|.dateofcona1ruodon (Photo
2.1-37). Windows at the east and south elevations of the main block have painted wood shutters (except for the southernmost
window on the first floor of the east elevation where the shutters are missing). There are noshutters onthe windows a1the west
elevation. The majority of the windows are protected with wood exterior storm windows that are fastened to the casing. The
storm windows consist of two separate panels-a glazed upper panel and either a glazed or screened lower panel.
The windows at the east elevation of the north ell are similar to those found on the main block and have matching wood shutters.
Window openings at the west elevation of the north ell consist of one single and one double window at the first floor. The sashes
within these openings are 6-over-6 wood double hung with casings that match the window casings at the main block(Photo 2.1-
38). Atthe north wall ofthe north ell are two 1'ovep1 double hung windows a1both the first and second floors. These windows
have similar casing 10the west north ell windows(Photo 2.1'8S). The windows a1the second floor ofthe Barnes addition consist
of three banks of four window openings (Photo 2.140). The sashes within these openings are 6'over'1 double hung wood
windows with adifferent casing profile. At the first floor of the Barnes addition is one window on the north side of the door on the
west elevation and one window a1the north elevation. These windows are 1-over-1 double hung window (Photo 2.1'41). The
majority of the north ell and Barnes addition windows are also protected with the same exterior wood storm windows found on
the main block.
There are four basement window openings at the west elevation and one at the east elevation. Three ofthese openings (at the
east elevation and the southern two windows on the wma1 e|evadon) are located within the footprint of the main block. These
three windows have brick sills. One of the two openings is covered with plywood, the other two have a single pane fixed sash
andUa1wmodoaaing (Photo2.1'42). Thenemainingkmobaaemen1windowaane |ooa1edin1he8001prin1of1henor1he||. Theae
windows have three pane divided light sashes,thinner flat wood casing,and wood sills(Photo 2.1-43).
At the south elevation of the east e|| are single and double openings with sash and shutters. Wood sashes in both types of
windows are 6-over-6 double hung wood sash with 4 1/2^wide molded casing (Photo 2.1'44). One window a1the westernmost
portion of the second floor is much narrower than the rest of the windows at the building (Photo 2.1-45)and has I-over-1 double
hung sashes. The double windows would not have been original tothe 1D40'a. and the more detailed trim profiles ofsome east
ell windows is another indication of elements that are not ioriginal. At the north elevation of the east ell there are two different
types of windows. At the first floor are pairs of 1-over-1 double hunga (Photo 21'46). The second floor has smaller single l-
over 1 double hung windows. None of these windows have shutters. These windows are protected by a variety of wood and
aluminum exterior storm windows.
There are two window types present a1the barn. The window a1the south elevation is 6-over-6 wood double hung with flat
wood casings and wood shutters (Photo 2.1-47). There is a boarded-up opening at the north elevation that may once have had
a similar window. The east elevation of the barn has three short 3-over-3 double hung windows with 4^ wide. flat casing. The
sashes are modem replacements. There are no shutters at the barn east elevation (Photo 2.148). however hardware for
hanging shutters is mounted to the casing at all three windows.
Condition Assessment
The windows a1the Hammond A. Hoamer House are in fair condition overall. Glazing putty and exterior paint has failed or is
failing at all windowa, and many are in need of restoration to return them to an operable state. There are a few windows with
broken individual panes of glass,and one window at the west side of the first floor of the south elevation where a pane has fallen
out due tocomplete failure ofthe glazing putty. In general,the windows that still have their exterior storms are in better condition
than those without. All of the shutters on the building are in poor condition with extensive paint |oaa and rotted or missing
elements. The window at the east aide of the east ell entrance on the south elevation has replacement shutters that do not
match the shutters found at the nea1 of the south and east windows (Photo 2.149). Interior conditions at the windows will be
discussed inthe interior section ofthis report.
31
pA2991Jexingmnwhite.-house hyhdoc\mpoxAna|mpou\2_existing oondihons.doo
Historic Structure(Report- The Irlammond A.Irlosmer blouse
Lexington,IMA
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Photo 2.1-36:Windows at east elevation of main block.
Photo 2.1-37:Through-tenon corner peg at third floor window at main block.
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Photo 2.1-38:Double window at first floor of north ell,west elevation. Nate that window at left has exterior storm(with screen),window at right
is unprotected.
Photo 2.1-39:Windows at second floor of north ell,north elevation.
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Photo 2.1-40:Bank of four windows at Barnes addition,north elevation.
32
pA2991._Lexington._white._house._hsr\doc\report\final regort\2_._existing conditions.doc
Existing Conditions
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Photo 2.1-41:Barnes addition,first floor west window.
Photo 2.1-42:Southwest basement window at main block.
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Photo 2.1-43:Basement windows at north ell.
Photo 2.1-44:Single and double windows at south elevation of east ell.
Photo 2.1-45:Small window at west corner of south elevation,second floor of the east ell.
33
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Historic Structure Report- The Irlammond A.Irlosmer blouse
Lexington,IMA
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PYiI+I�41NIulfrJVm�y�'wT+yl➢�r1,Ijiv�1��IV}y�M ����,1„i�ir .r.,M'NN'"q �r�����/'d�«'+l' ��� ����/////i / �/i 1 /
i
Photo 2.1-46:Pair of double Krung windows at north elevation of east ell.
Photo 2.1-47:Window at south gable end of barn.
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Photo 2.1-46:Window at east wall of barn.
Photo 2.1-49:Replacement shutter at first floor window,south elevation of east ell.
34
p12991._Lexington._white._house._hsr\doc\report\final regort\?_._existing conditions.doc
Existing Conditions
Roofing, Gutters, and Soffits
Overall Description
The majority of the Hammond A. Hoamer House mob have been fairly recently replaced with asphalt shingles. The shingles
consist of 1''8 1/4^ tabs with 5^ exposure. Vents have been installed at all the gable roof ridges, with asphalt ridge shingles
above (Photo 2.1'50). The outer edges of the asphalt shingle mob have a coated aluminum drip-edge that extends
approximately D^upthe roof surface below the asphalt shingles(Photo 2.1'51). These roofs would have originally been covered
with wood shingles. Some wood shingles have been preserved at the west aide of the barn roof where the east end of the
second floor east ell intersects the barn mo[ The shingles are visible from the interior and are 4^k> 5"wide with a 5"exposure
(Photo 2.1-52).
Theahedmoa1thenortbaideoftheeaaeUhaabeenmofedwithambberEPDMmembranemanu&adumdbyCar|iale (Photn
21'58). The EPDM membrane is fastened to the building wall with a termination bar nailed directly to the clapboard siding of the
second floor wmUa above (Photo 21'54). An aluminum drip edge is installed at the outer edges of the mo[ At the north
elevation the EPDM membrane continues below the drip edge and hangs in the wood gutter fastened to the fascia board below.
A wood gutter is mounted to the fascia board of the eaves of the gable roof section at the main block with galvanized metal
leaders at the east and west sides. The eaves of the gabled section of roof at the east elevation of the north ell and the south
elevation ofthe east ell are similar to that ofthe main block,with awood gutter and fascia board. There iaawide projecting soffit
at the west and north sides of the Barnes addition. Wood gutters are mounted to the fascia boards above the soffits at both
sides and the soffits have been retrofitted with vents(Photo 2.1-55).
Wood gutters with galvanized metal leaders are installed at the remainder ofthe north elevation at the eaves of both the lower
roof of the first floor of the east ell and at either side of the "pop-out" extension at the second floor. The pop-out extension roof
has analuminum gutter a1the north eave. A wood gutter is installed at the east and exposed portion of the west side of the barn
gable roof eaves.
Condition Assessment
The asphalt roofing are in good condition overall. Vent flashings are galvanized metal and appear to be water-tight. At the
northeast corner of the Barnes addition there is an area where it appears that some of the roof sheathing has been cut back. A
piece of EPDM roofing has been adhered to the wood sheathing at this location (Photo 2.1-56). The EPDM patch runs below the
asphalt shingles of the adjacent roof, but hangs loose at the building wall and at its outer edges. There is a hole in the wood
aiding where the EPDM meets the building wall, and the way that the EPDM is folded appears to be funneling water into the
opening in the aiding (Photo 2.1'57). There is significant deterioration at the building wall and adjacent wood soffit at this
location (Photo 2.1'5D). There is a missing asphalt shingle tab at the northeast side of the barn roof along the gable rake. Bare
expoaedahea1hingiaviaib|ea11hia |ooadonand1hereiaacorneaponding |eaka11hein1eriorof1hebama1do(Pho1o2.1'5S).
The EPDM roof is also in good condition,although the way the termination bar fastens to the top of the siding at the building wall
ianot good roofing practice and could beasource offuture leaks. Atthe northwest corner ofthe roof there iaanawkward fold in
the roofing membrane at the corner a1the transition from where the roofing membrane hangs down below the aluminum drip
edge a1the gutter and where i1stops below the drip edge at the sides of the roof slope (Photo 2.1-60). Approximately half the
wooden gutter installed a1the north edge ofthis roof iamissing.
The condition of the soffits and gutters is poor at all areas of the building. All of the wood gutters are unlined and have failed,
with badly rotted wood and holes visible at all areas. Most ofthe galvanized metal leaders are either missing or are no longer
attached to the gutters. The failed gutters have caused severe deterioration at the building soffits and fascia boards throughout
the structure. In many locations the rotted gutter can no longer hold the gutter fasteners and the gutters are pulling away from
the building wall (Photo 2.1'G1). The wood gutter at the north elevation of the east ell second floor has completely detached and
fallen off the building. Holes were noted in the rotted fascia boards along the south elevation of the main block and east ell that
are allowing animals entrance into building attic(Photo 2.1-62). In addition to the hole in the fascia at the main block there is an
area of lifted roofing that looks like it has been created by animal activity(Photo 2.1-63).
The wide soffit a1the Barnes addition iaparticularly problematic. |naddition k>the area ofdeterioration a1the northeast corner of
the soffit noted above there is also severe deterioration at the northwest comer and the southwest comer of the soffit where it
turns tomeet the wall ofthe main block a1the west elevation. One ofthe soffit boards a1this location iadetached,and there iaa
hole inthe gutter above(Photo 21'G4).
35
pA2991Jexingmnwhite.-house hyhdoc\mpoxAna|mpou\2_existing oondihons.doo
Historic Structure(Report- The Irlammond A.Irlosmer blouse
Lexington,IMA
�r
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Photo 2.1-50:Asphalt shingle roof at the main block and north ell/Barnes addition with ridge vents.
) ttr�r - aiii-,n
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Photo 2.1-51:Aluminum drip edge at roof eave.
Ili/r/ftr rrr /✓i�> >d/ ��e�f i Oio/r��U/r lyp�r r
Photo 2.1-52:Old woad shingles at the area of barn roof covered over in the 1930s by the construction of the second floor of the east ell).
36
p12991._Lexington._white._house._hsr\doc\report\final regort\?_._existing conditions.doc
Existing Conditions
r pari!��r r/r<ilylviimrlir/�rrr/iiri�ii�f/l�io/ / ii r,F
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Photo 2.1-53:EPDM roof at first floor shred roof of east ell.
Photo 2.1-54:Termination bar nailed to siding above east ell north)shred roof. Nate deteriorated gutter that has fallen off the eave of the second
floor roof above.
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Photo 2.1-55:Soffit and gutters at Barnes addition. Nate open area in gutter around leader.
Photo 2.1-56:Deteriorated area of soffit,northeast corner of Barnes addition.
37
p:2991._Lexington._white._house._hsr\doc\report\final regort\?_._existing conditions.doc
Historic Structure(Report- The Irlammond A.Irlosmer blouse
Lexington,IMA
�I
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Photo 2.1-57:Hale in siding and ratted gutter where Barnes addition soffit meets building wall nate that the edge of the EPDM roofing patch
funnels water into this hale.
Photo 2.1-58:Woad rat and biological growth at northeast corner of soffit. Nate hale in siding below soffit.
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Photo 2.1-59:Missing shingle tab at barn roof. Nate exposed(deteriorated)roof sheathing.
Photo 2.1-60:Turned up corner of EPDM roofing at northwest corner of east ell shed roof.
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Photo 2.1-61:Gutter pulling away from building wall at east elevation of north ell.
38
p12991._Lexington._white._house._hsr\doc\report\final regort\?_._existing conditions.doc
Existing Conditions
r
%/1 aiiiirM%/✓///r//D%//i%i ,Illff /%%//G%/////Ol I 1 J1V W(4 I`�Cl
Plata 2.1-62:Hale in fascia board,north elevation of main black.
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Photo 2.1-63:Lifted area of roofing,main black south elevation.
4
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Photo -.164:Deteriorated soffit at south side of Barnes addition,west elevation.
39
g:\2991._Lexington._white._house._hsr\doc\report\final regort\?_._existing conditions.doc
Historic Structure Report-The HammondA.Homnmdouse
Lexington,IMA
Chimneys
Overall Description
There are three chimneys at the Hammond A. Hoamer House:two a1the main block and one a1the north e||. The chimneys are
painted brick with corbelling detail along the upper edge(Photo 2.1-65). Each chimney appears to have two flues. The chimney
base flashing material could not be observed as the lead coated copper counterflashing extends to the roof surface.
Condition Assessment
The chimneys are in good condition overall with some |oaa of paint at the exterior surface of the brick. The oounterUaahing
appears sound although some sealant has been applied at the upper edge of the coun1erflaahing on the east main block
chimney. The flashing appears to have once been painted, but most ofthe paint is missing. There is severe water damage
visible a1the interior below the north and west chimneys, but this damage appears to predate the re-roofing as during a site visit
on a rainy day the interior spaces remained dry. There is residue from previous|y'ina1a|led at the base of the counterUaahing.
pneaumab|yhoma8emp1ed |eaknepairsprior1o1heina1a||adonof1henewmof(Pho1o2.1'GG).
Photo 2.1'O5:North ell chimney(and east main block chimney beyond)
~
04
44
Photo 21'OO:Lead coated copper munterilaahingateast main block chimney. Note mastic residue atbottom edge offlashing.
40
pA2991Jexingmnwhite house hyhdoc\mpox\fina|mpou\2_existing oondihons.doo
Existing Conditions
2.2 Interior
General Description
The interior of the building has had little in the way of layout renovations over the years,except those noted as having happened
early on. Many original finishes nemain,though many are deteriorated orcovered over bynew materials and not currently visible.
The interior has suffered from deferred maintenance and will require considerable work prior k>any new use. In addition to the
finiahea, systems are in need of upgrades, and the building is deficient with regard to current egress and accessibility
requirements.
Building Systems
General Description
1845 iajust before central heating became widely available, and it is likely that there was no heating system other than the
fireplaces at the original building. Systems would have been added later,and the range of radiators and other heating elements
in the space suggest numerous alterations over time. Other building systems would have been added aatechnology changed
and the building was updated.
Conditions Assessment
The existing natural gas-fired boiler, located in the baaemen1, provides hot water 10 baseboard heatera, oaa1 iron radiators and
cabinet unit heaters on the first and second floors of the building. The boiler flue is connected to the masonry chimney at the
west aide of the main block. The boiler is near or at the end of its service life expectancy and does not meet current mechanical
codes with respect 1ooutside air.
There is a duct furnace with cooling coil located in the attic space of the barn (Room 216)that dates to 2000. The condenser for
the cooling coil is located outside at ground level on the north aide of the barn; the exhaust flue penetrates the barn mo[ The
furnace does not meet current mechanical codes with respect to outside air. The only air-conditioned apace in the building is the
first floor ofthe barn. Outside air a1all spaces iadelivered via the operable windows.
Plumbing fixtures found in the kitchen and bathrooms in Rooms 107 and 208 are residential in nature. Anaccessible restroom ia
located in the east ell; the mom itself is inaccessible due to non-compliant doors at the hallway, All plumbing piping has been
disconnected from sink fixtures to prevent damage due to freezing. The modem kitchen sink has been removed from the wall of
Room 10G(but iastill exists inthe space)and the bathroom sink has been completely removed from Room 107.
Thee|eo1rioa| ayatemconaia1aofa120/20Dvo|1aemice1ha1incorporateatwo200'ampmaina. Electrical service enters the
building via the basement, where the main circuit breaker panels are located. Avariety oferas oflight fixtures, receptacles and
switches can be seen throughout the building. Condition of the wiring inside the wm||a is unknown. Heat detectors were
observed in each mom, but their condition is not known. Emergency lighting units were observed a1the first floor, but not a1the
second floor.
There is an exiadng, non'funodona|. fire alarm system present inthe building with the control panels mounted tothe wall of
Rooms 104 and 105. According to Town personnel,this system was installed in approximately 2007'200D.aothe reason for the
lack of function is not known. It could be related to the electricity in the building being turned off.
Main Block Interior
First Floor
Room 10 1 -Last Parlor
General description
The East Parlor(Room 101) ialocated a1the southeast corner ofthe main block's first floor. This room flows directly into Room
102, the West Par|or, via wide opening at the west wall. 8d|| extant is this opening's molded and pedimen1ed Greek Revival
entrance surround. The east and south walls of this room are pierced by pairs of windows while the north wall is pierced by a
doorway that opens into the main stair hall (Room 204). The windows are fully enhomed by molded and pedimented surrounds.
For much of the building's history a columned porch extended the length of the East and West Parlors' south wall so that these
rooms would have been more shaded and had |eaa direct sunlight. In evidence at the center ofthe east wall is a ca. 1920a
Craftsman Style fireplace mantle that consists of brick hearth and a deep brick surround (Photo 2.2'1). The wooden mantle
shelf ofthe original, mid 1840a mantel piece is still intact. Undoubtedly the original mantel piece was identical tothe ebonized
wooden mantel piece in the Back Parlor. In addition to the brick mantel piece another noteworthy feature from the ca. late 1910a
iathe pressed tin ceiling which is also in evidence in the Back Par|or(Room 102).
41
pA2991Jexingmnwhite.-house hyhdoc\mpoxAna|mpou\2_existing oondihons.doo
Historic Structure Report-The HammondA.Homnmdouse
Lexington,IMA
Floor
The floor of Room 101 is covered with wmU-tn+maU grey pile carpet that is glued directly to the floor surface below. The
underlying floor surface could not beobserved, but is likely similar to that found in Room 102. The carpeting is in fair to poor
condition as i1iastained throughout.
Walls and ceiling
Wall surfaces are smooth painted plaster in fair condition. Areas of cracking could be seen at all wmUa, particularly the exterior
south and east walls. There are cracks a1both sides ofthe wall below the southeast window onthe south wall. Abulletin board
is mounted tothe south wall between the two windows. There are electrical outlets inthe walls and additional electrical and data
cables surface mounted k>the baseboard and wmUa inwinemo|d.
The painted pressed tin ceiling iaingood condition. Two pipes penetrate the ceiling a1the south side ofthe hearth (Photo 2.2'2).
Trim and millwork
Baseboard in Room 101 is 11^ high. 7/8^ thick painted wood with a molded profile at the top edge. The baseboard is in good
condition overall,although there are some displaced boards at the south wall. There is a 2"high painted molded wooden cornice
at the junction of the wall and ceiling at the perimeter of the room which is also in good condition.
Doorways
Neither ofthe two door openings inRoom 101 has adoor installed. The door opening between rooms 101and 104ia2''S^wide
and G''S1/2^high. Hinges are installed a1the door frame and there iaalow(less than 1/4' high)wood threshold a1the bottom of
the doorway.
The door opening between rooms 101 and 102ia5''S^wide and G''S^ high. Hinges are installed a1both sides ofthe door frame
suggesting there was once a set of double doom in the opening (Photo 2.2'8). The threshold consists of metal carpet strip.
The door frame is in good condition
Ninobmm
The G'over'Gdouble hung windows are infair condition overall. Aanoted inthe Exterior section ofthis report,all exterior window
putty has failed. There is some water damage evident at the lower south corner of the sill at the north window at the east wall.
The window trim is in good condition. The trim at the south jamb of the north window is cut off by the wall of the chimney flue
enclosure.
Other features
A cabinet unit heater is located below the window at the south aide of the east wall. Lighting consists of modem 4-lamp
Uuoneacen1pendan1fix1une(approximate|y2'x4')whiohiaingoodcondidona|1hough1hep|aadocoveriaye||owmd.
The firebox ofthe fireplace ia 1''5^deep and 2''S^ wide and lined with brick. The firebox ia inpoor condition aathere iaalarge
onaoka11henortheaa1comeroftheinaidewmUwhiohcondnueaa|ongthefineboxUoor(Phok>2.2'4). Fmmthebaaemen1i1oan
be seen that the firebox rests on a atone lintel that is entirely supported byasingle steel |aUy column. The cracking may bedue
to this inadequate support structure. The brick at the fireplace surround has been coated with a shiny clear coating. The
opening over the firebox is supported on a steel lintel. The brick surround is in fair to poor condition, with some cracking of the
brick at the north corner presumably due to the same movement that is causing the firebox to crack. The hearth is also brick and
measures 8''9^ wide and 1''7 1/2^ deep. It is in good condition. The fireplace mantel is 2 1/4^ thick painted wood that extends
into the mom approximately 10 1/2^ There is a G^ high trim board a1the junction between the mantel and wall and a2 1/4^ high
piece of painted wood molding at the junction between the mantel and brick fireplace surround. The mantel and trim are in good
condition.
Room 102- West Parlor
General description
The West Parlor is located at the southwest corner ofthe Barnes' Place's first floor. Part of the original mid'1840a main b|ook,
this mom flows directly into Room 101 or the East Parlor via awide opening at the west wall that once had sliding pocket doors.
8dU extant is this opening's molded and pedimen1ed Greek Revival entrance surround. Pairs of windows pierce the west and
south walls ofthis room while adoorway that opens into the main stair hall (Room 204) pierces the north wall. The windows are
fully enhomed by molded and pedimented surrounds. The 6/6 double-hung sash are of fairly recent origin and accurately
represent the prevailing mid'1D40asash configuration. For much ofthe building's history acolumned porch extended the length
42
pA2991Jexingmnwhite house hyhdoc\mpox\fina|mpou\2_existing oondihons.doo
Existing Conditions
of the Rmn1 and Back Parlors' south wall so that these nmma would have been more shaded and had less direct sunlight.
Undoubtedly the ebonized wooden mantel at the center ofthe wma1 wall is original to the main block's mid'1840a construction.
The placement of this fireplace is echoed in that of the fireplace in the east parlor (101). The east parlor's mantel has been
replaced by o. 1910aor20a brick Craftsman style mantel piece. In addition to the original mantel piece another noteworthy
feature from the ca. late 1910a iathe pressed tin ceiling which is also in evidence in the Front Parlor(Room 101).
Floor
The floor a1Room 102iacovered with the same grey wmU-tn+maUcarpeting found in Room 101. Aportion ofthe underlying floor
is exposed at the north wall of the room where a built-in bookcase has been removed. The floor consists of 2" wide strip wood
flooring with aperimeter band oftwo 1 1/2^wide wood strips, placed perpendicularly to the floor field (Photo 2.2'5). Aportion of
the aubUoor is also exposed in this location and consists of approximately 1/2^ thick aubUoor boards resting on random width
planks ranging from 6"to 9"wide. The carpet iaglued directly k>the wood flooring,and may damage the underlying floor when
removed.
Walls and ceiling
Wall surfaces are smooth painted plaster in fair condition with some areas ofminor cracking. A large bulletin board is mounted
to the wall between the windows on the south wall and a second bulletin board is mounted to the wall over the fireplace. Several
different eras ofin+maU electrical outlets are located at the around the mom as well as surface mounted winemo|d and outlets at
the east and west walls.
The ceiling iathe same painted pressed tin found in Room 101 and is in good condition. Two pipes penetrate the ceiling at the
northeast corner ofthe room.
Trim and millwork
The wood baseboard is 11^ high and matches that found in Room 101. The area ofremoved built-in shelving reveals that the
wa|| p|aa1erextenda]ua1be|ow1he |eve| of1hebaaeboard.whiohianai|ed1ofurringa1ripa |ooateda1eaoha1ruo1una| a1ud (Photo
2.2'6). There is also a painted wood cornice at the top of the wall matching that found in Room 101. The baseboard and cornice
trim is in good condition although a section of baseboard is missing where the built-in shelving is installed against the north wall.
There is a section of displaced cornice molding over the door opening between Room 101 and Room 102. The modern built-in
shelving iapartially demolished and infair condition.
Doorways
The door opening between Room 102 and 104 is Z-9 1/2"wide and 6'-10'high and contains a 2-panel wood door. The door iain
good condidon, but is missing the door knob and escutcheon. Amodem deadbo|1haa been surface-mounted 10the door. Door
trim iathe same aafound inRoom 101 and iagood condition. There iaalow wood threshold a1the bottom ofthe door opening.
Ninobmm
Windows and window trim are the same as observed in Room 101. The windows are in fair condition overall. There is some
water damage a1the sill ofthe north window onthe west wall.
Other features
There is a cabinet unit heater at the wma1 wall on the south aide of the chimney. There is also a modem baseboard heater
running along the south wall of the room. Lighting consists of a modern 4-lamp fluorescent pendant fixture similar to that found
inRoom 101.
The firebox behind the wood fireplace surround has been infiUed with a plaster wall (Photo 2.2-7). The mantel and fireplace
surround are ingood condition. The hearth has been covered with the wmU-tn+maUcarpeting.
43
pA2991Jexingmnwhite.-house hyhdoc\mpoxAna|mpou\2_existing oondihons.doo
Historic Structure Report- The Irlammond A.Irlosmer blouse
Lexington,IMA
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Photo 2.2-1:Overall view of Room 101 showing fireplace and heater.
Photo 2.2-2:Pipe penetration at painted tin ceiling,Room 101.
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Photo 2.2-3:Door opening between Room 101 and Room 102. Nate hinges at Room 102 side.
Photo 2.2-4:Crack at back corner of firebox. Also nate steel lintel at opening in firebox surround.
44
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Existing Conditions
Photo 2.2-5:Exposed woad flooring at Room 102.
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Photo 2.2-6:Exposed wall construction and baseboard profile,Room 102.
Photo 2.2-7:infill wall at fireplace opening,Room 102.
Room 103:Study
General description
Situated on the north side of the west parlor as well as at the head of the main stair hall (104), this small roam may have
originally served as a library/office. The lack of a base board at the north wall suggests that the original wall was taken down -
probably when the Barnes addition was built around 1920—and then a new north wall was reinstated after 1937 when the Town
of Lexington began to use this building for office space. Roam 103's north wall was probably taken down around 1920 so as to
accommodate a new kitchen that included the roam numbered 106. Still intact, however, from the mid-1840s are pedimented
and molded door and window surrounds.
Floor
The floor of Roam 103 is covered with grey wall-to-wall carpeting in fair condition. None of the underlying flooring is exposed.
45
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Historic Structure Report-The HammondA.Homnmdouse
Lexington,IMA
Walls and ceiling
The aouth,east and west walls of Room 108 are smooth painted plaster in fair condition. The north wall is also painted p|aa1er,
but ofmore modem conatruction,with no trim(Photo 2.2-8). This wall is also in fair condition. There are some holes and marks
on the wall from where wall mounted shelving and a countertop have been removed. The ceiling is painted plaster which is in
fair condition with some cracking across the surface.
Trim and millwork
The baseboard at the aou1h, east and west walls is D^ high with a molded profile at the top edge. This trim is in good condition.
There is 2^ high cornice molding at the top of these wm||a that appears to be the same profile as seen in Rooms 101 and 102.
The cornice molding iadisplaced inthe southeast corner ofthe room.
Doorways
The door opening between Room 103 and Room 104 is 2'-5"wide and G''S^wide. The door in the opening is two-panel wood
door. The upper half ofone of the panels has been removed and replaced with vision glazing (Photo 2.2'9). The door has a
brass knob and escutcheon with keyhole. There is a low (approximately 1/8^ high) wood threshold at the bottom of the door
opening.
Ninobmm
TheG'ovepGdoub|ehungwindowiainfaircondidonovera||. Aanotedin1hefxtenb/aeodonof1hianeporLa|| ex1eriorwindow
putty has failed.
Heating and lighting
There is a baseboard heater at the west wall of the mom. Lighting oonaia1a of modem ceiling mounted 2-lamp fluorescent
fixture. The wires from the switch to the fixture are contained within surface-mounted wiremold.
Room 104:Main Stairhall
General description
The principal stair hall ofthe White House iaan L-shaped passageway located on the north side of the main block. This stair hall
runs along the north aide of double parlor (Rooms 101 and 102) and extends westward from the front door to a small mom
(Room 103)that may have originally served as a study or library.Just before this hall reaches Room 108i1turns left 10extends a
short distance 10connect with the west parlor(Room 102). On the north side of this stair hall is the first room of the integral north
ell which probably originally served aathe dining room(Room 105).
The main block's principal stair hall contains a sizable concentration of mid nineteenth century elements that deserve to be
preserved during the course of future adaptive reuse projects. Throughout the nineteenth century,front halls in upscale American
residences were designed tocreate favorable first impressions. One of the features that most effectively transmitted the status of
a family's means and taste was the main or grand staircase. In the case of the White House, the staircase is a model of
restrained design with its mahogany stair railing and slender cylindrical balusters. The stair railing descends from the second
floor stair hall, culminating in a curvaceous mahogany newel post.After the o.1846 stairway,the most significant mid nineteenth
century feature located within this apace is the Tuscan columned archway that marks the transition from the long and short
segments of the hallway. This graceful feature was probably added during the 1860a when Americans' interest in Italian
Renaissance design superseded the square headed and pedimented elements of the Greek Revival in popularity.
A|aodadng1o1hemid'1D40ain1hemainatairha|| arebaaeboardaand1hepedimentedaurroundaofdoom |eading into Rooms
101. 102. 103 and 105.Although the original front door at the east wall has been replaced by one of undetermined vintage, this
space does retain elements that date tothe mid'1D40a. These elements include the front door's three pane sidelights and broad
pedimen1ed surround. The aide lights' original clear glass has been replaced by opaque light green, pale yellow and pink panes
that probably date to the 1920a.The floor is covered with a ca. 1950a green and yellow linoleum while the space is enclosed by
smooth plaster walls and ceiling.
rmm
The 12^ x 12^ linoleum floor tiles are in poor condition with cracking at the front entrance and in front of the entrance to Room
105.
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Existing Conditions
Walls and ceiling
The painted plaster wmUa are in fair condition with some hairline cracking throughout. The wall at the north aide of the stair is
plaster with apainted wood stringer with amolded bottom edge below the treads and risers.
The ceiling is painted plaster, in fair condition. There is some cracking at the edges of the stair opening. The arched opening
andwmodco|umnabetweentheendof1hea1airsandthenorthwmUiaingoodcondidon(Photn2.2'10).
Trim and millwork
Room 104has 11^ highbaseboard aimi|ar10that found inRoom 101. The enclosed wm|| below the stairs has di#erenL7^ high.
baseboard with aa|ighdy rounded top edge. This baseboard projects 1/2^ into the mom. There ia2^high cornice molding at the
perimeter ofthe room,similar tothat found inRoom 101. Baseboard iaingood condition throughout.
Doorways
Doom openings between Room 104 and rooms 101. 102. 108 and 105 are discussed in the other spaces. The door opening
leading to the exterior is 2'-11 1/2"wide and 6'-8"tall. The two center panels of the door have been removed and replaced with
wire glass and a letter slot has been installed at the center stile. The door has been retrofitted with an exterior storm, metal
weatherstripping and a modem lever handle and is in good condition overall. The sidelights each have four panels. The lower
panel is wood,the upper three are filled with non-original opaque colored glass panels as noted above. The door and sidelights
are infair condition. There is a wood threshold at the bottom of the door opening which is showing signs of water damage.
Other features
There is a cabinet unit heater a1the north wall near the exterior door. Numerous control boxes are mounted to the wall at the
base of the stair and a large alarm box is mounted to the north wall next to the front door. Lighting consists of a modern brass
incandescent pendant fixture mounted at the center of the room(Photo 2.2-11).
The stairs to1heaecondUoorare8''0^wide(with2''10^openapacebetween1hewmUand1hebannia1eraupports). The first riser
is 1/2^ high; the remaining risers are 7^ high. Tread depth is 10^ The stairs are carpeted with grey carpet. The stairs are in
good oondidon, although as the carpet is glued directly k> the stair treads there will likely be some damage k> the underlying
wood when the carpet iaremoved.
The original wood rail at the north aide of the stair is 8^ wide (Photo 2.2'12). . The top of the rail is located f'10^ above the
tread noainga. The rail is supported on 1^ diameter bannister posts spaced 4 1/2" on center. Amodem round wood rail has
been installed at the south side of the stair. This rail is 1-1/2" in diameter and is located 2'-5" above the tread nosings. This rail
iafastened to the wall with brackets and iawobbly.
Photo 2.2-8:North and east walls atRoom 103. Note lack oftrim atnorth wall.
Photo 2.2-9:Door opening between Room 103 and Room 104 with vision glazing.
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Lexington,IMA
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Photo 2.2-10:Arched opening adjacent to stairway in Roam 104.
Photo 2.2-11:Light fixture at Room 104.
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Photo 2.2-12:Stair rails at Room 104.
Second Floor
Room 201:East or F-rant Bedroom
General description
The Front or East Bedroom is located at the south east corner of the main black's second story. Access to this roam is provided
by a doorway that leads from the second floor stair hall (Roam 204). Both the doorway shared by Roams 201 and 204 and the
doorway of the shallow closet at the west wall are set off by formal molded surrounds.
To the right of the doorway opening into Roam 201 from the stair hall is an enclosed stairway that leads to the attic. Four
windows illuminate Roam 201:the south wall is pierced by a pair of windows while a window is located on either side of the east
wall's mantel piece. Each window features molded and pedimented surrounds and contains 6/6 double-hung woad sash.
The front bedroom's most distinctive feature is the mantel piece at the east wall. Flanked by standard size windows, it features a
painted Gothic Revival arch that springs from Greek Revival Doric pilasters. The Back or West Bedroom (Roam 202) contains
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Existing Conditions
an identical mantel piece at its west wall. The hearth is obscured by modem wall-to-wall carpeting. The room is further
characterized by a match board floor(visible only in the closet),simple baseboards,smooth plaster walls and ceiling and wooden
cornice moldings. This room's two doom retain mid nineteenth century porcelain doorknobs that are marbleized and brown in
color.
Floor
ThegneywmU-tn+maUoaqpe1iainfairtopoorcondidon. Theoaqpe1iag|ueddineodyto1he2^a1ripwmodUoorbe|ow.and1henewiU
likely be some damage to the floor when the carpet is removed. The exposed wood floor in the closet is in good condition.
Walls and ceiling
Walls are smooth painted plaster in fair condition. There is some cracking visible at the west wall,below the west window on the
south wall and a1the north edge ofthe wall above the fireplace. Bulletin boards have been affixed k>the north wall and the south
wall between the two south windows. The plaster a1the interior ofthe closet iaextensively cracked (Photo 2.2'18).
The ceiling iaalso painted plaster and iainfair condition. Cracking iavisible a1the area ofceiling a1the northeast portion ofthe
room between the door toRoom 104and the fireplace.
Trim and millwork
There is an 8"high plain painted wood baseboard at the perimeter of the room and a 2"high painted wood cornice molding a1the
junction of the wm|| and ceiling. The trim is in good condition. VVinea and winemo|d are attached to the baseboard. A painted
wood rail iamounted tothe north wall. Wood shelving is installed inside the closet.
Doorways
The door opening to the o|oae1 is 2''6^ wide. G''D^ high and contains a 4-panel painted wood door with a porcelain knob and
modem deadbo|L This door is in good condition. Aprevious sage green paint scheme is visible at the wood door trim at the
interior side ofthe closet.
The door opening between Room 201 and Room 204 is 2''7^ wide and G''D^ high. This door is a 4-panel painted wood door.
One ofthe upper wood panels has been removed and replaced with vision glazing. Operating hardware consists ofaporcelain
knob and a modem deadbo|L The door and opening are in good condition.
Ninobmm
The windows are in fair condition,with failure of the paint and glazing putty at the exterior. There is some water damage at the
wooda1oo|andp|aa1erwa||be|ow1heaou1hwindowa11heeaa1wm||. VVindowoaaingconaia1aof51/2^ mo|dedpaintedwood1rim
a11he]ambaandpaintedwmodpedimented1rima11hewindowhead. The1opof1heinterioratoo| ia |ooa1ed2''01/2^above1he
level ofthe floor.
Other features
There is a radiator located below the south window on the east wall, and a baseboard heater is installed along the southeast
portion ofthe south wall. Lighting consists of two 4-lamp fluorescent pendant fixtures measuring approximately Z-O"x 4'-0". The
lights are in good condition.
The fireplace at the east wall has been infilled with a plaster wall behind the fireplace surround. At the center ofthe plaster iaa
metal flue cover that has been painted over (Photo 2.2'14). The plaster infill wall is cracked at the perimeter of the flue cover.
The fireplace surround is painted wood and is in good condition although there are some areas of missing paint and scuff marks
a1the base ofthe surround. The hearth has been carpeted over.
Room 202: West or Back Bedroom
General description
Located at the southwest comer of the main block's second story, this mom corresponds with the back or west parlor that is
located directly below. Apparently the East and West Bedrooms never functioned as a master bedroom suite as their shared
wall contains aha||ow, side-by-side closets rather than a passageway linking the two rooms. The principal decorative feature of
this room is a wooden mantel piece whose opening is set off by Doric pilasters and a pointed,Gothic Revival arch.
Formal elements evident on the main block's first floor are in evidence on the second as seen in the pedimented door surrounds
(three)and pedimented window surrounds (four). The closet at the east wall is missing its door while the doors at the north wall
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Lexington,IMA
that open into Rooms 208 and 204 retain their8ouppane| doom. The door that opens into the hallway(Room 204) is taller than
the door that opens into the small mom numbered 208. The door that opens into 204 has been modified by the replacement of
an upper wooden panel with ag|aaa pane. The Back Bedroom features a match board Uoor,simple baaeboarda,smooth plaster
walls and ceiling finishes and wooden cornice moldings.
Floor
The floor in Room 202 is covered with grey wall to wall carpet in fair to poor condition. AainRoom 201.the carpet iaglued to2^
wood strip flooring,visible a1the interior ofthe closet.
Walls and ceiling
The painted plaster walls are infair condition. There are some water marks onthe west wall below anarea ofwater damage a1
the ceiling (see be|ow). There is also an area of cracked plaster at the east wall and cracking along the sides of the fireplace
surround. Abulletin board iaaffixed k>the south wall between the windows.
The painted plaster ceiling is in fair to poor condition. There is an area of water damage at the southwest comer of the mom
near the chimney(Photo 2.2'15). At a site visit on a rainy day this area was dry indicating that the source of the leak(likely the
west chimney/roof intersection) has been fixed. There are areas of hairline cracking and peeling paint visible at the nea1 of the
ceiling surface.
Trim and millwork
Baseboard and ceiling trim are the same aa in Room 201 and are in good condition overall. There ia4^ high painted wood
baseboard installed a1the interior ofthe closet,also ingood condition. Amodern painted wood built-in shelving unit iapresent a1
the north wall between the west wall and the door toRoom 208. The shelving unit iaingood condition.
Doorways
There is no door installed at the closet opening on the east wall. The door frame is badly wracked,and unpainted wood framing
has been nailed to the top of the frame to make the opening square(Photo 2.2-16).
The door opening between Room 202 and Room 208 is 2''4^wide and 6''8^1a||. It contains a 4-panel painted wood door in fair
condition. As noted above, one of the upper panels has been removed and replaced with vision glazing. The door has no
hardware and has been permanently fastened shut.
The door opening between Room 202 and Room 204 is 2''7^ wide and G''D^ 1a||. It also contains a4'pane| door with vision
glazing at one of the upper panels. The door is in good condition and has a brass knob and surface mounted deadbolt(Photo
2.2'17).
Ninobmm
The windows are in fair condition,with failure of the paint and glazing putty at the exterior. Window trim iathe same aafound in
Room 201. Aboard has been nailed 10the stool ofthe northwest window.
Other features
A radiator is located at the northwest corner of the north wall, built into the shelving unit at that wall. Lighting consists oftwo 4-
lamp ceiling mounted fluorescent fixtures. There is a through-wall fan installed inside the north wall between Room 202 and
Room 203. The fan blades are located in Room 203,and the metal cover that serves as the back of the fan is all that is visible
within Room 202(Photo 2.2'1D).
The fireplace at the west wall has been infiUed with a plaster wall. Unlike Room 101 there is no flue cover a1the infill wall.
Howmver, there is a circular area of cracked plaster at the center of the wall at roughly the same location (Photo 2.2'19). The
painted wood fireplace surround iathe same aafound in Room 201 and is in good condition.
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Existing Conditions
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Photo 2.2-13:Cracks in plaster wall at the back of the closet in Roam 201
Photo 2.2-14:Metal flue cover at the center of the fireplace infill in Roam 201.
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Photo 2.2-15:Water damage at ceiling in Roam 202.
Photo 2.2-16:Board nailed into head of wracked frame at closet door,Roam 202.
Photo 2.2-17:Doors between Roam 202 and Room 203(left)and Room 204(right).
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Historic Structure(Report- The Idammond A.Irlosmer blouse
Lexington,IMA
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Photo 2.2-18:Back of fan installed through north wall.
Photo 2.2-19:Circular cracked area at fireplace infill wall.
Room 203
General description
Just as the small roam numbered 103 may have been originally used as a gentleman's office or library, the corresponding roam
on the second floor(Roam 203)may have originally used by the lady of the house as a child's roam or a sewing roam.
Despite the relatively diminutive size of the roam,the same formal elements that appear elsewhere in the main block are evident
here. For example, the single window at the west wall that illuminates the roam is set off by formal, pedimented surrounds--
surrounds that are also in evidence at doors connecting this roam with the stair hall (Roam 204)and West Bedroom(Roam 202).
Both of the original four panel doors have been altered by the replacement of a solid upper panel with a glass pane. The east
door retains a mid-nineteenth century porcelain doorknob with faux marble finish identical to those found in Roam 201.
The room's modern wall-to-wall carpeting presumably obscures a matchboard floor. Still intact are baseboards, smooth plaster
wall and ceiling finishes as well as wooden cornice moldings.
Floor
The grey wall-to-wall carpeting in Roam 203 is in poor condition. None of the underlying flooring is exposed.
Walls and ceiling
The painted plaster walls are in poor condition. There is cracking and bulging in the plaster at the north and south walls and
some minor cracking at the east wall. A continuous strip of electrical outlets is fastened to the north and south walls and
additional wires,wiremold and conduit is mounted to the wall surfaces throughout the space(Photo 2.2-20).
The painted plaster ceiling is in fair condition. There is some minor cracking and peeling paint at the ceiling surface near the light
fixture.
Trim and millwork
Baseboard and cornice trim in Roam 203 is similar to that found in roams 201 and 202 and is in goad condition overall.
Doorways
The permanently closed door between Roam 202 and 203 is discussed in the Roam 203 condition assessment above.
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Existing Conditions
The door opening between Room 208 and the corridor (Room 204) is 2'-T wide. G'-7^ tall. It contains a 4-panel painted wood
door with a brass knob. As noted above, one of the upper panels has been removed and replaced with vision glazing. The
opening is surrounded with 4"wide wood casing with a molded profile. The door and casing are in good condition.
Ninobmm
The window in Room 203 is in fair condition -the exterior putty and paint have failed. The window casing is 3 1/2"wide and has
a molded profile that is different from that found in rooms 201 and 202. A wood board has been nailed to the top of the sill that
may previously have supported anair conditioner.
Other features
Atthe south wall iathe front side ofthe fan installed inthe wall between rooms 202and 208(Photo 2.2'21). Asmall cabinet unit
heater ialocated below the window onthe west wall. Lighting consists ofasingle 4'|ampsurface mounted fluorescent fixture a1
the center ofthe ceiling.
Room 204-Second Floor Stairhall
General description
Located on the north aide of the main block, the second floor stair hall, like its first floor counterpart. is L-shaped in plan. This
hallway extends from the east wall westward to the small room numbered 208 and then 1uma south]ua1 beyond the top of the
staircase to connect with the West Bedroom (Room 202). The second floor hall has a northern "leg" that extends the length of
the north e||. No fewer than five doors are associated with the part of the second story stair hall that is located within the main
block: these include doors that open into the East and VVea1 Bedrooms (Rooms 201 and 202) as well as Room 208. and the
stairway 10the attic. In addition a door opens into the northern leg of this hallway in the north ell (Room 210).With the exception
of the door providing access to the a8io, all of these doom are set off by pedimen1ed surrounds. All of the original four panel
doors are intact although alterations in the form of glass panes replacing upper wooden panels are evident at Rooms 201, 202,
208and 204. |naddition,asingle window with aformal,pedimen1edsurround pierces the east wall.
In general, this stair hall retains its simple baaeboarda, smooth plaster wall and ceiling finiahea, wooden cornice moldings and
most importantly the mahogany stair rail and whitewashed wooden balusters that enclose the stairwell. In addition the original
mahogany newel post iastill intact.
Floor
The floor in Room 204 is covered with grey wall-to-wall carpet in poor condition. There were noareas ofexposed wood flooring.
Walls and ceiling
Walls in Room 204 are painted plaster in fair condition. There is some cracking in the plaster at the west wall and at the edge of
the walls enclosing the stair k> the attic (Photo 2.2'22). Lighting, emergency |ighdng, a fire alarm pull and athermostat are
mounted k>the walls.
The ceiling iaalso painted plaster. The plaster ia in good condition. The ceiling height is D''S^.the same aafound in rooms 201
208.
Trim and millwork
There is 10^ high painted wood baseboard and 2^ high cornice molding at the perimeter of the room. The molding is in good
condition.
Doorways
The door opening between Room 204 and the Barnes addition corridor(Room 210) is 2''7' wide. G''7^ tall. There is no door in
the opening and no hinges present. The door is surrounded by 6"wide flat trim, in good condition. The door tothe attic stairway
iaa4'pane|painted wood door ingood condition.
Ninobmm
The window is in fair condition, with failure of the exterior paint and glazing putty, There is water damage at the interior stool at
the south window jamb (Photo 2.2'28). Metal air conditioner support brackets are mounted to the wood clapboards at the
exterior ofthe window.
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Other features
There iaawood guard rail a1the north side ofthe stair opening. The rail ia2''71/2^high and consists ofa8^high varnished top
rail supported on 1^ diameter painted wood posts spaced 5^ apart. The stair rail is in good condition. The east end of the rail
curves k>meet the wall ofthe attic stair enclosure(Photo 2.2'24).
Photo 2.2-2u:Outlet strip,vwmmom.wires and conduit mounted mwalls mRoom uu3.
Photo 2.2-21:Front offan installed through south wall.
Photo 22-22:Cracking atplaster atedge ofattic stair enclosure wall.
Photo 2.2-23:Water damage atinterior sill,Room 204.
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Existing Conditions
r,
Photo 2.2-24:Guardrail at stair opening at Room 204.
Third Floor
Rooms 301 302 and 303-Attic
General description
Situated between the second floor stair hall's stair well and the north wall of the East Bedroom, the enclosed Attic Stairway
ascends to a small landing that is flanked by East, Center and West Attic Roams. The primary interest of these three spaces is
wide floor boards and multiple layers of vintage wallpaper as well as the original window sash present in the window openings.
Floor
The floor of the attic space consists of wide, painted random width boards ranging in size from 11"to 1'-3". The floor boards are
in fair condition. There are some areas of water damaged flooring near the chimney enclosure at the east wall.
Walls and ceiling
The walls and ceiling of the attic space are plaster on woad lath covered with wallpaper. Three distinct layers of paper can be
seen at the wall of the stairs and throughout the attic space(Photo 2.2-25). The walls are in poor condition,with severe areas of
water staining near the chimneys at the east and west walls and areas of torn wallpaper and missing plaster throughout. Both
the severe area of staining at the east chimney(Photo 2.2-26)and the less extensive area of staining at the west chimney were
observed to be dry on a site visit on a rainy day, suggesting that the damage is from a previous leak that has been fixed. There
is also water staining at the east and west exterior walls below the window openings.
The ceiling height is 6'-8" at its highest paint, and slopes to meet the walls on either side. A portion of the ceiling is sagging in
Roam 301 (Photo 2.2-27). There is a hale at the south wall of Roam 302 which allows access into the crawl space below the
gable roof. It may also be allowing animals into the attic space - boxes paper files that were left in the attic by the prior
occupants have been extensively chewed.
Trim and millwork
5 1/2" high flat painted woad baseboard is at the perimeter of walls of all the attic roams. The baseboard is in goad condition.
Modern built-in shelving units have been constructed at the north wall of Roam 301 and the south wall of Roam 303.
Doorways
Door openings between roams 201 and 202 and roams 202 and 203 are 6'-5" high and 2'-2"wide. There are no doors installed.
Door trim is flat 3"wide woad boards,painted silver.
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There are two 6-over-6 double hung windows in the attic space, at the east and west exterior walls. As noted in the Exterior
section of this report, the sashes of these windows appear to be older than the sashes at the windows on the lower floors, and
may be original to the building. The windows are in poor condition, with water damage a1the lower rails and interior stools and
onaokedg|aaapaneaa1bo1hwindowm (Pho1o2.2'2D). Theneiaa|aoaomede1erionadonof1hemundna. partiou|ar|ya11he |owmr
sashes. The windows have no ropes orother operating hardware. Window trim is 2 1/2' casing with a molded profile at the
jambs and a flat pedimented top. There is a wood stool and apron with molding at the bottom edge. The trim,with the exception
ofthe stool, iaingood condition.
Other features
The stairs from the second floor to the attic are in good condition. The stairwell is 8''0^ wide and consists of 1/4^ deep wood
treads and D^high risers(Photo 2.2'2S). The treads are approximately 1^thick and have rounded edges.
Aradiator ia installed in Room 802. Lighting is provided byasingle bulb in a metal socket surface mounted to the ceiling in each
apace. VVinemo|dconneds the switch to the fixture.
Photo 2.2-25:Layers orwallpaper atattic stair enclosure wall.
Photo 2.2-26:Water damage atchimney enclosure ateast wall.
Photo 2.2-27:Bulge in ceiling at west side of 1301.
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Existing Conditions
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Photo 2.2-28:Water damage at stool and wall below west window.
Photo 2.2-29:Attic stair.
Basement
Rooms Bal and Bat
General description
The basement consists of two spaces. A large L-shaped space below the main black and north ell (B01) and a smaller side
roam at the west side of the basemen(B02).
Floor
The floor of the basement is cast-in-place concrete. The concrete is in fair condition.
Walls and ceiling
The exterior walls of Roam B01 are the exposed foundation walls for the main black and east side of the north ell. The walls are
rubble fieldstone to approximately 54"above the floor with brick above and are in goad condition overall. Plywood is installed at
the north side of the west wall and at the north wall(naw an interior wall between Roam B01 and B02)to allow for the installation
of panel boxes and meters at those locations. There is an active leak behind the plywood at the north corner of the west wall.
The north wall of Roam B01 is located in the north ell and is constructed of rubble fieldstone. At the west corner of the north wall
there is a jag in the wall to accommodate the stairs from the first floor. The walls of this entry area are plaster on lath and are in
poor condition.
1'4' deep, 3'-0" wide brick chimneys are constructed at the east and north walls below the fireplaces at the upper floors. The
chimneys appear to be older brick at the north and south sides with more modern brick infill at the interior side (Photo 2.2-30).
Windows have been installed in the exterior walls that cross behind the brick chimneys. Portions of the brick infill at the east wall
have been removed, revealing a stone lintel supporting the fireplace above (Photo 2.2-31). The lintel is supported on a 3"
diameter steel lally column. There are also four freestanding 12" square solid brick piers and four additional 3" diameter steel
lally columns supporting the floor above at other locations in Roam B01.
The exterior wall at the west side of Roam B02 is stone rubble to 4'-9"above the floor. Between this rubble wall and the upper
portion of the exterior wall (also stone rubble) is a 4'-5"deep ledge. The south wall of the space is the former exterior wall of the
main block. The interior walls at the east and north of the space are single Wythe brick walls. The interior side of the brick was
once coated with plaster laid directly on the brick surface. Most of this plaster is now gone. There is a partial wall constructed of
a single Wythe of brick between the north and south halves of the roam.
The basement ceiling is the exposed framing and subfloor of the roams above, with the exception of an area above the bailer at
the west side of the roam, where plaster over wire lath has been installed over the exposed framing, presumably for fire
protection (Photo 2.2-32).
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The ceiling at the north aide of Room 802 is covered with random width wood boards in poor condition. The boards are
supported from the framing ofthe floor above. Many boards are missing.
Doorways
The interior entrance door 1othe basement is located in Room 1108. and conditions are discussed in that section. The other
door is located in a brick-walled bulkhead at the northeast side of the space that leads directly to the exterior. The conditions at
this door are discussed inthe Exterior section above.
There is adoor opening in the brick interior wall between rooms 801 and 802. Awmod frame has been installed in the opening,
but there ianodoor. The door frame iainpoor condition and appears tobewracked.
Ninobmm
The three windows in Room 801 are single paned fixed sash windows with brick ai||a and are in poor condition with water
damage at the sash and frame. One of the two openings is covered with plywood on the exterior. The other two have holes in
the glazing toaccommodate piping.
In Room B02 there are two windows with three pane divided light sashes installed at the west wall. The windows are in poor
condition with water damage visible a1the sash and frames.
Other features
Lighting consists of incandescent bulbs in porcelain sockets mounted to the homing of the floor above. Wiring is contained in
flexible metal conduit,
There iaaset ofstairs leading 10the first floor a1the north wall ofRoom 801 (Photo 2.2-33). The stair ia8''0^wide with 101/2'
deep wood treads and D^high wood risers.
There is mechanical equipment throughout the basement. Large items consist of a boiler at the west aide of the mom
(manufactured by Burnham)and an oil tank against the east wall of the room(Photo 2.2-34).
A soapstone sink is mounted to the north wall of the apace (Photo 2.2'85). The sink is in fair condition although stained with
paint.
Photo 2.2-uu:Brick chimney with newer brick infill atcenter.
Photo 2��1:Lally column supporting hearth ofRoom 101 fireplace above.
Photo 22-32:Area ofplaster ceiling above boiler.
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Existing Conditions
V I
Photo2.2-33:Stairs to first floor and interior wall between B01 and B02.
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Photo 2.2-34:Oil tank at east side of Room B01.
Ir
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Photo 2.2-35:Soapstone sink at north wall of Room B02. Nate boards at ceiling.
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Historic Structure Report-The HammondA.Homnmdouse
Lexington,IMA
North Ell Interior
First Floor
Room 105:Qta��
General description
Situated on the north side of the main stair hall, the Dining Room (Room 105) is of considerable interest because of alterations
that were evidently made inaneffort tostay abreast ofthe latest trends inAmerican interior design. Essentially rectangular in
p|an, on its south aide this room is contiguous with the main block's principal stair hall (mom 104). on the west by the new
kitchen ofoa.1S20(Room 10G)and onthe north bythe old kitchen (Room 10S).
Room 105probably has a match board floor beneath the modern wa||'to'wa|| carpet. |ngeneral this room retains mid'1840a
features such as molded baaeboarda, pedimented door and window surrounds and wooden cornice moldings. Smooth plaster
moldings characterize the walls and ceiling. The ceiling never seems to have had a circular ceiling meda||ion, which is fairly
common in houses of this scale and vintage. One of the room's curious features is what appears to be a boxed beam at the
west side ofthe room. The question remains aato why abeam would beneeded under the second story hall that presumably
would not be expected to support heavy pieces of furniture. The underside of the boxed beam, adjacent to the north and south
walls exhibits afairly elaborate cornice molding.
The most interesting features of this mom are located at the north wall. Hene, two generations of fireplace mantles are in
evidence. Aoa. 1860s Renaissance Revival mantel piece composed of wood with faux marble finishes has been superimposed
over the original wooden Greek Revival mantel. Embedded in the fireplace opening's brick back wall iaasquare iron plate. This
plate effectively seals off the opening for a pipe that was once was associated with a free standing stove that heated the dining
room. The iron plate exhibits a circular form containing a vine with leaves and flowers. Floral ornamentation also appears in the
spandrel arches ofthe iron plate.
To the left of the mantle is an arched recess that may originally have contained shelves upon which to display porcelain.
Floor
The grey wm||'to'wm||carpeting inRoom 105iainfair condition. None ofthe underlying flooring iaexposed. There iaachange in
level of approximately 1/4^ at the opening between Room 104 and Room 105. The level change is bridged by a metal carpet
transition strip a1the Room 105side ofthe opening.
Walls and ceiling
Walls are painted plaster in fair condition at the aou1h,east and west walls and poor condition at the north wall. There are a few
areas of missing plaster on the north wall where the underlying lath is exposed. The lath is 1 1/2"wide with 1/4"space between
boarda. Thep|aa1eria1/4'thiok. Theneiaa |argeonaokin1henorthwmUa1thewma1aideofthefinep|ace.andabu|gein1hewmU
above the fireplace surround with onaoka radiating away from the comers of the fireplace surround. The arched recess at the
west side ofthe north wall iaa1''S^deep, 5''1^wide. The north wall ia8^thick a1the closet opening and the plaster curves over
the]ambaandheadoftheopeningandcondnueainto1heo|oae1apace. Thep|aatera11heheadof1heo|oae1openingformaan
arch (Photo 2.2'8G). The arched opening and recess interior are ingood condition.
The ceiling iapainted plaster inpoor condition. A large area of plaster is missing at the south side of the room exposing 2"wood
lath below. Some of the lath is also missing. The remainder of the ceiling is cracked throughout, and there is a bulge in the
ceiling at the center of the room. There is a soffited area at the west wall that is V-9" lower than the rest of the ceiling and 3'-4"
deep. There is large crack below the soffit a1the south wall.
Trim and millwork
There is a S^ high painted wood baseboard at the perimeter of the mom. The top edge of the baseboard projects 2^ into the
room (approximately 8/4^past the lower portion ofthe baaeboard). There iaa8^ high painted wood curved molding a1the top of
the walls where they meet the ceiling. 1^ wide wood comer boards are installed at a]og in wall at the wma1 aide of the door
opening into Room 109. A21/2^wide painted wood rail iainstalled 1''S^above the level ofthe floor a1the south wall. Below the
aoffitedarea a1the west wall iaa1''G^deep built-in shelving unit. The shelving iaenclosed with painted wood shutter doors.
At the center of the room is a large modern wood composite built-in transaction counter and desk. There is a partial drywall wall
cona1mdedbe|ow1he1nanaactiontopwithanD^highwmodbaaeboardinataUeda11heexterioraide.
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Existing Conditions
Doorways
The door opening between Room 105 and Room 104 is 2''9^ wide and G''S^ high. There is no door installed at the opening and
the hinges have been removed.
The door opening between Room 105 and Room 109 is 2''6 1/2^ wide and 6''6" high. There is no door in the opening and no
sign ofhinges. Awood threshold iapresent a1the bottom ofthe opening.
The door opening between Room 105 and Room 106 is 8''1^ wide and G''S^ high. There is 2 1/2^ wood trim at the opening
surround. There is 6-panel modem wood door in the opening. Aho|e is cut in the door for a knob/|ever, but there is no
hardware. There is a wood threshold at the bottom of the door that slopes up approximately 1/4"to the level ofthe floor inRoom
106.
Windows
There are two 6-over-6 double hung windows at the east wall. The north window i's in poor condition with water damage at the
head and sill. There is wood m1 at the ak>o| and at the bottom of the lower sash and the paint at the mundna is delaminated
(Photo 2.2-37). There are two broken panes of glass at the upper sash and one broken pane at the lower sash. Unlike the north
window the south window is protected by an exterior storm and is in fair condition. There are some gouges in the wood of the
ak>oi As noted in the Exterior section of this report,exterior window putty at all the windows has failed.
Other features
A cabinet unit heater is installed below the north window on the east wall. Lighting consists of two 4-lamp fluorescent pendant
fixtures. There are modern light switches and outlets in the room. A large amount of wiring is stapled to the baseboard at the
east wall. Afire alarm box iamounted k>the south wall a1the east side ofthe door.
There is a fireplace built into the north wall of the apace with a marble mantel and surround. The interior of the fireplace was
formerly infiUed with p|aater, but the plaster has been nemoved,exposing a brick wall constructed across the firebox opening. At
the center ofthis wall is G 1/2^x7 1/4^ iron door(Photo 2.2'8D).
Photo 2.2-38:Overall viewofRoom105ahowingaohedplaateratdoaetonnorthwaU.
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Historic Structure Report- The Irlammond A.Irlosmer blouse
Lexington,IMA
/
Photo 2.2-37:Water damage at north window sill and bottom rail.
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Photo 2.2-38:Fireplace surround in Roam 105.
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Existing Conditions
Room 109:Old Kitchen
General description
Although aside from a pantry and contiguous rooms that typically adjoined a kitchen there is little within the room itself to suggest
that this was the place that meals were prepared in for the first seventy years or so of the house's history. Room 109 is the
northern-most room inthe mid'1D40anorth ell. This room iabordered onthe east bywhat were originally the workrooms ofthe
East Bi On the south aide of the old kitchen is the dining mom while the west wall adjoins the back atairs, o|oae1 under the
stairs and original back entry. The feature that speaks to this room's original use as a kitchen is a closet orsmall pantry a1the
room's northeast comer. This apace contains multiple shelves and a sliding wooden door. The pantry door's metal handle
appears todate the mid'1840a. In addition to the pan1ry,features that survive in the old kitchen from the mid nineteenth century
include simple baseboard that are devoid of ornamental moldings,a chair rail at the west wall as well as a circular wooden door
knob on the door that would open into the back stairway were i1not nailed shut. Aoa. early 20th century iron radiator is also in
evidence a1the west wall.
Otherwise,the room has been thoroughly altered for the purpose cdmid-to-late20mcentury Town offices. The L-shaped partition
near the room's southeast corner was constructed a1alater date to form asmall foyer between the dining room and the kitchen.
The floor iacovered with mid-20th century composite tile,the walls are covered by large modem punch boards aawell aasmooth
plaster. The cooking feature was probably located at the wall shared with the dining room. This house was built towards the end
ofthe period of1D20'1D50when stoves replaced open-hearth cooking. The wide spread use ofstoves bythe 1D40ainsured that
kitchens would be cleaner,safer places and the never-ending chore of wood production was greatly reduced.
Floor
The floor in Room 109 consists of 9" x 9" floor tiles, possibly made of vinyl-asbestos based on the tile size. The floor iain poor
condition aathe tiles are worn and stained throughout. There are some areas ofreplacement tile throughout the room. The tiles
do not extend into the pantry, which has a linoleum sheet floor with a checkered pattern. The pantry floor is in poor condition,
with the center portion of the linoleum worn completely away and exposing the aubUoor, which consists of 8 1/2' tongue and
groove wood flooring planks(Photo 2.2-39).
Walls and ceiling
The north wall is drywall, furred out 5^ from the original painted plaster and lath exterior wall. The drywall extends up to the
framing of the floor above and is in good condition. The furring has created deep window openings with drywall returns. The
condition of the plaster wall behind the drywall could not be verified,but it is likely that the wall was furred out to cover damage at
the original wall(Photo 2.240).
The aouth, east and west walls are painted plaster. Afurred out wall of pegboard and painted drywall has been installed below
the ceiling grid over the built-in work area. The top of the plaster wall can be seen above the ceiling grid and is in poor condition.
At the east wall, plywood has been screwed directly into the wall k>aheight ofapproximately G''D^ The plywood sits ontop of
the wood baseboard and has been painted the same color as the plaster wall. The exposed plaster a1the top of the wall is in
poor condition,aaiathe plaster a1the west wall.
A newer wood-framed wall with plywood sheathing has been constructed at the southeast comer of the room. This wall
incorporates a G''D^ high partial wall at the west that is covered with pegboard that appears to pre-date the plywood (Photo 2.2-
41). The pegboard wall has G 1/2^ baseboard and iaedged with 2 1/4^ flat trim. There ianotrim a1the plywood portion ofthe
wall that frames the door opening toRoom 105.
The ceiling in Room 109 iaacoustic tile suspended in an aluminum grid installed f'4 3/4^ below the original plaster ceiling. The
grid is in fair condition,although the acoustic tile panels have been largely removed. The exposed plaster above the ceiling grid
is in poor condition. Areas cdplaster are missing in several |ocationa, exposing the framing for the floor above. Floor to ceiling
height to the plaster iaS'4^
Trim and millwork
There ia11^ high painted wood baseboard with amolded top edge a1the west wall. The molding profile iasimilar tothat seen in
the corridor of the second floor above (Room 210). The baseboard at the east wall may be the same materia|, but with the
molded top edge removed k>accommodate the new drywall.
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Historic Structure Report-The HammondA.Homnmdouse
Lexington,IMA
Amodem laminate built-in countertop with shelving below has been constructed a1the south wall. The shelving unit is in fair
condition. The back panels of the shelves are detached. A laminate shelf with a metal support leg at the outer edge has also
been installed over the radiator onthe west wall.
Doorways
The door opening to Room 1108a1the west wall ia2''G^wide and G''5^ high. |1contains a4'pane| painted wood door. One of
the upper panels has been removed to install vision glazing (Photo 2.2'42). The door is in fair condition and has brass knob.
Door casing is painted wood,4^wide with a bevel at the aide adjacent to the door and with aflat pedimented top. The trim is in
good condition. Also at the west wall is a door leading into the closed-off rear stairs. This door has been fixed shut. The
construction of the furred out wall at the north aide of the mom partially covers the opening (Photo 2.2'48). The door trim is the
aameaa1ha1founda11head]acen1wma1door; howmver.1heneiaahigh (2^)wood1hreaho|da11heboUomof1hedoorwhiohiano1
present a1the adjacent door.
There is a 2-panel wood pocket door with a flush-mounted pull at the opening into the closet at the northeast corner of the room
(Photo 2.2-44). The door is in fair condition as i1cannot befully opened or closed. The opening is approximately 2''4^wide by
G'4^taU.
The door between Room 105 and Room 109 is an unpainted modem hoUow+conewmod door that measures 8''0^ wide by G''D^
high and is in fair condition.
Windows
There are two 1~ovep1 double hung windows a1the north wall ofthe room. The windows are infair condition with failed exterior
glazing putty and paint. They have been blocked-in on the interior with particleboard and acoustic ceiling panels.
Other features
Anadiak>r is installed at the west wall. Lighting is provided by8'|ampfluorescent fixtures integrated into the suspended ceiling
grid. Task lighting is installed in a bar over the work area at the south wall. There is no evidence of previous lighting in the
apace.
Rooms I I OA and I I OB and closed in back stair LRoom I I OCI
General description
This linear succession of small spaces originally formed a windowless buffer between the kitchen and the west yard of the north
e||.Thebaoka1aira(Room110)wenenenderedinaoceaaib|ea1anundeterminedda1e. Access tothe stairs from the second story
has been discontinued and a large piece of plywood now covers that opening— wm were not able to explore the condition of
these stairs. The closet under the back stairs (Room 11OA) iaessentially acrawl space that may have been used tohouse any
number of practical tools or household products and is of interest primarily for its door which is composed of flush vertical boards.
The small entry that originally opened directly into the west yard contains three steps that spiral down to the cellar door on the
south side and a door shared by the back hall of the Barnes Addition. The back entry stairs also link the kitchen with the back
hall ofthe Barnes Addition that was added ca. 1920. |naddition 10the door 10the closet under the stairs, both the entry's walls
and ce||ardooranecompoaedofverdoa| boarda (1hiaiano11hetongueandgmovewoodwmrk1ypioa| of1he 1880a'to'1920abu1
something more rustic and 1840a).
Floor
The floor ofRoom 110A(the closet area below the a1aira) iacomposed of8^ tong ue'and'grooveboards. The boards are quite
damp and show signs of mold (Photo 2.2-45). There are no signs of water damage at the walls,suggesting that the dampness
may berising from below. TheUoorofRoom1108iaendne|ycoveredwi1hwinderatepa1ha1bridge1heohangeinUoor|eve|hom
Room 10Sto Room 111. The steps are covered with a textured vinyl protective surface that is in poor condition. The underlying
material could not beobserved.
Walls and ceiling
The east and west walls ofRoom 110Aand 1108are painted plaster. The plaster iainfair condition, with some minor cracking
across the surface. The headboard wall between rooms 110Aand 1108iaconstructed from random-width headboard (ranging
between 4^and G^wide)and contains the door to Room 11OA. The south wall ofRoom 1108iaconstructed ofthe same random
width headboard and contains the door to the basement. The headboard is in good condition overall.
04
pA2991_|^xingmn_white house_hyhdoc\mport\fina|mpou\2_existing oondihons.doo
Existing Conditions
The north wall/ceiling of Room 110A and the ceiling of Room 1108 are the underside of the closed-in back staircase. The
a1airoaaeeno|oauneinaideRoom110Aconaiatsofpain1edpane|aofpartio|eboard. The ceiling ofRoom 1108iapainted plywood
with thin trim atripa, matching the ceiling construction in rooms 111 and 112. Both ceilings are in fair condition. The closed in
stairway overlaps the door opening into Room 109 and is painted bright yellow k> make it more visible as an obstruction (Photo
2.24G).
Doorways
The door opening 10the basement a1the south wall ofRoom 1108ia2''5^wide and G''0^tall. The door iaconstructed of4^toG'
wide wood headboard supported onbracing a1the basement side ofthe door. A1''D^wide, S^ high metal grate inametal frame
has been installed a1the bottom ofthe door for ventilation. Door hardware consists ofhinges and asurface mounted deadbo|1
that iabent to fit around the door casing.
The door opening between Room 110Aand Room 1108ia2''23/4^ wide and 4''0^ tall and iacomposed ofthe same random
width headboard as the surrounding wall supported on bracing at the interior side of the door. Hardware consists of hinges and
asurface-mounted latch(Photo 2.247).
Photo 2.2-39:Worn linoleum floor atRoom 109closet.
Photo 2.240:Furred-out drywall wall atnorth side ofroom. Note line ofceiling grid and area ofremoved plaster ceiling above.
Photo 2.241:Partial-height pegboard wall incorporated into new wall framing.
Photo 2.242:Door toRoom 110B
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Historic Structure Report- The Irlammond A.Irlosmer blouse
Lexington,IMA
f +
Photo 2.2-43:Door into closed-in back stairs at north corner of west wall. Door Inas been fixed shut.
Photo 2.2-44:Pocket door into closet.
i,
Photo 2.2-45:Mold at floor boards in Roam 110A. Also nate vinyl cover at adjacent stair tread.
Photo 2.2-46:Back stair enclosure in Roam 110E as seen from Roam 109.
Photo 2.2-47:Door to Room 110A.
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Existing Conditions
Second Floor
Room 205:South Bedroom
General description
Looa1edon1henorthaideof1hemainb|ook'aatairhaU(Room204)theNorthB|'aaouthbedmomiacondguouawith1henorthem
leg of the second floor hall (Room 210) as well as the North Bedroom (Room 209). Originally the North and South Bedrooms
were connected byasmall passageway located at the center ofRoom 205'a north wall. This passageway has been subdivided
into closet space for these bedrooms. The South Bedroom corresponds to the location of the dining room on the floor below.
The South Bedroom exhibits a match board floor (seen in the o|oae1 area). Elements dating from the mid'1840a that merit
preservation include baseboards surmounted by moldings and fuUyenhomed windows and doom. The door providing access
from this mom into the hall (Room 210) appears k> beoriginal k> the 1840a. It has had its upper panels replaced byasingle
large ca. mid twentieth century glass pane. Both the South Bedroom's walls and ceiling are characterized by smooth plaster
surfaces. Wooden cornice moldings are adU intact as is a remnant of a discontinued gas light fixture at the south wall.
Completing the room's inventory of vintage features is a ca.early twentieth century radiator at the north wall.
Floor
The floor inRoom 205iagrey wmU'to'wmUcarpet inpoor condition.
Walls and ceiling
The east,west and south walls and the ceiling are painted plaster in fair condition. There is minor cracking at the center of the
ceiling and some larger cracks were observed a1the south wall. Two bulletin boards are mounted to the south wall and there is
winemo|d at all the walls. In order to create closet space for rooms 205 and 209 a 4^thick painted drywall wall has been built at
the north side of the room that is located V-6" in front of the original plaster wall containing the opening to Room 109 (Photo 2.2-
48).
Trim and millwork
Trim consists of7^ high baseboard with a raised profile at the top edge and a 1 1/2"high cornice molding at the perimeter of the
mom.
Doorways
The door opening 10Room 20Sialocated a1the back ofthe closet a1the north wall and ia2''0^wide byG''G^ high. The opening
has been infi||edwith painted plywood a1the Room 10Sside. The door opening to Room 210ia2''51/2^wide byG''7^ high and
contains a2'pane| (vertically stacked)door infair condition. The center portion ofthe upper panel has been removed and vision
glazing has been installed (Photo 2.2-49). The door has a brass knob and deadbo|1.
Ninobmm
There are two G'over'Gdouble hung windows inthe room, surrounded by molded casing with apedimen1edtop. The windows
are inpoor condition. In addition to loss of exterior glazing putty and paint at both windows,the bottom rail of the north window is
ex1enaive|ym1tedand1hereiaade1aohedpanea11he |oweraaahof1heaou1hwindow(Pho1o2.2'50). Water damage iapresent
a1the north window sill. The top ofthe window sills are located 1''7^above the floor.
Other features
Aradiator ialocated a1the east corner ofthe north wall. Lighting consists oftwo 4'|ampfluorescent fixtures with missing covers.
Room 208:Bathroom
General description
The original use ofthis small room has not been determined. The Town ofLexington may have been responsible for first using i1
as an employees' rest room after 1988. Although this small space is characterized by modern finishes and fixtures there are
amenities ofinterest that probably date toca. 1S20during the Barnes era. Tothe right ofthe door are two built-in drawers which
are surmounted by a cabinet. The drawers exhibit cupped pulls composed of brass while the cabinet door features tongue and
groove woodwork.
Floor
The floor of Room 208 is vinyl tile in poor condition. The underlying floor was not visible.
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pA2991Jexingmnwhite.-house hyhdoc\mpoxAna|mpou\2_existing oondihons.doo
Historic Structure Report-The HammondA.Homnmdouse
Lexington,IMA
Walls and ceiling
The walls and ceiling are painted plaster in fair condition with some areas of cracked plaster and peeling paint. There is an area
ofwater damage a1the northwest corner ofthe ceiling. The walls are thicker a1the bottom toapproximately 8''S^above the floor.
A piece of 1/2^ wide trim is installed at the top of the thickened wall to bridge the apace between the thick wall and the wall
surface above(Photo 2.2'51). The reason for this increase inwall thickness could not bedetermined. Amirror iamounted to the
wall above the sink.
Trim and millwork
Trim consists of a vinyl base at the bottom of the wall,the molding between the upper and lower walls noted in the section above
and the same 1 1/2^high painted wood cornice molding found in Room 205. Trim is typically in good condition.
Doorways
The door opening at Room 208 iaapproximately 2''G^ wide by G''G^ tall and contains a2'pane| wood door. The door is in good
condition.
Ninobmm
There iaone window a1the east side ofthe north wall. The window iaa1'ovep1double hung with frosted glazing and iainfair
condition. The ropes to raise and lower the bottom sash have been removed,rendering the window inoperable.
As noted above, a residential-style cabinet is present at the west side of the south wall. The cabinet has two wood doors that
open up to fixed shelving and two pull-out drawers below(Photo 2.2'52). The cabinet protrudes through the wall and extends S^
into the corridor space behind -in the space above the boarded-up staircase. The back and sides ofthe cabinet are constructed
ofbeadboard. The cabinet iaingood condition.
Other features
The bathroom contains a modem residential-style toilet and sink with vanity below. Lights are mounted to the wm|| above the
vanity. A recessed vent fan has been removed from the center of the ceiling, leaving the housing in place. There iaabandoned
piping at the ceiling at the northwest corner of the room which may belong to a previous(gas?) lighting system(Photo 2.2-53).
Photo 224D:North wall|nRoom 2D5built out from original plaster wall. Note closed indoor opening atback ofcloset.
Photo 22'49:Retrofit glazing panel indoor between Room 205and Room 210
Photo 22'50:Detached glass pane atsouth window ofRoom 205
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Existing Conditions
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Photo 2.2-51:Northeast corner of Room 208: Nate change in plane at east wall.
Photo 2.2-52:Built in cabinet at south wall.
Photo 2.2-53:Abandoned piping at northwest corner of ceiling. Also nate area of water damage at adjacent ceiling.
Room 209:North Bedroom
General description
Situated at the northern end of the North Ell, Room 209 probably originally served as a bedroom. After the second story was
added to the East Ell and the roams of this ell were connected to the North Ell, Roam 209 seems to have become more of a
°pass through"space.
Although covered with wall-to-wall carpeting, the match board floor is visible under and near an early twentieth century iron
radiator. In general, smooth plaster and modern punch boards are located below and above the chair rails, respectively. The
ceiling is also covered by punch boards. Elements dating to the mid-1840s include baseboards and chair rails as well as the
pedimented surrounds of the room's single windows and at three of the room's four doors. A linen closet is located at the south
wall to the right of the passageway that once connected the north and south bedrooms. The original doors exhibit four panels
with two of the doors retaining original marbelized porcelain door knobs.
Floor
The floor of Roam 209 is covered with reddish-brown wall-to-wall carpet in poor condition glued to 2"strip woad flooring.
Walls and ceiling
The walls in Roam 209 consist of painted plaster to a height of 3'-7"above the floor. A 2 1/2"flat painted woad rail is fastened to
the wall at this level. Above the rail square, 3/4"thick punchboard panels have been glued directly to the plaster surface (Photo
2.2-54). The same panels are glued to the ceiling. The plaster is in fair condition with some cracking and an area of water
damage below the window on the north wall. The punchboard panels are in poor condition. There are areas where the surface
of the panels has been removed that are impassible to repair. Removal of the panels will likely damage the plaster walls below.
Trim and millwork
In addition to the rail mentioned above the roam has a 7" high baseboard similar to that found in Roam 205. Presence of a
cornice molding below the punchboard the could not be verified.
Doorways
The door opening to Roam 205 has been filled in with painted plywood as noted above. The plywood is surrounded by flat, 4"
wide casing. The door opening to Roam 210 is 2'-6" wide by 6'-5" high and contains a 4-panel door in goad condition with a
porcelain handle and deadbolt. The door is surrounded by molded casing similar to that found in Roam 205. The door opening
into the closet at the southeast side of the roam is 2'-6"wide by 6'-5 1/2' high,has the same molded casing as the door to Roam
210 and contains a 4-panel woad door with a porcelain knob that is in goad condition.
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Lemngtom.NN
The door opening to Room 212 is 2'-5" wide and 5'8^ high. The opening in the wall is quite deep (11^) and contains a 1 3/8^
thick pocket door. The pocket door has been rendered inoperable by the installation of trim at the door head. The outside of the
opening iasurrounded by41/2^thick flat wood casing.
Ninobmm
The window in Room 209 is in poor condition. The interior stool is water damaged and is displaced -tilting inward into the room.
As noted above, there is an area of water damaged plaster at the wall below the window. A metal angle has been attached to
1heboltomrai| of1he |owmraaah1000nneo1i1to1head|ea11hewea1window]amband1heupperaaahiadiap|aced (Pho1o2.2'
55).
Other features
Aradiator ialocated a1the northwest corner ofthe room.
In
Photo2.2-54:OvemUviewofRoom109ahowjngp|asterwaUbe|ow.pegboardabove. Closed-in door toRoom205iaatleft.
Photo 2.2-55:Water damage atwindow sill and wall below.
Room 210-North Ell Corridor
General description
Essentially an extension of the main block's stair hall,the north ell's hall was originally a hall that ran between the eastern rooms
of the North E|| and an exterior wm|| on the wma1 aide. Since the construction of the Barnes Addition rooms on the wma1 aide
around 1S20. this passageway reads aaa center hall. Extending from the stair hall 1oabathroom (Room 20D). this hallway ia
characterized by simple baaeboarda, smooth plaster wall and ceiling moldings as well as wooden cornice moldings. The
fea1uneaofmoa1in1enea1ane1heao|idkmo'pane|doom1ha1openinto1he |ineno|oaeL1hemu|d'paneFnenohdoora1ha1openin10
the Conservatory/Library aawell evidence ofthe back stairway.
In general doors are fully enframed with doors opening into Rooms 205 and 207 set off by simple wooden vertical and horizontal
boards that date 10the mid'1D40a. On the west side of the hall the doors and surrounds are composed of golden oak. The back
stairs Room 10S (the old kitchen)ascend 10Room 210. The back stairwell iaboarded over and the profile or"ghoaC'ofanewel
post and railing iainevidence a1the north wall.
Floor
The north ell corridor floor consists ofgrey-wall to wall carpet. Anarea ofmissing carpet near the northwest side ofthe space
reveals linoleum below. Plywood is installed at the northwest corner to close in the previous back staircase and provide support
for mechanical equipment(Photo 2.2'5G).
Walls and ceiling
The walls in the corridor are painted plaster in fair condition. A large amount of piping and wiring,as well as a metal panelbox is
fastened to the west wall adjacent to the mechanical equipment at the northwest comer of the apace. In addidon, a vent has
been inserted through the wall into room 207.
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Existing Conditions
The corridor ceiling is painted plaster in fair condition. The ceiling height in the room is T-Y. Ahatch ialocated a1the north side
of the mom that provides access to the attic onaw|apace above the north ell and Barnes addition. The opening through the
ceiling iasurrounded byflat wood casing.
Trim and millwork
The corridor walls have 7"high painted wood baseboard with a raised top profile similar to that found in Room 205. A 1 1/2"high
cornice molding ialocated a1perimeter ofthe room. Trim items are ingood condition. As noted inthe condition assessment of
room 20D.the back ofthe bathroom cabinet protrudes through the north wall ofthe corridor(Photo 2.2'57).
Doorways
Door openings in the corridor are discussed in the sections for the rooms they access.
Other features
There are two ceiling-mounted incandescent fixtures inthe corridor. The fixture a1the north side ofthe space iamissing its glass
cover.
�
Photo 22-5O:OvemiewofRoom210ahowjngmechanica|equipmentatnorthweataide.ventintoRoom207andatticacceaahatch.
Photo 2.2-57:The back ofbathroom cabinet at the north wall,behind the existing mechanical equipment.
Barnes Addition Interior
First Floor
teroom
General description
Rooms 106, 107 and 108 constitute a suite of rooms that is part of the Barnes Addition that was added to the northwest corner of
the White House around 1920. Located onthe west side ofthe dining mom. Room 10Gwas almost certainly used served aaa
kitchen that replaced the old kitchen (Room 109). The old kitchen became part ofDr. Barnes'suite ofmedical offices. The new
kitchen (Room 106) is associated with two small rooms located on its north aide. Room 106 is largely devoid of significant
architectural elements although interestingly the double window a1the west wall is set off by a pedimented surround in keeping
with those inthe original structural components ofthe house. Apparently Room 10Goriginally included Room 108which iapart
of the original main block. Room 108'a original north wall was taken down oa.1920 and re-instated after 1988 by the Town of
Lexington. Rooms 107 and 108 are essentially devoid of noteworthy architectural details.
Floor
The floor ofRoom 106 is sheet vinyl in poor condition. Flooring below is unknown. The floor in rooms 107 and 108 are vinyl
sheet infair condition.
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Historic Structure Report-The HammondA.Homnmdouse
Lexington,IMA
Walls and ceiling
The ceiling and north.west and east wmUaofRoom 10Gare pain�dp|aa�rover wood lath inpoor condidon (Pho�2.2'5D). The
ceiling height is 9''2^ The south wmU, shared with Room 108, is modem drywall. Asink and countertop and overhead cabinets
were once installed at the north wmU, but have been nemoved, revealing damaged p|aa1er(Photo 2.2'59). VVinemo|d is installed
onthe walls throughout the space.
Walls in rooms 107 and 108 appear to be painted plaster in fair condition (Photo 2.2'60). There is no trim except for a4^ high
vinyl base. Ceiling oonaUoodon is unknown, and might be plaster ordrywall. The ceiling in the space is low (T-8") compared
with ceiling heights inadjacent spaces.
Trim and millwork
There are multiple types of wood baseboard found in Room 106. At the east wall the baseboard is D^ high and has a plain
molded edge. Atthe west wall the baseboard iaS^ high and has the same molded profile aafound in Room 101. There iano
baseboard at the modern south wall or at the north wall where the sink was installed. With the exception of the south wall there
ia2^high cornice molding a1the top ofeach wall. Amodern melamine counter and shelving unit iaaffixed tothe east wall.
Doorways
There are two doors in Room 106 and one door between rooms 107 and 108. The door between rooms 105 and 106 has
already been discussed. The door opening between Room 108 and Room 106 ia2''G^ wide and 6''7^ high and contains a2-
panel wood door with a brass knob. The opening has 8 1/2^ flat wood trim and awood threshold and is in good condition. The
opening ia1''0^deep.
The door opening between Room 107 and Room 108 is 2'-0"wide and 6''7^tall and contains asecond 2-panel wood door. This
door has been retrofitted with a modem locking knob and is also in good condition.
Ninobmm
There iaone window opening inRoom 10G. The opening contains two 6-over-6 double hung windows with a 7 1/2"painted wood
panel between them. The windows are in fair condition, with |oaa of exterior putty and paint. The ropes to operate the lower
sash are missing from the south window. There is water damage at the interior stool of both windows.
There is an additional window a1the north wall of Room 107. The window is 6-over-6 double hung with textured,frosted glass
(Photo 2.2'61). The window is in fair condidon, but the ropes to operate the lower sash have been removed. Window trim
consists of81/2^flat painted wood boards.
Other features
Abaaeboard heater is located at the west wall of Room 106. Avent 10 the exterior with a pull cord is located through the west
wall. AamaU cabinet unit heater is installed against the wma1 wall of Room 108. Lighting in Room 106 consists of spotlights
mounted the ceiling near the south wall. Lighting in rooms 107 and 10Dconsists ofamodern ceiling-mounted fixture in Room
107and wiring for anover-sink wall-mounted light fixture inRoom 107that has been removed. Room 10Dcontains aresidential-
style toi|eLRoom107containapiping8oraainktha1haabeennemoved(Phok>2.2'G2).
7%
pA2991Jexingmnwhite house hyhdoc\mpox\fina|mpou\2_existing oondihons.doo
Existing Conditions
tl
lo
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Illnpmh,�lllll,�oophi,�ll,�i,V�III� VIII
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/1 I�,�,�„s,P IIIIIIIIIII Illululllll„ �ly �I; ,;$�M
i Vltil�l�IIII uu
Photo 2.2-58:Overall view of Room 106. Nate damaged ceiling and double window opening.
Photo 2.2-59:Area of damaged plaster at removed sink.
Mliil ,,. ���,,,�r s�r 5iirz 1�r�r,h,re rJirir ��
alt;„lrX lYli +''��,,,�II�rAA�fA,t(90... rel
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Photo 2.2-60:Overall view of Room 107.
Photo 2.2-61:Window in Room 107. Nate removed sash)rape at window jamb.
Photo 2.2-62:Removed sink and light fixture in Room 108.
Rooms 111 and 112:Fuck Entrance Hall and Utility(doom
General description
The back entrance hall and "utility roam” of the ca.1920 Barnes Addition are located at the northwest corner of the house.
Essentially Dr. Barnes "bumped out"the mid 1840s North Ell for the purposes of his medical suite that included the roams of the
East Ell and the old kitchen (Roam 109) of the North Ell. The back entrance hall (Roam 111) borders the back stairs, a closet
under the stairs as well as the small original back entry. On the west side of the back entrance hall is a small roam of
undetermined original use that may have served as a utility roam. The back entrance hall exhibits little noteworthy architectural
detail. Here the match board floor is circumscribed by smooth plaster walls. The narrow north wall features a door with two long
vertical panels. Similarly,the"utility roam"(Roam 112)passes a matchboard floor while its walls are laid up in flush boards. This
roams windows are fully and simply enframed. The most interesting feature of Roam 112 is the presence of what appears to be
exterior woad cladding at the south wall.
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Historic Structure Report-The HammondA.Homnmdouse
Lexington,IMA
Floor
The floor inrooms 111 and 112consists of81/4^wood planks. The floor iainpoor condition,with extensive water staining near
the exterior door on the north wall of the back hall and a large area of water staining at the northeast corner of Room 112. That
area ofthe floor was observed k>bedamp onasite visit performed onarainy day. Aathere ianostaining a1the adjacent walls,
it suggests that the dampness may be rising from below.. A hatch is installed in the center of the floor of Room I I I (Photo 2.2-
63). The hatch has two strap hinges and an iron pull,all of which are extensively rusted. The hatch iastuck shut,and could not
be opened.
Walls and ceiling
The east and south walls ofRoom 111 are plaster onwood lath. The south wall iainfair condition,with areas ofcracked plaster.
The east wall is in poor condition as there is water damage at the north comer below an area ofwater damage at the ceiling.
The north wall appears to be gypsum board. The wall surface is flush with the baseboard and door casing, implying that the
gypsum board was installed ontop ofthe original exterior wall. The west wall, shared with Room 112. iagypsum board in fair
condition. |1appears k> be more recently installed than the north and west walls ofRoom 112aathe gypsum board is cut out
around the edge ofthe west wall cornice molding.
The north and west walls ofRoom 112are painted wood panels with thin (1 3/4^wide)atripaofnaiaedwmodtrimbetweenpane|a.
The panels are in good condition. The south wall of Room 112 is painted exterior clapboard aiding with a 5" exposure (Photo
2.2'64). The siding iaingood condition.
The ceiling cdboth rooms consists cdpainted woodpane|awith18/4^ widestripacdwoodtrimovereaohjoin1bekmeenpane|a.
The panels are ingood condition, with the exception of an area of water damage at the northeast side of the room, adjacent to
the door(Photo 2.2'G5). This water damage and the dampness of the floor in the adjacent closet below the closed-in back stairs
(Room 110A) suggest that there could be significant water damage inside the closed-in stair and future investigations at the
building should include accessing this area via a probe in the wall in either Room 109 or Room I 11.
Trim and millwork
There iaa7 1/2^ high painted wood baseboard and a 1^ high cornice molding a1the north, east and south walls ofRoom 111.
The same baseboard is present a1the west wall, but there is no cornice molding. The wood paneled north and west walls of
Room 112have aS' high baseboard. The baseboard appears 10consist ofanD^flat board with a1^piece ofmolded trim above.
The north and west walls ofRoom 112also have a88/4^wide chair rail installed with its top edge located 8''8^above the floor.
The north, south and west walls ofRoom 112have anapproximately 1^ high cornice trim a1the top ofthe wall. There iaanD'
high flat baseboard a1the east wall ofRoom 112. but nocornice molding. There ianobaseboard a1the south wall. Trim inboth
rooms iatypically ingood condition.
Doorways
Thedoorto1heexterioron1hewea1wm||ofRoom112haabeenfixedahu1wi1hapieceofpain1edpardo|eboard1ha1ianai|edin10
the door and to the wall above the door. The exterior-facing side of the particleboard is painted black behind the door glazing.
The casing at the top of the door has been removed to accommodate the particleboard. The casing a1the sides ofthe door ia8
8/4^wide,flat boards.
The door opening between Rooms 111 and 112 is 2'-5 1/2^ wide byG''D^ high. |1contains a2'pane| wood door that has been
retrofitted with a modern locking knob. The door is in fair condition,with some gouges at the bottom rail.
Conditions at the door opening to the exterior on the north wall are discussed in the Exterior section of this report.
Ninobmm
There are two 1-over-1 double hung windows in Room 112: one at the west wall and one a1the north wall. The windows are
non-operable as the ropes needed to raise and lower the lower sash have been removed. Each window has a clear glass pane
in the upper sash and a frosted glass pane at the lower sash (Photo 2.2'66). Each frosted pane is installed at the interior side of
a clear glass pane at the exterior and is held in place with finish nails at the interior side. The sash lock at each window appears
tobeamodern replacement. The windows are in fair condition,with loss of exterior glazing putty and paint. Window casing ia4
1/4^wide,flat boards.
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Existing Conditions
Other features
There iaaradiator installed ontop ofwood blocking a1the west corner ofthe south wall ofRoom 112. The radiator projects
slightly into the door awing of the exterior door. There is also a mom heater/fan installed in the south wall. O|d, abandoned
piping is installed at the south wall indicating that there might have once been a sink a1that location. Lighting in the mom
consists of a metal surface-mounted fixture at the ceiling with the glass globe removed.
Photo 22-63:Hatch atfloor inRoom 111 Note water damage atfloor near exit door.
Photo 2.2-64:Exterior clapboard siding atsouth wall ofRoom 112. Note closed-in door atwest wall.
Photo 2.2-65:Water damage atnortheast corner ofceiling,Room 111
Photo 2.2-66:West wall window ofRoom 112. Note frosted glass pane below and missing ropes atwjndowjamb.
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Historic Structure Report-The HammondA.Homnmdouse
Lexington,IMA
Second Floor
General description
The Barnes Addition's most noteworthy mom,for reasons having to do with size and aea1hedoa. is the Conservatory and Library
of1heaecondUoor. Looa1edon1hewea1aideof1heaeoonda1oryha|| (Room210).1hiamom iaaccessed via multi-pane French
doom.
By far, Room 206 is the largest interior space in the entire building (with the exception of the rooms in the Barn). The room is
illuminated bythree banks ofwindows with two banks of four windows at the west wall and a single bank of four windows at the
north wall. The noteworthy aspect of this mom is the abundance of golden oak as seen in the baseboards and tongue and
gmovewmodwmrk1ha1extendathefuUheigh1oftheaou1hwmU.ha|foftheeaa1wmU(aawminacodng)and |eaaextenaive|ybeneath
the windows of the west wall. Also noteworthy are the built in book cases of the south wall. At the east wall to the south of the
French doors,the wall jogs out k>accommodate the linen closet(Room 206A). The walls above the wainscoting and windows ia
characterized by smooth plaster finished while overhead is an acoustic tile "drop" ceiling. Reportedly Dr. Barnes took care of
wounded World War | veterans in this house. The possibility remains that Room 206 was intended for the recovering soldiers
rather than for the purposes ofthe Barnes family.
Floor
The floor ofRoom 207 is covered with grey wall-to-wall carpet in poor condition. Flooring below the carpet could not be seen.
Flooring inRoom 20Giaconcealed bythe built-up bottom shelf.
Walls and ceiling
The walls in rooms 207and 20Gare covered with varnished 8 1/4^ wide tongue'and'gmovewood headboard (Photo 2.2-67).
The wood is in good condition except at the northeast corner of the room where there is some water damage at the top of the
wall. Squirrels have chewed a hole in the top of the east wall at the corner and nesting material has fallen into the room (Photo
2.2'GD).
Avamiahed wood rail has been added to the east wall of Room 207 at approximately 8''1^ above the floor. Bulletin board
material has been fastened to the headboard above the rail. In addidon, outlet strips have been mounted to the north and west
walls ofthe space.
The ceiling of Room 207 is also varnished beadboard, but a modern aluminum ceiling grid has been installed on top of the
headboard and infiUed with acoustic ceiling tiles. Wood paneling in good condition was found beneath three removed d|ea
(Photo 2.2-69). The aluminum grid and tiles are in good condition.
The walls and ceiling of Room 206 are also varnished headboard in fair condition. Numerous holes for wiring have been made in
the back wall ofthe closet.
Trim and millwork
There is D^ high varnished wood baaeboard, in good condidon, at the perimeter ofRoom 207. The built-in book cases at the
south wall are infair condition,with afew missing shelves. Room 206 is filled with built-in shelving in good condition (Photo 2.2'
70).
Doorways
The French door opening 10Room 207 ia4''11' wide and 6'-8" high and contains a pair of divided-light door leaves (Photo 2.2-
71). Each leaf has 15lights and iaingood condition. The door has brass lever hardware. Astrike for adeadbo|1iamounted to
1henor1h |eaf.bu11heneianodeadbo|1on1heoppoaite |ea[ Thedooropeningiaaurmundedby41/2^widevamiahedwood1rim.
and there iaa1 1/2^high wood threshold a1the bottom ofthe door.
The door opening to Room 206 is T-O" wide by 6'-5" tall and contains a set of double doors with two 2-panel wood door leaves.
There iaaknob onthe south leaf.
Ninobmm
The windows in the window banks consist ofG'ovep1 double hung windows with G^ trim between individual windows in a bank
and 41'2^trim around each set offour windows. The windows are infair condition overall with loss ofexterior glazing putty and
paint. There are minor areas of water damage at some of the window sills at the west wall.
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Existing Conditions
Other features
Two cabinet unit heaters and two baseboard heaters are installed at the west wall of Room 207. |naddition,abaseboard heater
is also installed at the north wall of the space. Lighting in Room 207 consists of five 2-lamp fluorescent fixtures mounted to the
ceiling below the aluminum grid. Room 20Gcontains several electrical control boxes.
Photo 2.2-67:Overall view of Room 207.
Photo 2.2'GD:Squirrel hole,north corner ofeast wall.
Photo 2.2-69: 8eadboard ceiling below ceiling panels.
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Historic Structure(Report- The Idammond A.Irlosmer blouse
Lexington,IMA
/ li
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Photo 2.2-70: Roam 206(closet) interior.
Photo 2.2-71: French door between Roam 107 and Roam 110.
East Ell Interior
First Floor
Room 113-East Ell Corridor
General description
The East Ell was originally rose to a height of a single story rather than two stories. The roams on the south side of the ell's
central hall as well as the hall itself are part of the original mid-1840s structure. Originally a hall way that ran along the north side
of the original ell, this passageway connects the old kitchen of the North Ell (Roam 109) with the barn. The roams on the north
side of the center hall as well as all of the roams on the second floor apparently postdate the 1920s. The original roam
configuration of the southern part of the East Ell may was apparently altered by Dr. Barnes during the late 1920s or early 1930s
and if not, then the present roam configuration was achieved after the Town of Lexington. The Town purchased the building in
1938 with the intention of adapting the Hammond A. Hosmer House for office use. Roam 113, or the east ell foyer and center
hall,retain features that are undoubtedly original to the mid-1840s-suggesting that the east ell along with the main black,north ell
and barn were built all at the same time.
More specifically Roam 113 retains baseboards and chair rails (at the west wall of the foyer as well as the western-mast end of
the center hall)that appear to date to the beginning of the Hosmer era.Above all,the six-panel front door, multi -pane sidelights
and molded surround appear to be original to the mid-1840s. Further justifying this construction date is the door's hardware
which includes an iron thumb latch. The brass plate that surrounds the opening for mail delivery appears to date to at least the
late nineteenth century if not earlier. Despite these remarkable survivals in a part of the house that has been altered several
times, Roam 113 is still overwhelmed by modern features such as overhead lighting fixtures and an acoustic the ceiling.
Floor
The floor in Roam 113 is covered with brown wall-to-wall carpet in poor condition. Flooring below the carpet in the main area of
the east ell is 2 1/4"woad strip. The carpet is glued directly to the woad. Daylight can be seen at the floor at the west jamb of
the exterior door on the south wall and there is water damage adjacent to the door threshold and the bottom of the adjacent
sidelight panels.
Walls and ceiling
The west wall in the stairwell leading from Roam 113 to the second floor is painted plaster over woad lath that is in poor
condition. There are bulges in the plaster along the line of the stairs. The east wall of the staircase and the north wall of the
steps leading down from the foyer to the center hall of Roam 113 is modern drywall with a metal corner bead. The drywall is in
poor condition. The drywall transitions to plaster at the second floor, and there is a large unpainted drywall patch at the
intersection between the two materials. The chair rail at the south wall of the foyer, likely original to the 1840s, is constructed of
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Existing Conditions
51/2"wide horizontal boards that extend to a height of 2'-6"above the bottom floor level(just below the level of the window stool
a1the top ofthe atairs). with painted plaster above (Photo 2.2'72). The south wall iaingood condition. The ceiling inthe lower
stairwell iapainted drywall inpoor condition,and plaster above the stairs to the second floor,also inpoor condition.
In the main area of Room 118 (the centerhaU) the north, aou1h, west and far east walls are painted plaster in typically fair
condition with a few isolated areas of plaster damage (Photo 2.2-73). The east wall near the ell entrance door is painted drywall
with a nylon mesh inside. The drywall is in poor condition. A|arge bulletin board has been mounted to the drywall. Aluminum
grilles are installed through the walls between each room and the corridor.
The ceiling inthe main area ofRoom 118iaacoustic tile suspended inanaluminum grid. The tile iainpoor condition with many
areas of water staining which appear to be located below pipes. The pipes above appear to have been disconnected and the
tiles were found to be dry, so it is unlikely that the damage is recent. Above the ceiling tiles is the wood framing of the second
floor. Visible above the suspended ceiling at the east end of the corridor is a timber post and beam — likely a remnant of the
1D40aeast ell structural system(Photo 2.2'74).
Trim and millwork
The main area of Room 113 has 8" h igh painted wood baseboard with a molded top edge. Awood rail has been mounted 1othe
west wmU.
Doorways
The door opening from the lower portion ofRoom 118tothe stairs 10the second floor ia2''5 &' wide byG''5 >C' high. There is
no door in the opening although there is evidence of previous hinges and a strike. Other doors will be discussed with their
respective rooms. Door casing in the corridor is typically 4 5/8"wide with a molded profile. The casing at the head of the door
has aprojecting top edge.
Other features
The stairs leading from Room 11810the second floor have wood treads and painted wood risers in good condition. The treads
are S 1/4' wide and the risers are D' high (Photo 2.2'75). Vinyl tread covers are installed at the atairs, which are in poor
condition. A modem wood rail is mounted to the wall at the south aide of the stairs. The rail is in fair condition. The stairs
leading from Room 10Stothe lower portion ofRoom 118are carpeted. The treads are 11^wide and the risers are 78/4' high.
Fluorescent lighting and vents are integrated into the suspended ceiling grid. There are also illuminated exit signs mounted to
the ceiling.
Photo 2.2-72:Remnant of1840s-1850achair rail inRoom113.
Photo 2.2-73:Overall view ofmain corridor,looking east.
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Historic Structure Report- The Irlammond A.Irlosmer blouse
Lexington,IMA
r ,
sbil�;
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Photo 2.2-74:Remnant of original east ell structural system in corridor.
Photo 2.2-75:Stairs to second floor.
Rooms 114 115 and 116, South Side Interiors
General description
The configurations of roams on the south side of the East Ell are not original to the mid-1840s. A comparison of nineteenth
century photographs of the house with the current appearance of the main facade indicates that the fenestration has been
altered and these changes suggest that a reconfiguration of south side roams was necessary to relate to new window locations.
The location of the main entrance to the East Ell,however,remained the same. The East Ell's south roams are characterized by
mid twentieth century features and finishes that appear to date to the late twentieth century. With the noteworthy exception of
elements in Roam 113,there are no interior features or elements in the south roams of the East Ell that merit preservation.With
that said,the presence of the east ell,even though diluted by the construction of the second story, is what enables the Hammond
A. Hosmer House to be recognized as a classic example of a connected New England house.
Floor
The floor in roams 114, 115 and 116 is covered with brown wall to wall carpet in poor condition. Flooring below the carpet is not
visible.
Walls and ceiling
Walls are painted plaster on woad lath in fair condition with some isolated cracking. The dividing wall between roams 115 and
116 is drywall on metal studs, also in fair condition. The baseboard heater at the south wall of Roam 116 passes through the
wall, indicating that it was installed after the heating system(Photo 2.2-76).
The east wall of Roam 116 is the dividing wall between the east ell and the barn (Roam 121). 1'-3" vertical sheathing boards
(painted white) are exposed above the plaster and woad lath at the top of the wall above the level of the suspended ceiling
(Photo 2.2-77). The south wall of all the roams is the south exterior wall of the east ell. Horizontal 8" sheathing boards (behind
the woad stud framing) are exposed above the plaster and lath at the top of the wall. A 6 1/4" square framing member(painted
white) can be seen at the top of the wall along with some structural pasts which may be original to the 1840s ell (Photo 2.2-78).
Brick has been installed at the top of this member, possibly as a firestopping measure when the second floor was constructed
(Photo 2.2-79). There is some water damage visible at the framing and sheathing at the southeast corner of Roam 116.
The ceiling in the roams is acoustic the suspended in an aluminum grid. The grid is in goad condition, although most of the
acoustic tiles are missing. An area of water damage at the ceiling of Roam 115 is located below a pipe. There was no damage
at the floor framing above. The pipe appears to have been disconnected and the ceiling the is dry. The ceiling grid in roams 115
and 116 is framed around the drywall partition between the two roams, indicating that it may be contemporary to when the
dividing wall was installed.
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Existing Conditions
Trim and millwork
The rooms have D^ high painted wood baseboard with molded top edge similar k> that found in Room 118. There iaalarge
modern cubicle-style desk located at the southwest corner of Room 115 that is in fair condition.
Doorways
The door opening between rooms 114. 115 and 116 and Room 118 are each 2''8^ wide by G''D^ high and contain a 6-panel
modem wood door. The doom are in good condition although there are no handles or escutcheons installed a1the doors. Door
casing at the interior side of the rooms is the same as found in Room 118. The doom in rooms 114 and 115 have wood
thresholds. There ianothreshold a11heRoom 11Gdooropening.
Ninobmm
Windows in the rooms are typically in fair condition, with |oaa of exterior glazing putty and paint. Acoustic d|ea have been
installed over the windows a1the interior.
Other features
There are baseboard heaters installed at the south wmUa of all the rooms. Fluorescent lighting and vents are integrated into the
suspended ceiling grid.
Photo 2.2-7§:Room 11Osouth wall. Note heater passing through wall atwest.
Photo 22-77:Board sheathing atexterior ofbarn west wall seen from Room 11O.
Photo -.2-78:1840's structural framing at south wall of east ell.
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Photo 2.2-79:Brick installed at tap of first floor ell structure. Nate water damage at tap of header past.
Cgooms 117 118 119 and 120,North Side Interiors
General description
Either Dr. Barnes or the 'Town of Lexington added the north roams (Roams 117-120) during the late 1920s or 1930s. The
finishes and features of this roam appear to date to the late twentieth century and contain nothing that represents even a law
preservation priority.
Floor
The floor of roams 117, 119 and 120 is covered with brown wall-to-wall carpet in poor condition. The woad flooring below the
carpet appears to be the same as found in Roam 113. The floor in Roam 118 (the bathroom) is vinyl tile. A hatch is located in
the center of the floor within an aluminum frame. The hatch could not be opened(Photo 2.2-80).
Walls and ceiling
The north walls of roams 117, 119 and 120 are a combination of painted plaster and painted drywall in fair condition. The walls
stop just above the line of the suspended ceiling. The south wall of the roams is the former exterior wall of the east ell and woad
sheathing can be seen fastened to the framing at the top of the wall above the drywall. In some areas there is a fibrous product
labeled "Gold Band Rock Wool" installed between the sheathing and the drywall for insulation (Photo 2.2-81). That particular
product was manufactured by the National Gypsum Company after 1937.
There is a large niche in the east wall of Roam 120. The niche measures 3'-8 /2"wide and 2'-T deep. The floor of the niche is 7
1/2"above the floor in the rest of the roam (Photo 2.2-82). Bulletin boards are mounted to the walls at various locations in each
roam. In Roam 117,a panelboard for data/phone communications is mounted to a plywood panel on the south interior wall (the
back wall of Roam 118). Roam 118 is enclosed with interior walls,which consist of painted drywall.
The ceiling in the roams is acoustic the in a suspended aluminum grid. The the is in poor condition, especially in Roam 119,
where there is a large area of water damage below a pipe (Photo 2.2-83). There was no corresponding damage at the roof
framing above and it appears the leaking has been addressed, as the the was dry. The framing and sheathing of the shed roof
above can be seen at areas of missing tile. The ceiling is T-0"above the floor at each roam and does not follow the slope of the
shed roof above.
Trim and millwork
A 7'/2"high painted woad baseboard is located at the perimeter of each roam. Roam 118 has vinyl base instead of woad.
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Existing Conditions
Doorways
The door opening between Room 117 and the corridor is 2'4^ wide and G''7^ high and contains a 6-panel modem wood door
which is in good condition. The door has a modem lever handle with ago|d finish and 1/2^ high beveled wood threshold. The
door opening k> Room 118 is 3'-0"wide and 6'-9 1/2" high and contains a modern 6-panel wood door with a silver-finished lever
handle. The door ia in good condition. The transition from the carpet in the hallway k>the vinyl is bridged by rubber transition
strip.
The door opening between Room 119 and the corridor is 2'-8" wide and 6'-8" high and also contains a modem 6-panel wood
door with aai|vepfiniahed lever handle. The door opening in Room 120 is 2''7^wide and contains a modem 6-panel wood door
with agold-finished lever handle. Door casing a1the interior side ofthe rooms iathe same aafound inRoom 118.
Ninobmm
Windows inrooms 117. 11Sand 120consists oftwo 1'ovep1 double-hung windows within asingle opening. The windows have
41/2^wide painted wood casing and the top ofthe sills are located 2''1' above floor level.
Other features
Baseboard heaters are located a1the north, west and east walls ofRoom 117. AnHVAC vent extends down the south wall of
Room 117a1the east side ofthe door. There iaabaseboard heater a1the north and west walls ofRoom 11Sand the north side
ofRoom 120.
Room 11Dhas amodern ADA-compliant toilet (with grab bars)and sink. The fixtures are ingood condition although they have
been disconnected from the water supply 10prevent the pipes from freezing.
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Photo 2.2'80:Hatch atfloor ofRoom 118.
Photo 2.2-81: Roof framing and rock wall installation atsouth wall ofRoom 117.
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Historic Structure Report- The Idammond A.Irlosmer blouse
Lexington,IMA
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Photo 2.2-82: Niche in east wall of Room 120.
Photo 2.2-83:Overall view of Room 219. Nate water damage at ceiling at west side of roam.
Second Floor
Rooms 211 212 213 214 and 215
General description
The roams at the second floor of the east ell consist of three south-facing roams (roams 212-214) off a narrow corridor(Room
211) located at the top of the stairs from the ell spaces below. The corridor is only 2'-8"wide(Photo 2.2-84). A bathroom(Roam
215) is located in an extension attached to the north side of the corridor. The finishes and features of this roam appear to date to
the late twentieth century and contain nothing that represents even a low preservation priority. Roam 212 has a small
connecting stair to Roam 109 in the north ell located at the southwest corner of the roam.
Floor
The floor in Roam 211 and in the closets of Roam 212 and 214 is 2 1/4"wide woad strip flooring in fair condition. The remainder
of the floor in the south roams is covered with brown wall-to-wall carpeting glued directly to the woad flooring. The floor in Roam
215 consists of vinyl the which is in poor condition.
Walls and ceiling
The walls and ceilings in the roams is painted plaster in fair to poor condition. There is cracking at the west and east walls of
Roam 212 as well as hales for previously-installed shelving brackets. Wires and wiremold are installed at the walls of all the
roams. A painted woad rail is mounted to the east wall of Roam 213. Ceilings in all the roams have intermittent cracks in the
plaster throughout. Ceiling height is 7'-2".
Trim and millwork
There is 7 1/2" high painted woad baseboard at the perimeter of the walls at all the second floor east ell roams. There is no
cornice molding at the junction between the walls and ceilings.
Built-in shelving in goad condition is installed at the north wall of the connecting stair between roams 212 and 209.
Doorways
The door between Roam 212 and Roam 209 is a woad 2-panel door with the top third of the top panel removed and infilled with
vision glazing. The door has a brass knob and escutcheon and a surface mounted dead bolt. The door opening between Roam
212 and Roam 211 and Roam 211 and the stair to the first floor do not have doors, although there are hinges installed at the
frame.
All the remaining door openings at the second floor of the ell are 2'-5"wide and 6'-5" high, except for the closet openings. The
doors between roams 214 and 211, roams 213 and 211 and roams 215 and 211 are 2-panel woad doors with brass
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Existing Conditions
escutcheons. The doom between 218 and 214 and the corridor have porcelain knobs; the knob at the other south door is
missing. The doors are ingood condition overall. The upper panel ofthe door between rooms 214and 211 has been modified
to install vision glazing at approximately 1/8 of the panel. The glass is broken and the surrounding panel has been damaged
(Photo 2.2'85). The door between the corridor and the bathroom (215) has a modem metal knob. The door openings are
surrounded with 4 1/2"wide molded wood trim.
There is a o|oae1 in Room 212. No door is installed in the closet opening,although hinges are mounted to the door frame. The
closet door in Room 214 contains a modem bi-fold panel door. The door opening to the barn attic(Room 216) is located within
the closet ofRoom 214(Photo 2.2'DG). This door iadiscussed aapart ofRoom 21G.
Ninobmm
The windows in Rooms 212.218and 214 contain G'over'Gdouble hung sash which are in poor condition. There is considerable
water damage at the interior window stools. The top of the a1oo|a are located 1''9^ above the level of the floor. There is an
additional small window located in the connecting stair between rooms 212 and 209. This window opening contains 1-over-1
double hung window inpoor condition. Rotted wood iapresent a1the meeting rail between the upper and lower sash.
The windows inRoom 211are also inpoor condition. Particleboard has been screwed into the sash a1each window.
Other features
Radiators are located in 212. 218. 214and 215. There are noheating elements in Room 211. Lighting in Room 212. 218and
214consists ofceiling mounted 2'|ampfluorescent fixtures. Amodern toilet and sink with vanity below are located inRoom 215
(Photo 2.2-87).
The connecting stair between rooms 212and 209 consists of10 1/2^ wide treads with S^ high painted wood risers. The treads
are covered with vinyl that is in fair to poor condition. The paint finish at the risers is in poor condition(Photo 2.2-88).
Phot_- _- 'Overall ' of corridor`R-_m_ ,.
Photo 22-85:Broken vision glazing and damagedwood panel atdoor between rooms 214and 211
Photo 2.2-86:Bi-fold door toRoom 214closet and door tobarn attic beyond.
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Historic Structure Report- The Irlammond A.Irlosmer blouse
Lexington,IMA
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Photo 2.2-87:Overall view of Room 215.
Photo 2.2-88:Stairs between roams 212 and 209.
Barn Interior
First Floor
Rooms 121 and 122
General description
The original purpose of the barn's first floor was likely to house a horse-drawn carriage. Horse stalls also probably figured in the
original use of this space. The barn's first floor has been extensively modernized for the purposes of the Town of Lexington. The
most obvious change is the fact that the garage door which replaced the original barn doors has been boxed in by a sold wall
which is pierced by narrow rectangular glass windows. A past which may be original to the barn's mid nineteenth century
structure has also been boxed in. Metal stairs are located at the barn's north wall which ascend to the attic's trap door.
An interesting feature of the barn's first floor is the metal paneling present beneath the drywall walls and suspended ceiling. This
paneling likely dates to the Barnes era when the barn would have been retrofitted to hold cars rather than horses.
Floor
The floor of the barn is covered with grey wall-to-wall carpet in poor condition. An area what appeared to be plywood subfloor
was exposed at the south of the space. The carpet was glued directly to the plywood. Areas of water damage can be seen at
the carpet around the door to the exterior on the south wall of Roam 121.
There is a carpeted ramp at the west side of the roam to bridge the approximately 4" change in level between the barn and the
east ell. The ramp is too narrow and steep for modern code compliance and lacks a handrail(Photo 2.2-89).
Walls and ceiling
The walls in roams 121 and 122 are painted drywall on woad framing that has been installed over metal paneling (Photo 2.2-90).
The metal paneling is installed over 1" thick woad sheathing boards similar to those seen in Roam 216. The face of the metal
cladding is approximately 6"from the exterior face of the drywall. Vinyl wall base is installed at the perimeter of the roam. There
is a partial-height drywall wall at the north side of the roam that has a woad cap. The wall between roams 121 and 122 is drywall
on 3 ''/2: wide modern studs. The metal cladding is very thin and is corrugated with 3" wide flat panels separated by
approximately 1/4:valleys. The cladding has been painted green.
The ceiling in roams 121 and 122 is extremely light acoustic tile, similar to that found in Roam 207 of the Barnes addition. It is
held in place with an aluminum grid. The same metal cladding found at the walls is attached to the ceiling above the level of the
suspended grid (Photo 2.2-91). The ceiling height changes approximately halfway through the roam, beginning at the north side
of the door to Roam 113. The ceiling height at the south side of Roam 121 is 7'-3" from acoustic the to the floor, while at the
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Existing Conditions
north half cdthe room the ceiling iaG'-5" high. The suspended ceiling grid a1the south side cdthe room ialocated S^ below the
metal-clad ceiling above, where there is only 6" of airspace at the north side. A drywall boxed in beam is located at the ceiling
transition. The structural element within the drywall assembly could not bedetermined. Aboxed-in drywall column is located
just behind the beam. Structure within the drywall at this location could not be determined. A second boxed-in column is located
at the south aide of Room 121 (Photo 2.2'92). This column is boxed in with unpainted particleboard and contains a4^diameter
steel |aUycolumn supporting athe floor above(Photo 2.2'S8).
Doorways
The depth ofthe wall opening between Room 121 and Room 118inthe east ell iaapproximately 1'4^ The opening contains a
4-panel modem wood door with a lever handle. The door opening between rooms 121 and 122 ia2''0^wide and 6''1^high. The
opening contains ahollow G'pane|plastic/wood door with alever handle.
Ninobmm
There are three small 3-over-3 double hung windows at the east aide of the room. The window openings have been boxed in
with drywall. The wood sashes are in fair to poor condition and there is some evidence of water damage at the interior drywall
(Photo 2.2-94). The garage door at the south side of the room has been furred in with drywall at the interior side. "Windows"
have been created by installing openings in the drywall at the vision panels of the garage door. There are two door vision panels
contained in each drywall opening(Photo 2.2-95). The vision panels are in fair condition.
Other features
Lighting and ventilation grids are integrated into the suspended ceiling grid. A through-wall air conditioner is permanently
moun1eda11henorthwmUofRoom121.and1henearebaaeboardhea1ersa1thenorthandeaa1wmUa.
Room122ia1he |ooadonof1hemeta|a1airs |eadingupto1heattioapace (Room21G). The treads ofthe stairs are ametal grid,
approximately 7^ wide, with open risers (Photo 2.2'SG). There are approximately Sy2" between steps. The stairs lead uptoa
metal-clad hatch door that opens up into the attic apace. The stairs penetrate the drywall at the north aide of the mom and
insulation has been installed inthe gap inthe drywall between treads. The metal stairs are in good condition although they lack
ahandrail and donot meet modern codes.
Photo 2.2-89:R-amp to east ell.
Photo 2.2-90:Drywall installed over metal paneling.
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Historic Structure Report- The Irlammond A.Irlosmer blouse
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Photo 2.2-91:Metal cladding at ceiling above suspended grid.
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Photo 2.2-92:Overall view of Room 121 slowing south boxed-in column and boxed in beam and north column beyond.
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Photo 2.2-93:Exposed lally column above suspended ceiling.
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Existing Conditions
I
Photo 2.2-94:East window sash and surround.
Photo 2.2-95:Drywall opening at garage door vision panel.
Photo 2.2-96:Stairs to attic in Roam 122.
Second Floor
Room 216-Barn Attic
General description
The barn's attic is of interest primarily for its wooden truss system.
Floor
The barn attic consists of plywood screwed into what is likely the original floor surface. A portion of this original floor is exposed
along the north wall, and it appears to consist of 6" wide woad boards. There is a 10" change in level at the floor at
approximately the same area as the ceiling change in the space below. The floor of the higher level is plywood over 8"wide 7/8"
thick woad tongue-and-groove flooring boards, with a 7/8" thick subfloor. Below the subfloar two 7 1/2" wide boards cover the
framing of the level change. 'Those boards rest on 1"thick random width boards(ranging in size from 9"to 11").
Walls and ceiling
The walls and ceiling of the barn attic are the exposed framing and sheathing of the exterior walls and roof. The truss members
are 6"x 7"and are held together with iron tie rods (Photo 2.2-97). The sheathing boards for the plank siding are random width
boards with sizes ranging from 10"to 12"that are installed horizontally at the exterior framing. The side walls extend 4'-1"above
the floor of the attic space and there is a 6 1/2" x 7" timber plate at the top of the wall. Above the timber plate on the east and
west walls are the roof rafters and sheathing. The roof sheathing consists of random width boards which are 1"thick and range
in size between 7"and 1'-2"wide. At the gable ends on the north and south walls there is horizontal random board sheathing at
the wall above the timber plate. The sheathing is in fair condition with some areas of water damage visible, particularly at the
active leak in the roof at the northeast side of the building noted in the Exterior conditions above (Photo 2.2-98). There are
intermittent replacement boards at the roof sheathing which are much lighter in color than the original boards.
The wall between the barn attic and the second floor east ell addition is of newer construction than the rest of the barn and
consists of dimension lumber framing with particleboard at the barn side and drywall at the east ell side. Some portions of the
particleboard at bath sides of the door are missing and the back side of the drywall is exposed (Photo 2.2-99). The drywall is
labeled °GYPSOLITE FINISHER" and was manufactured by the Universal Gypsum and Lime Co., Chicago, which dates its
manufacture to before 1935.
Trim and millwork
Built-in shelving is installed at the east and west walls at the south half of the attic. The shelves are in goad condition,although
there is still a great deal of paper being stored on the shelves,which appears heavily rodent-chewed.
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Historic Structure Report-The HammondA.Homnmdouse
Lexington,IMA
Doorways
The door opening into the east ell a1the west side ofthe attic ia2''S&^wide and 4''10^ high. The door iaplywood with awood
Z'bnaoe. Hardware consists of a metal pull and a deadbolt mounted on the east ell side of the door. The door iaheld shut with a
spring (Photo 2.2-100).
Ninobmm
There is one window in the attic space, at the south gable end. The window is framed with approximately 1^wide boards a1all
sides. There is no interior window casing. The window is in fair condition. It appears that the original center mundn of the
window iamissing and asingle piece ofglazing has been installed.
Other features
Lighting in the attic is provided by three 2'|ampfluorescent fixtures. There is a large piece ofHVAC equipment suspended from
the roof framing a1the north corner ofthe west wall. Agas line ialocated a1the northwest corner ofthe room toserve the HVAC
equipment. The equipment has aflue that penetrates the roof.
F 10
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41
Photo 22-97:Roof truss framing members atcenter ofattic.
Photo 2.2-98:Open area at roof,the cause of the active leak. Note water damage at sheathing members(and presence of replacement
sheathing boards).
Photo 2.2-99:Back side ofeast ell drywall atattic interior.
Photo 2.2-100:Door toeast ell. Also note step infloor level.
Photo 2.2401:HVAC equipment atnorthwest corner ofattic.
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Existing Conditions
2.3 Structure
Structural Description
The Hammond A. HoamerHouse iaactually anassemblage cdfive structures that face Massachusetts Avenue. At the west end
is the main block(the original residence from which everything presumably grew), the north ell and the Barnes addition. To the
immediate east and center ofthe combined a1mdune is the east ell, which forms a link between the main house and the bom.
which iathe structure a1the very east end.
Main Block
The main block iaa2 1/2-sk>ryGreek revival wood-framed structure on astone rubble foundation that has solid stone slabs on
above-grade portions of the east and west faces and brick above grade on the south face. Solid brick piers support the interior
ofthe structure. The building system iaapost and beam structure with infill studs for plaster.
The original first floor structure consists of2 1/4^ xS^ sawn lumber joists a11G^ running inthe east-west direction supported on
heavy timbers of varying sizes that make up the interior girts and perimeter sills. From the existing first floor wall layout, it
appears likely that the second floor framing follows the same geometry as the first.
North ElIlBomesAddition
The north e|| and Barnes addition sit on an exposed rubble foundation. The building system is a post and beam structure with
infill studs for plaster. Thefirs1Uoora1ruo1uneconaia1aof2^ xD^ aawn |umber]oia1aa11S^and17' (neapjrunningin1henorth'
aou1h direction within the middle and north interior framing baya, supported on heavy timbers of varying sizes that make up the
interior girts and perimeter sills. Because the basement does not run under the entire footprint of the main house, it is likely that
the house was extended northerly subsequent to its original construction.
From two probes that were made into the second floor structure from below as well as by the existing first floor wall layout, it
appears likely that the second floor framing follows the same geometry as the first, however the one comparatively measured
joist size was smaller(2^x7^a11G^aecondfloor joists inthe north interior framing bay versus 2^ xD^ @17^a1the first Uoor). We
also measured 2^x7~joists a11G^ inthe presumably added,northernmost bay.
The roof framing was not closely examined as it is not germane to the support of floor |oada, however it appears that the hip
section a1the north end ofthe main gabled section was likely added.
East Ell
It appears that the ell started as a traditional timber frame and was then infiUed with modem dimensional lumber wall and joist
haming, with two spans running north-south at the first floor and one bay running north-south homing the second Uoor, directly
over the southern bay of the first floor. This is all carried by three east-west-running supporting wmUa on continuous atone
foundations,approximately evenly spaced-one interior and two exterior.
First floor framing consists of modern 2x8 joists at 14"and second floor framing consists of modern 2x8 joists at 18". Below the
first floor iaalow onaw|apace.
Again, roof framing was not probed and measured, however this consists of regularly spaced modern dimensional lumber rafters
running in the north-south direction between the three bearing lines.
Barn
The barn is framed like small barn with balloon homed walls running up to a perimeter timber plate on which a na8ered gable
roof lands,with roof rafters and loft joists running inthe east-west direction. The term "ballooned frame" iaused aathe top wall
plate is above the floor level of the loft and the wm|| studs appear to run down past the loft from plate to sill. The loft and roof
ridge are supported by timber and tension rod truss that is assisted at its approximate third points bytimber posts that run
through the first floor.
Foundations are of random stone rubble and the first floor is wood on sleepers and/or a concrete slab on grade.
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Historic Structure Report-The HammondA.Homnmdouse
Lexington,IMA
Noted Structural Conditions and Recommendations
The following conditions were noted:
ExtenbrlFoundation
Main Block
m The stone slab at the south end of the main block's west wm|| is tilted oukmard, with an open gap at its south edge.
There are several apa||ed bricks on the main block's front foundation and there is a crack between the main block's
east foundation and the south foundation of the e||. The shifted stone must be reset and the spelled bricks must be
replaced,
North E&lBomeoAddition
m The rubble portion of the foundation wall is crumbling on the west aide of the Barnes addidon, with open gaps in the
a1onewmrk, possible rodent holes and places where it appears to be undermined. This is also occurring at least a1the
wea1endof1hee||'aaou1hfoundadon (1henemaindercovenedwi1hvegetadvegrowth). The loose stones must bere-
set ondholeofilled
m Part of the foundation along north aide of the north ell/Barnes addition is entirely covered with earth. allowing the
ground tocome into close contact with the wood structure that sits onit. The earth must beremoved from against the
foundations, all sills inspected and all damaged portions replaced,
East Ell
m
Much of the foundation along north side of the east ell is entirely covered with earth,allowing the ground to come into
close contact with the wood structure that sits onit. The earth must beremoved from against the foundations, all sills
inspected and all damaged portions replaced,
Barn
m
The foundation along north side of the barn as well as the east side of the barn is entirely covered with earth, allowing
the ground to come into close contact with the wood structure that sits on it. The foundation has been paved over at
the south wm|| of the barn. The earth must be removed from against the foundations, all sills inspected and all
damaged portions replaced, More intensive structural repair may berequired,see the fxtenbrl Walls section below,
fxtenbrl Walls, Roof and Chimneys
Main Block
m There is a modest dip in the main block's ridgeline and an overall sagging in the north and south roof surfaces. There
iaalso a very slight outward bow in the front (east) cornice which may relate 10the dip in the ridge|ine. The roof
structure should beanalyzed and reinforced if needed,
m The eave level cornice element on the east gable of the main block shakes easily when agitated by hand and visibly
dips. This is suggestive of insufficient attachment to the wall structure. The cantilever cornice element should be
reconstructed,
m The south eave of the main house are rotted,with holes and a loose fascia board. The roof eoveshould beremoved,
interior framing repaired, and then the eovereplaced,
m The east eaveofthe main house has anoticeable crown which may beindicative ofsill compression. The supporting
sill and posts should bechecked and repaired if needed,
m The brickwork is loose at the top of the main house's east chimney. Some chimney reconstruction will probably be
required,
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Existing Conditions
North E&lBomeoAddition
m The north and wma1 wmUa of the north e|V8amea addition have outward bulges that may be indicative of rotting sill or
post base conditions. The wall and sill conditions should beinvestigated and corrected ooneeded,
m The west and east eaves of the north ell/Barnes addition are ro8ed, with holes in some places and loose fascia and
soffit boards. Am1ted hole in the main house's north eave has an expoaed, rotted rafter tail. The roof eaves and
soffits should beremoved, interior framing repaired, and then the eaves replaced,
m The east eave of the north ell has a noticeable crown which may be indicative of sill compression. The supporting sill
and posts should bechecked and repaired if needed,
m The north ell's chimney leans toward the east. Some chimney reconstruction wWpmboblyberequired,
East Ell
m The south eave of the ell is rotted,with holes in some places and loose fascia and soffit boards. The roof eave should
beremoved, interior framing repaired, and then the eave replaced,
m The east eave of the main house and the south eave of the ell has a noticeable crown which may be indicative of sill
compression. The supporting sill and posts should bechecked and repaired if needed,
m The shed dormer on the north side of the ell leans eastward and has a sagging roof. The support oeilingjoistsbelow
the shed dormer should ultimately be reinforced, however in the short term post shores should be added at the first
floor,
Barn
m The roof ridgeline of the barn sags in the middle and the ridgeline of intersecting ell's roof dips downward toward it. In
addition,the barn roofs east slope sags inthe middle. The barn roof is inneed ofreinforcement,
m The east wall of the barn is visibly rotted and possibly compressed along its bottom edge and the entire barn structure
tilts noticeably eastward. There is also an abrupt outward kink in the east wall. The grade must bepulled away from
this wall and the sill, post and stud assessed and repaired, Consideration should begiven bore-leveling the structure,
The structure could belifted off the existing foundation and sill and the elements replaced,
m The south wall of the barn sags over the roll-up door and the east end of the wall slopes downward. The header over
the roll-up door should bereplaced with one that is stronger,
m The eave level cornice on the south gable of the barn shakes easily when agitated by hand. This is suggestive of
insufficient attachment 10the wall structure. The can tile ver cornice element should bereconstructed,
InbenorlBooement
Main Block
m There is visible mildew on many of the first floor joists and beams in the main block and several homing members
appeared brash when probed with the point ofahammer. Humid conditions may becausing the first floor framing 10
slowly decay. A bolster beam and two posts have been added below the southwestern framing bay of the main house
for added support. All exposed wood within the basement and oowlspooeo should be inspected and treated with
borate based wood preservative, Additional support inthe form ofposts, sisters and bolsters should beprovided bo
make up for any losses in strength as well as to provide additional support for anticipated service loads (please also
see "Structural 5loo/LoodCopooitieo",belom),
m Many of the floor joists have been notched for plumbing and wiring conduits, weakening them. All notched members
should beoisbeoedo/additionally supported oonoted obowe),
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m The floor joist end connections are notched into pockets in the sides of the supporting beams. Many ofthe joists are
horizontally split at the bottoms of the notches and many of these have been reinforced with metal hangers. This iso
detail that weakens the Mbmjoists in shear, All notchedjoistends should bereinforced with metal hangers,
m The brick piers that support the masonry heart of the main house's southwest fireplace have been severely damaged
byrising dampness and asteel column has been added between them. The damaged brick piers should bereplaced,
In te/iorl First Floor
General
m
The first floor modestly slopes in various directions due to the differential creep deflections that have occurred in the
floor spans and to irregularities in the underfloor homing. Floor framing issues should be odoheooeo as noted
elsewhere inthis report,
Main Block
m
There are onaoka in the southwest fireplace in the main house that probably relate to support damage that has
000urnedin1hebaaemenLTheoacksohouWbempojedofte/bheheorthhoobeenoe-supported
InbenorlSecond Floor and Loft
General
m The second floor slopes in various directions due to the differential drying ahrinkage, creep and homing irregularities.
Floor framing issues should beaddresses oonoted elsewhere inthis report,
North Ell
m TheUoorof1henorthe||'a "Room20S^a|opea1owmrd1henor1h. conaiaten1wi1h1hepoaaibi|ityofdownwardmovemen1
in1hiawm||. The wall condition and floor support should be investigated and corrected as needed,
East Ell
m The floor of the ell's shed dormer slopes northward. suggesting the possibility of insufficient support below. The
adjacent second floor north wall leans northward, possibly being dragged by the movement in the shed dormer. The
first floor ceiling joists that support the shed dormer should bereinforced,
Barn
m
The roof of the barn (exposed above the loft)appears to be lightly framed and sags. The lower rafter ends donot bear
directly on the flat top surface of the eave wm|| plates rather they contact the wm|| plates' outer edges. The east wm||
plate dips noticeably inthe middle. The roof should bereinforced and the rafter ends properly supported, The/oft and
supporting truss should also bereinforced if it iseventually bosupport floor loads,
Structural Floor Load Capacities
Based upon our exposure and measurement of representative floor members,we have calculated the following approximate total
live load capacities in pounds per square foot (pao assuming mid-range a1neaa values for wood and 10 pafdead |oad, not
accounting for partitions:
Load Capacities
Main Block
First Floor Joists (original cona1mction): GD pa[ No allowance has been made for poor wood condidon, which would lower
this capacity.
First Floor Beams(original construction):As low as 24 psf with no allowance for poor wood condition.
Second Floor Joists: 88 pa[
Second Floor Beams: Not accessed and therefore not determined.
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Existing Conditions
North E&lBomeoAddition
First Floor Joists (original cona1mction): 72 and 45 pafin the south and north interior bays, respectively. No allowance has
been made for poor wood condition,which would lower these capacities.
First Floor Beams(original construction):As low as 24 psf with no allowance for poor wood condition.
Second Floor Joists: 33 psf in west half of north interior bay, 44 psf in east half of north interior bay, and 33 psf in added
bay tonorth.
Second Floor Beams: Not accessed and therefore not determined.
East Ell
First Floor Joists:4Spa[
Second Floor Joists:8Gpa[
Barn
Because ofits extremely light construction and relatively poor condition, nofloor load capacities were estimated for the
Barn.
uirements-
The following live load capacities are required for the following occupancies:
Office'50paf
Residential first floor-40paf
Residential second floor(of units)'80paf
Fixed seating assembly-G0paf
Movable seating assembly- 100paf
Corridors-D0paf
|naddition to the above,a 10pafto20pafallowance must bemade for interior partitions inall spaces with less than D0paf
live load. This means that in most cases the floor structures must be reinforced to permit aafe, code-allowed use of the
structure.
Strengthening of the first floor would most easily be done by adding bolster beams and posts under joist spans in the
perpendicular direction,essentially cutting the spans inhalf. These would beput inoraw|apaceaand basement spaces.
Strengthening of second floor spaces would need to be done by totally exposing the framing from above or below and
aiatering all joists, and possibly flitch plating beams or adding support below them where the run above or cross first floor
partition walls. Where running parallel to beams, the wmUa would likely have sufficient capacity to support them, however
where running perpendicular the wmUa may require the addition of posts within them to support the concentrated beam
loads.
Basement beams that support the walls that carry the second floor may need to have additional supports added beneath
them k>reduce the lengths oftheir spans.
Partial Demolition and Building Moving Ramifications
In consideration of the fact that the Hammond A. Hoamer house is actually an assemblage of three main structures (the main
block/north e|V8ameaaddidon structure which is structurally intenmoven, the east ell structure and the barn a1mctune), it should
not be prohibitively difficult to demolish or even separate and move one or more of them.
Because of its relatively sturdy condition and architectural significance, the main block/north e|V8amea addition structure would
in our opinion be the best candidate for retention and possible moving. Demolishing the ell would leave the main house as a
totally independent free-standing structure. This would increase the lateral wind and potential seismic loads on it, and would
require that the lateral load resisting system,which basically consists ofwood board sheathing onframed wall, beevaluated and
possibly stiffened. Stiffening would most effectively be accomplished by removing exterior siding and trim and adding a layer of
plywood over the board sheathing and then replacing the aiding and trim. This might require adding wooden blocking on the
interior.
Moving of the structure would be accomplished by the insertion of steel "needle" beams through the foundation to lift up the
primary load lines of the aUoctune, and then lifting of the needle beams on larger runner beams that sit on powered jacks and
motorized trucks.
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Anew oaat-in'p|ace concrete foundation would be built on the receiving site and the structure would then be moved and lowered
onto it.
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Existing Conditions
2,4Code Compliance
Design Codes and Standards
Zoning
The Hammond A. Hoamer House site (1557 Massachusetts Avenue) is located in a R8 (One-Family Dwelling) Zone, which
emphasizes low-density residential development and allows related public and institutional uses.
Provisions of the Lexington Zoning Code relevant to the Town Hall project include,without limitation,the following:
m Article |V Historic Preservation Incentives(Section 185'18)
m Article VI Dimensional Controls
m Article XI Off-Street Parking and Loading
m Article X|| Traffic
The site ialocated within the Battle Green Historic District.
Applicable codes and regulations
m Current Codes and regulations governing the Hammond A. Hosmer House include:
m Commonwealth ofMassachusetts State Building Code(7D0CMR).7mEdition
m Commonwealth ofMassachusetts State Fuel,Gas&Plumbing Code(24DCMR)
m Commonwealth ofMassachusetts Fire Protection Regulations(527CMR)
m Commonwealth ofMassachusetts Architectural Access Board Regulations(521CMR).200G
m Americans with Disabilities Act(ADA)Accessibility Guidelines
Existing Building Components
Egress
m Insufficient number ofexits
m Dead end corridor a1second floor ofeast ell. The corridor iaalso too narrow tocomply with current codes.
m All stairs non-compliant
m Door hardware iatypically non-compliant
Accessibility
m Main entrances located above grade level and not accessible
m Level changes between main block/north addition and east ell
m Level changes between east ell and barn
m Doors openings inmajority ofspaces too narrow 10meet ADA requirements
m Lack ofaccessible means toreach existing ADA compliant bathroom
Life Safety
m Inoperable fire alarm system
m Lack ofemergency lighting a1second floor
m Nofire suppression system
Structural
m Insufficient load capacities at first and second story floor framing as noted in Structural section above
ME-P
m Existing systems donot meet current codes
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Prioritized Recommendations
Ill.PRIORITIZED RECOMMENDATIONS
3jPreservation Priorities
Definitions for terms used inthe list ofpreservation priorities:
m High Priority(priority 5): Item is an essential character-defining feature that must be preserved. Repairs to items in this
category typically require astrict conservation/preservation approach.
m Medium Priority (priority 2'4): Item is a character-defining feature that should be preserved if poaaib|e, but if
deteriorated, may bereplaced in-kind with retention ofdetailing.
m Low Priority (priority i): Items which possess little or no significant character-defining features. They may be
pneaemed, altered or removed, provided that such action has no physical or visual effect on High or Medium Priority
items.
High Preservation Phority�:
Exterior
m Exterior cdmain block including paired chimneys(5).
m Exterior shape and location cdbarn inrelation to the main block(5).
m Beveled clapboard siding,pilasters and cornices a1main b|ook(5).
m Original window configurations(6/6 true divided-light sash)at main block and ell,and exterior casings and trim(5).
m Original entrance a1east side ofmain block(5).
Interior
m Main block stair, railing and neweU post in Room 104(5).
m Original mantle pieces in Rooms 102.201 and 202(5).
m Main block base boards,pedimented surrounds of doors and windows,and cornice moldings(5).
m Barn truss system(5).
Medium Preservation Priority::
Should bepreserved;can bereplaced in-kind ifnecessary. |fremoved,should beproperly documented find.
Exterior
m Connected massing: Relationship cdoriginal (oa. 1D47) "big house" (main block)and "back house" (north ell) and east
ell tooriginal(oa. 1D47)barn. Consider reconstruction ofone-story link(4).
m East elevation cdnorth ell(4).
m Original entrance to one-story link at east ell, including door,sidelights and trim(3).
m Dressed granite foundation walls a1main block(3).
m Wood shutters(3).
m Post 1D40awindow configurations(2)
m Rubble foundation wmUa(should be documented prior to nemova|)(2).
Interior
m Attic floorboards and original window sashes NQ.
m Chair rail remnant a1east ell(3).
m Multi-paneled doors throughout(preferably restored tooriginal configuration)(3).
m Mid'1Smcentury doorknobs and other remaining hardware from that era(3).
m Faux marble wood fireplace surround in Room 105(3).
m Tuscan columned archway in main block stair corridor(3).
m Exterior siding a1south interior wall ofRoom 112(3)
m Stamped metal ceilings a1front parlors(2).
m Ma1ohboard wood floors infront parlors(2).
m 'Fong ue`and'groovewoodwork a1second floor ofBarnes Addition(2)
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Low Preservation Priority�:
Little ornocontribution; may bealtered orremoved.
Exterior
m Two-story east ell, including walls,roofs,dormers,and windows(i).
m Asphalt-shingle roofing,throughout(i).
m Modern stoops and railings(i).
m 1/1and other twentieth-century double-hung windows(i).
Interior
m Existing stair configurations with the exception cdthe main block stair(i).
m Altered and truncated window sills and modern casings(i).
m Carpeting and other modern flooring(i).
m Modern drywall partitions and finishes(i).
m Existing building systems(i).
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Overall 7reatmentplan
N.OVERALL TREATMENT PILA
4.1 Building Stabilization and Ultimate Treatment
Stabilization cfExterior Envelope
If the Hammond A. Hosmer House is to be retained some stabilization work needs to take place inorder k>preserve the structure
while a future use can be determined. "Mothballing" the Hammond A. Hoamer Houae, the process of closing up the building for
an extended period of time, will require some exterior and interior work as the building currently has several envelope and
structural issues which, left unaddressed,will continue to deteriorate and will result in complete loss of the structure. In addition
to envelope repairs, some level of security protection and procedure to ensure adequate levels of interior ventilation will be
required to maintain the building in an unoccupied state until it can be rehabilitated or restored. Stabilization efforts should not
harm historic materials,and the work should be designed so as not to require removal when the building is restored in the future.
The recommendations for stabilization in this report are aimed at protecting the building for a period of up to 10 years with limited
monitoring and maintenance.
In addition k>stabilization work there iasome general maintenance/loss prevention work that is crucial k>the mothballing process
that will need tobeperformed. This work includes:
m Removal of all interior furnishings and other items (papers,abandoned equipment and debris). |1iarecommended that
the wmU-tn+maUcarpeting inthe rooms also beremoved a1this time.
m Extermination orremoval ofinsects,birds and rodents.
m Treatment of exposed wood homing in basement with borate-based wood preservative. Installation of crawl apace
ventilators in the basement window openings at the main block to mitigate mold and moisture issues.
m Inspection ofremaining water,gas and electric lines byutility company.
m Installation of a basic fire detection system for the remaining components of the building to prevent sudden loss.
m Development ofamaintenance and monitoring plan.
Future phasing iadependent on the ultimate desired use for the building. However, some assumptions can be made about
required work based on a set of general scenarios that retain or reuse different sections of the existing a1mdune. These
scenarios are presented below. Stabilization recommendations will vary based on which components are to be retained for
future reuse and are provided within each scenario.
Sceoarioi�: Complete restoration of existing building
This scenario includes restoration ofthe building in its existing configuration.
8tab8izotionlmoth6o0ingplan
Aathe entire building iatobe retained nodemolition orpatching work would be required. Stabilization and mothballing work
would include the following,divided bywork area.
I) Foundations
Foundation issues throughout the building should be addressed to keep water and rodents out of the building interior
and prevent deterioration of the building homing due to rotted wood ai||a. As noted in the a1ruo1una| section of this
report, there are larger-scale problems with the barn foundation that are causing the structure to tilt eastward. As this
will only worsen over time, possibly leading to the collapse of the structure, it would be best to perform the necessary
repairs during the stabilization phase.
m Inspection of wood ai||a at the west aide of the Barnes addition and nepair/neplace men1 as required. This would
involve removal of the base trim and sheathing from the bottom of the wall and the replacement of any rotted sills
found. Dutchman repairs 10the base ofrotted posts may also berequired. |1iaestimated that approximately 5096
of the sills at the north ell/Barnes addition and east ell may need to be replaced.
m Removal of earth from the north side of the north ell/Barnes addition and east ell foundation. Inspection ofwood
sills and nepair/neplace men1aarequired. Once the earth iaremoved the scope ofthis item would bethe same aa
above.
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m Inspection of sill and posts of east wall of North ell and repairs as required. The scope would be the same as
above.
m Re'|eve|ingofbama1mctunebynep|aoing8oundadonandnep|acemen1of10096ofthewmodaiUa
m Resetting of loose stones and fill holes at rubble stone foundations. All areas of the foundation should be
inspected and repaired(with removal ofvegetative growth ifnecessary)
m Resetting of the shifted granite stone at the southeast corner of the main block foundation
2) Walls and trim
As noted in the Existing Conditions section of this neport,the wood aiding is in fair condition overall although there are
isolated areas of rotted aiding throughout the building exterior. The failed exterior paint is increasing the deterioration
of the underlying wood and needs to be addressed. Due to the extensive paint failure and the presence of lead paint
the paint should be completely abated through use of an encapsulating stripper such as Peel Away. The aiding on the
main block should be retained as neak>ned as much as possible and if replacements are required they should be
replaced with siding of a wood species and shape matching the original, including it being radial cut. Siding a1other
areas can be replaced with something more commercially available as long as it matches the existing in size and
profile. Repainting could be done with historically accurate colors. The limited paint analysis performed for this report
was designed to be used for dating the building components rather than determining historic colors,aosome additional
paint analysis would berequired.
If the aiding is being repaired it would be a good opportunity to also address the loose cornice elements at the main
block and barn. Cornice elements should be removed,stripped and nepainted, and reinstalled a1the walls. While not
original,a concealed metal flashing could be introduced at the top of the cornice elements tokeep water from sitting on
the horizontal wood surface.
Recommended stabilJ����
m Replace the header over the garage door a1the barn with astronger header.
m Strip paint from all exterior siding and trim
m Inspect siding boards and replace rotted siding -a conservative estimate would be that 20%of the existing siding
requires replacement
m Remove, restore and reinstall cornice elements at main block and barn including installation of new metal flashing
a1horizontal surface ofcornice elements
m Prime and repaint siding and trim
3) Windows
Some work is required at the window openings to prevent water from entering the interior and to prevent unauthorized
entry into the building. The most basic stabilization procedure would be to install exterior storm windows over the
existing sashes. The windows will need to be restored or replaced during when the building is ultimately rehabilitated.
For the purposes of this report,windows sash are considered an interior element to be addressed as part of later work.
Recommended stabilJ����
m Remove existing problematic wood exterior storm windows and install aluminum storms at exterior. Storms must
be installed within the opening at the main block/north ell to avoid damage to the historic window trim.
m Remove basement window sash and install louvers and vent fan.
4) Roofing,Gutters and Soffits
As noted in the Existing Conditions section of this report all of the wood gutters present at the building have failed and
the majority ofthe rain leaders are missing ordetached. This iaahighly destructive condition aai1allows water 1orun
unchecked down the building aiding. Replacement of gutters and leaders should be the highest priority item in a
stabilization campaign.
While wood is no longer a preferred material for gutters we would recommend replacement in'kind, as the wood
gutters contribute to the historic appearance of the exterior. Installing wood gutters instead of |eaa expensive
aluminum as part of the stabilization phase would avoid requiring future removal of the gutters when the building is
restored. The addition of a copper or membrane lining to the interior of the wood gutters would greatly prolong the life
of the gutters. The existing leaders are grey galvanized steel that have been painted white. We would recommend
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nep|acemen1cdtheguUersinaaimi|armeta|oringmyzino-coatedcopper(ReveneFreedom8rey.forexamp|e).whioh
would have longer life span than the galvanized steel. Repainting the gutters is not recommended aa both materials
dono1netainpain1overdme(aaoanbeaeenin1heextenaivepain1|oaaontheexiadng |eaders).
Because of the poor condition of the gutters,the soffits and fascias at all areas of the building are extremely rotted and
are allowing squirrels and birds entry into the building. There is little viable historic material to save,even at the main
block and barn,and we would recommend complete replacement in-kind of all the soffit and fascia boards, maintaining
the profiles of the existing boards. The vents added to the Barnes addition soffit should be replaced with new vents.
When the fascias are removed the ends of the interior framing elements should be inspected and repaired as required.
The pediment trim below the gable ends of the main block and barn is in relatively good condition and does not require
replacement.
Aano1edin1hefxisbngConditionoaectionof1hianeport. 1hemofiaingoodcondidonovenaUandnequineaon|yminor
repairs. However. these repairs are a high-priority i1em, as the areas where the roof is deteriorated are actively
allowing water into the building. Structural issues involving the roof framing should also beaddressed. Aanoted inthe
a1mdura| section of this report, the barn roof is sagging due to insufficient homing and needs to be reinforced to
prevent further deflection. This work could beperformed from the interior. The roof ofthe pop-up shed dormer onthe
north elevation ofthe east ell iaalso sagging. Short term stabilization could beprovided byadding post shores a1the
first floor and the reinforcement work can be deferred to when the building is restored.
Recommended stabilJ�������
m Removal and replacement ofall wood gutters with copper ormembrane-lined wood gutters.
m Replacement ofall rain leaders with new zinc-coated copper orhot-dipped galvanized steel leaders.
m Replace soffits and fascias in kind with repairs to the exposed interior framing as required. This will require
nemova|andnep|acemen1ofapproxima1e|y2''0^ofmofingandmcdaheathinga11heeavea.
Recommended stabilJ���
m Remove the EPDIM patch at the northeast comer of the Barnes addition and a portion of the adjacent asphalt
shingles down to bane sheathing and repair the roof structure and sheathing at the patched area to match the line
ofthe adjacent roof. Install new under|aymen1and asphalt shingle roofing a1the patched area.
m Repair the barn roof by installing a new asphalt shingle of similar weight, size and color at the location of the
missing shingle.
Recommended roof structure stabilization work
m Structural reinforcing work a1barn mo (can be done from intehod
m Installation ofpost shores a1the first floor below the east ell north dormer
5) Chimneys
Recommended stabilJ����
m Rebuild the area ofloose brick a1the top ofthe east chimney.
m Chimney reconstruction ofnorth chimney
Future Work
Once a new use is found for the building a complete building rehabilitation project will need to take place. Obviously the new use
will require specific construction that cannot be anticipated at this stage. However,the following list of items has been developed
for use infuture planning. This list represents a number of general work items that will need to happen in any restoration project.
Future 61xt6rior work including exterior structural workJ
Foundations
m Replacement ofapa||edbricks a1the main block south elevation foundation
Windows and doors
m Restoration of all existing exterior doors(with the exception of the garage door at the barn,see below)
m Replacement of exterior entrance stairs and landings with accessibility upgrades
m Replacement ofthe garage door with adoor more appropriate to an 1840s barn
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Roofing
m Inspection and reinforcement ofmain block roof framing
m Reinforcement ofeast ell dormer roof framing
m Complete roof replacement. As the Barnes addition with its very low slope roof is to nemain, it is recommended that
the main block/north ell/Barnes addition be replaced with a composite roof and not be reshingled with wood shingles.
m Replacement of all building systems:heat,electricity,plumbing,fire detection/protection
Future Lu r structu�ralwork�
m Restoration of all existing window sash or replacement of all windows with historic replicas
m Additional structural reinforcement for east fireplace and either replacement of non-historic fireplace surround or
repairs toexisting surround.
m Additional structural reinforcement to first and second floor framing
m Accessibility improvements -1hia may involve widening the door openings at spaces at the east and north ells and
installation of a compliant ramp between the barn and east ell. Program spaces would need to be carefully designed
to ensure that all major programmatic areas are accessible. An addition at the north aide of the building might be
required to provide access to the second floor if second floor program areas will require public access.
m Removal ofnon-historic office partitions and finishes and repairs.
m Restoration ofexisting wood and plaster finishes toremain.
m New finishes aarequired.
Scenario Z: Removal of east ell, restoration of main block, north ell, Barnes addition and barn
This scenario would remove the two-story connecting east ell and would restore the east and wma1 portions of the building.
Removal of the ell would increase the flexibility for the building's reuse, allowing for the construction of an addition between the
wings which could provide additional program space and improvements k>accessibility. It is highly recommended that the front
of any addition take the form of the original one-story ell from the 1840s,to allow the building to continue to read as a connected
New England farmhouse.
8tab8izotionlmoth6o0ingplan
Mothballing work would include the demolition of the ell structure. Once the ell is removed,some work will need to take place at
the north e|| and barn to weatherproof the areas where they were once connected to the e|| and to provide some additional
structural bracing. The siding will need to be removed at these areas for the structural reinforcing. As this is the case, it would
be cost-effective to install new siding over the areas that were once connected to the east ell rather than trying to cover those
areas with a different material that then will have to be tied into the aiding. This would also approve the appearance of the
remaining structures while they await their future use. Stabilization and mothballing work would include the following,divided by
work area.
i) Demolition and closure cf areas hmremain
Recommended demolition/closure sc22e�
m Removal of east ell including disconnection of all services shared with the main block/north ell/Barnes addition and
barn. Remove footings and infill k>grade.
m Install blocking/framing at first and second floor at north ell to support wall at junction with east ell.
m Install blocking/framing a1first floor ofbarn a1junction with east ell.
m Remove siding at east wall of north addition and install plywood over existing sheathing boards to increase lateral load
resistance. Continue plywood over framing a1junction with ell.
m Remove aiding at west wall of barn and install plywood over existing sheathing boards to increase lateral load
resistance. Continue plywood over framing a1junction with ell.
m Reinstall siding/install new siding at north ell and barn.
m Remove roofing a1barn. Repair roof framing and sheathing at barn where it was intersected by the east ell. Re-roof.
It is anticipated that the reroofing would be done with asphalt shingles to save costs. The area of wood shakes that
are present at the barn roof below the east ell second floor roof should be documented and atoned for the future
restoration.
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2) Foundations
As noted in Scenario 1,foundation issues at the remaining structures, particularly at the barn,should be addressed to
keep water and rodents out of the building interior and prevent deterioration of the building framing due to rotted wood
sills.
m Inspection cdwood sills a1the west side cdthe north ell/Barnes addition and nepair/replace men1aarequired. This
would involve removal of the base trim and sheathing from the bottom of the wall and the replacement of any
rotted aiUa found. Dutchman repairs to the base of rotted posts may also be required. It is estimated that
approximately 50%of the sills at the north ell/Barnes addition may need to be replaced.
m Removal of earth from the north aide of the north e|V8amea addition foundation. Inspection of wood aiUa and
nepair/replace men1aarequired. Once the earth iaremoved the scope ofthis item would bethe same aaabove.
m Inspection of sill and posts of east wall of North ell and repairs as required. The scope would be the same as
above.
m Re'|eve|ingofbama1mctunebynep|aoing8oundadonandnep|acemen1of10096ofthewmodaiUa
m Resetting of loose stones and fill holes at rubble stone foundations. All areas of the foundation should be
inspected and repaired(with removal ofvegetative growth ifnecessary)
m Resetting ofthe shifted granite stone a1the southeast corner ofthe main block foundation
3) Walls and trim
Work a1walls and trim iasimilar to that outlined inScenario 1. Work called for a1the east ell would not berequired.
Recommended stabilJ����
m Replace the header over the garage door a1the barn with a stronger header.
m Strip paint from all exterior siding and trim a1the remaining structures.
m Inspect siding boards and replace mUedaiding—aconaenmdveeadmatewmu|d bethat 2096ofthe existing siding
requires replacement.
m Remove, restore and reinstall cornice elements at main block and barn including installation of new metal flashing
at horizontal surface of cornice elements.
m Prime and repaint siding and trim.
4) Windows
Window work would be the same as that recommended in scenario 1,but only at the remaining buildings.
Recommended stabilJ����
m Remove existing problematic wood exterior storm windows and install aluminum storms at exterior. Storms must
be installed within the opening at the main block/north ell to avoid damage to the historic window trim.
m Remove basement window sash and install louvers and vent fan.
5) Roofing,Gutters and Soffits
Roofing, gutter and soffit work would be the same as that recommended in scenario 1, but only at the remaining
buildings.
Recommended stabilJ�������
m Removal and replacement cdall wood gutters with copper ormembrane-lined wood gutters.
m Replacement ofall rain leaders with new zinc-coated copper orhot-dipped galvanized steel leaders.
m Replace soffits and fascias in kind with repairs to the exposed interior framing as required. This will require
nemova|andnep|acemen1ofapproxima1e|y2''0^ofmofingandmcdaheathinga11heeavea.
Recommended stabilJ���
m Remove the EPDIM patch at the northeast comer of the Barnes addition and a portion of the adjacent asphalt
shingles down to bare sheathing and repair the roof structure and sheathing at the patched area to match the line
ofthe adjacent roof.
m Install new under|aymen1and asphalt shingle roofing a1the patched area.
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m Repair the barn roof by installing a new asphalt shingle of similar weight, size and color at the location of the
missing shingle.
Recommended roof structure stabilization work
m Structural reinforcing work a1barn roof(can bedone from intehod.
6) Chimneys
Recommended stabilJ����
m Rebuild the area cdloose brick a1the top cdthe east chimney.
m Chimney reconstruction ofnorth chimney
Future Work
Removal of the ell would allow an addition to be built that would be able to accommodate accessibility requirements,so some of
1heandoipatedfu1uneworkhomacenario1haabeennemoved. 8iven1hiaaaaumpdon. 1hia |ia1repneaentsanumberofgenena|
work items that will need to happen in any restoration project involving the remaining structures.
Future 61xt6rior work including exterior structural workJ
Foundations
m Replacement ofapa||edbricks a1the main block south elevation foundation
Windows and doors
m Restoration of all remaining existing exterior doors(with the exception of the garage door at the barn,see below)
m Replacement ofexterior entrance stairs and landings.
m Replacement ofthe garage door with adoor more appropriate to an 1840s barn
Roofing
m Inspection and reinforcement ofmain block roof framing
m Complete roof replacement. As the Barnes addition with its very low slope roof is to nemain, it is recommended that
the main block/north ell/Barnes addition be replaced with a composite roof and not be reshingled with wood shingles.
m Replacement of all building systems in remaining areas:heat,electricity,plumbing,fire detection/protection
Future Lu r structu�ralwork�
m Restoration of all existing window sash or replacement of all window sash with historic replicas
m Additional structural reinforcement for east fireplace and either replacement of non-historic fireplace surround or
repairs toexisting surround.
m Additional structural reinforcement to first and second floor framing
m Accessibility improvements - this may involve widening the door openings at spaces at the north ell. Other
accessibility improvements could be included within anew addition.
m Removal ofnon-historic office partitions and finishes and repairs.
m Restoration ofexisting wood and plaster finishes toremain.
m New finishes aarequired.
Scenario 1: Removal of east ell and barn, Restoration of main block, north ell and Barnes addition
This scenario would remove the two structures at the east side of the building. This ianot arecommended scenario,aai1would
involve |oaa of the 1840a barn and the building could no longer be read as a connected New England &armhouae, which is an
important feature inits historical development. However, it would have the benefit of clearing the east side of the lot for future
use,and maintaining the east portion of the structure would be preferable to losing the entire structure.
8tab8izotionlmoth6o0ingplan
Mothballing work would include the demolition ofthe ell structure and barn. Once the ell iaremoved,some work will need totake
place at the north e|| to weatherproof the area where it was connected to the e|| and to provide some additional a1ruo1una|
bracing. As in scenario above. the siding will need to be removed a1these areas for the structural reinforcing and it might be
106
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cost-effective to install new siding over the scarred area. This would also approve the appearance of the building while in its
mothballed state. Stabilization and mothballing work would include the following,divided by work area.
i) Demolition and closure cf areas hmremain
Recommended demolition/closure sc22e�
m Removal of east ell and bam, including disconnection of all services shared with the main block/north ell/Barnes
addition structure. Remove footings and infill k>grade.
m Install blocking/framing at first and second floor at north ell to support wall at junction with east ell.
m Remove siding at east wall of north addition and install plywood over existing sheathing boards to increase lateral load
resistance. Continue plywood over framing a1junction with ell.
m Reinstall siding/install new siding a1north ell.
2) Foundations
As noted in scenarios 1 and 2. foundation issues a1the remaining structure should be addressed to keep water and
rodents out of the building interior and prevent deterioration of the building framing due to rotted wood sills.
m Inspection of wood aiUa at the north, east and west sides of the north ell/Barnes addidon, including removal of
earth from the north aide and nepair/replace men1 as required. This would involve removal of the base trim and
sheathing from the bottom of the wall and the replacement of any rotted sills found. Dutchman repairs tothe base
of rotted posts may also be required. It is estimated that approximately 5096 of the aiUa at the north ell/Barnes
addition may need tobereplaced.
m Resetting of loose stones and fill holes at rubble stone foundations. All areas of the foundation should be
inspected and repaired(with removal ofvegetative growth ifnecessary)
m Resetting of the shifted granite stone at the southeast corner of the main block foundation
3) Walls and trim
Work a1walls and trim iasimilar to that outlined inscenarios 1and 2for the areas k>remain.
Recommended stabilJ����
m Strip paint from all exterior siding and trim a1the remaining structure.
m Inspect siding boards and replace rotted siding -a conservative estimate would be that 20%of the existing siding
requires replacement.
m Remove, neak>ne and reinstall cornice elements at main block including installation of new metal flashing at
horizontal surface ofcornice elements.
m Prime and repaint siding and trim.
4) Windows
Window work would be the same as that recommended in scenarios I and 2,but only at the remaining structure.
Recommended stabilJ����
m Remove existing problematic wood exterior storm windows and install aluminum storms at exterior. Storms must
be installed within the opening at the main block/north ell to avoid damage to the historic window trim.
m Remove basement window sash and install louvers and vent fan.
5) Roofing,Gutters and Soffits
Roofing,gutter and soffit work would be the same as that recommended in scenarios I and 2,but only at the remaining
buildings.
Recommended stabilJ�������
m Removal and replacement cdall wood gutters with copper ormembrane-lined wood gutters.
m Replacement ofall rain leaders with new zinc-coated copper orhot-dipped galvanized steel leaders.
m Replace soffits and fascias in kind with repairs to the exposed interior framing as required. This will require
nemova|andnep|acemen1ofapproxima1e|y2''0^ofmofingandmcdaheathinga11heeavea.
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Recommended stabilJ���
m Remove the EPDIM patch at the northeast comer of the Barnes addition and a portion of the adjacent asphalt
shingles down to bare sheathing and repair the roof structure and sheathing at the patched area to match the line
ofthe adjacent roof.
m Install new under|aymen1and asphalt shingle roofing a1the patched area.
6) Chimneys
Recommended stabilJ����
m Rebuild the area ofloose brick a1the top ofthe east chimney.
m Chimney reconstruction ofnorth chimney
Future Work
Once the east ell and barn are removed the remaining main block/north ell/Barnes addition structure could either be included in a
new building constructed on the site or could act as a stand-alone structure. For this report,the assumption is that the remaining
structure will be incorporated into a larger project. Given this assumption, this |ia1 represents a number of general work items
that will need to happen in any restoration project involving the remaining structures.
Future 61xt6rior work including exterior structural workJ
Foundations
m Replacement ofapa||edbricks a1the main block south elevation foundation
Windows and doors
m Restoration of all remaining existing window sash or replacement of all windows with historic replicas
m Restoration ofall remaining existing exterior doors
m Replacement ofexterior entrance stairs and landings.
Roofing
m Inspection and reinforcement ofmain block roof framing
m Complete roof replacement. As the Barnes addition with its very low slope roof is to nemain, it is recommended that
the main block/north ell/Barnes addition be replaced with a composite roof and not be reshingled with wood shingles.
m Replacement of all building systems in remaining structure:heat,electricity,plumbing,fire detection/protection
Future Lu r structu�ralwork�
m Restoration of all remaining window sash or replacement of all window sash with historic replicas
m Additional structural reinforcement for east fireplace and either replacement of non-historic fireplace surround or
repairs toexisting surround.
m Additional structural reinforcement to first and second floor framing
m Accessibility improvements - this may involve widening the door openings at spaces at the north ell. Other
accessibility improvements could be included within anew addition.
m Removal ofnon-historic office partitions and finishes and repairs.
m Restoration ofexisting wood and plaster finishes toremain.
m New finishes aarequired.
Sceoario4�: Restoration cfmain block and barn
This scenario maintains the two most important 1840s era structures on the site and allows fora larger addition that could
incorporate both of these pieces. The north eU, also dating from the 1840a has |oa1 a great deal of its historical integrity and
would bedifficult k>separate structurally from the later Barnes addition.
8tab8izotionlmoth6o0ingplan
Mothballing work would include the demolition ofthe ell structure. Because ofthe way the main block iatied in10the north ell
and Barnes addition it would require a great deal of structural intervention to demolish the north additions and then weatherproof
the remaining interior space. This would include the construction of bearing wm||a and posts along the separation line to support
108
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the severed edge cdthe Main Block's structure,and construction cdabraced temporary foundation wall and spread footing below
the separation line wall. This is in addition to the required infill of the hole and sheathing of the wall to function as an exterior
element. It would likely be more cost effective k> leave the north ell and Barnes addition in place during the mothballing phase,
even though some work will be needed at those areas to make the entire structure weathertight, and remove the two northern
structures as part of the future work when the structural and envelope work can be included as part of the design for the new
addition.As noted in the scenarios above,once the ell is removed,some work will need to take place a1the north ell and barn to
weatherproof the areas where they were once connected to the ell and k>provide some additional structural bracing. The siding
will need to be removed a1these areas for the structural reinforcing. As this is the oaae, it would be cost-effective to install new
siding over the areas that were once connected to the east ell rather than trying to cover those areas with a different material that
then will have to be tied into the aiding. This would also approve the appearance of the remaining structures while they await
their future use. Much ofthe work to stabilize the sills of the north ell and Barnes addition would not be required. Stabilization
and mothballing work would include the following,divided bywork area.
i) Demolition and closure cf areas hmremain
Recommended demolition/closure sc22e�
m Removal of east ell including disconnection of all services shared with the main block/north ell/Barnes addition and
barn. Remove footings and infill k>grade.
m Install blocking/framing at first and second floor at north ell to support wall at junction with east ell.
m Install blocking/framing a1first floor ofbarn a1junction with east ell.
m Remove siding at east wall of north addition and install plywood over existing sheathing boards to increase lateral load
resistance. Continue plywood over framing a1junction with ell.
m Remove aiding at west wall of barn and install plywood over existing sheathing boards to increase lateral load
resistance. Continue plywood over framing a1junction with ell.
m Reinstall siding/install new siding a1north ell and barn.
m Remove roofing a1barn. Repair roof framing and sheathing at barn where it was intersected by the east ell. Re-roof.
It is anticipated that the reroofing would be done with asphalt shingles to save costs. The area of wood shakes that
are present at the barn roof below the east ell second floor roof should be documented and atoned for the future
restoration.
2) Foundations
As noted in Scenarios 1 and 2. foundation issues at the remaining aUootunea, particularly at the bam, should be
addressed to keep water and rodents out of the building interior and prevent deterioration of the building framing due to
rotted wood sills.
m Re'|eve|ingofbama1mctunebynep|aoing8oundadonandnep|acemen1of10096ofthewmodaiUa
m Resetting of loose stones and fill holes at rubble stone foundations. All areas of the foundation should be
inspected and repaired(with removal ofvegetative growth ifnecessary)
m Resetting of the shifted granite stone at the southeast corner of the main block foundation
3) Walls and trim
Work a1walls and trim is similar to that outlined in scenarios 1 and 2. Work called for a1the east ell would not be
required.
Recommended stabilJ����
m Replace the headerover the garage doora1the barn with astronger header.
m Strip paint from all exterior siding and trim at the remaining structures. This would not be required at the north
ell/Barnes addition,but would greatly improve the appearance of the building as it awaits its new use.
m Inspect siding boards and replace rotted siding -a conservative estimate would be that 20%of the existing siding
requires replacement. Siding at the north ell and Barnes addition could be replaced with a more cost effective
material than wood,such aahardi'p|ank.
m Remove, restore and reinstall cornice elements at main block and barn including installation of new metal flashing
a1horizontal surface ofcornice elements.
m Prime and repaint siding and trim.
1[9
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4) Windows
Window work would be the same as that recommended in scenarios 1 and 2, but only a1the remaining buildings.
Given the relatively low cost ofaluminum storms they could also be installed at the north ell/Barnes addition window
openings so as to prevent damage to the building as a whole or the existing wood storm windows could be left in place
at the northern structures and the aluminum storms only installed where the wood storms are missing.
Recommended stabilJ����
m Remove existing problematic wood exterior storm windows at the main block and barn and install aluminum
storms at exterior. Storms must be installed within the opening at the main block to avoid damage to the historic
window trim. |na1a|| aluminum storms at windows at the north ell/Barnes addition that are missing wood storm
windows only.
m Remove basement window sash and install louvers and vent fan.
5) Roofing,Gutters and Soffits
Roofing, gutter and soffit work would be similar to that recommended in scenarios 1 and 2, but only at the remaining
buildings. Aathe north ell and Barnes addition are toberemoved, the gutters inthose areas could bereplaced with
cost-effective aluminum gutters. Soffit and fascia repairs a1the north e||and Barnes addition should ad|| be performed
as deterioration at those areas are allowing birds and squirrels into the interior of the entire building, including the main
block. Materials used in repairs at those areas would not need to be historically appropriate.
Recommended stabilJ�������
m Removal of all wood gutters and replacement of gutters and main block and barn with copper or membrane-lined
wood gutters. Gutters at the north ell and Barnes addition could be replaced with aluminum gutters.
m Replacement of all rain leaders at the main block and barn with new zinc-coated copper or hot-dipped galvanized
steel leaders. The leaders at the north ell and Barnes addition could be replaced with aluminum leaders.
m Replace soffits and fascias in kind at the main block and barn with repairs k> the exposed interior framing as
required. This will require removal and replacement of approximately 2''0^ of roofing and roof sheathing at the
eaves.
m Repair/replace soffits and fascias at the north ell and Barnes addition to prevent water and pest intrusion into the
interior. Cost effective non-historic materials such as pnemadeviny| or aluminum soffits at the Barnes addition
could beused.
Recommended stabilJ���
m Remove the EPDM patch at the northeast comer of the Barnes addition and a portion of the adjacent asphalt
shingles down to bane sheathing and patch with uv-resistant self-adhering membrane lapped below asphalt
shingle roof.
m Repair the barn roof by installing a new asphalt shingle of similar weight, size and color at the location of the
missing shingle.
Recommended roof structure stabilization work
m Structural reinforcing work a1barn mo (can be done from intehod
6) Chimneys
m
Rebuild the area ofloose brick a1the top ofthe east chimney.
Future Work
Accessibility issues at the remaining structures could be resolved within the design of a new addition. The north ell and Barnes
addition removal and addition of structural support at the north wall of the main block would also be included in the future work.
Recommended demolitigL/structural scope:
m Removal of north ell and Barnes addition and installation of structural bracing at the north wall of the main block.
Future 61xt6rior work including exterior structural workJ
Foundations
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m
Replacement cdapaUedbricks a1the main block south elevation foundation.
Windows and doors
m Restoration of all remaining existing exterior doors(with the exception of the garage door at the barn,see below)
m Replacement ofexterior entrance stairs and landings.
m Replacement ofthe garage door with adoor more appropriate to an 1840s barn
Roofing
m Inspection and reinforcement ofmain block roof framing
m Complete roof replacement either with new composite roofing tied into the addition roof or reconstruction of the north
gable ofthe main block and re-roofing with historically accurate wood shingles.
m Replacement of all building systems in remaining areas:heat,electricity,plumbing,fire detection/protection
Future Lu r structu�ralwork�
m Restoration of all existing window sash or replacement of all window sash with historic replicas
m Additional structural reinforcement for east fireplace and either replacement of non-historic fireplace surround or
repairs toexisting surround.
m Additional structural reinforcement tosecond floor framing
m Removal ofnon-historic office partitions and finishes and repairs.
m Restoration ofexisting wood and plaster finishes toremain.
m New finishes aarequired.
Scenario 5: Move main block hma new location
|fi1iadetermined that there is no future use for the Hammond A. Hoamer House site compatible with maintaining the historic
house in its current location, it would be possible to move some portion of the building to a different site or a different location on
the same site. This would remove the building from its context, as well as mean losing much of the original building, so this is
the most extreme option that retains something ofthe original building. For purposes ofthis report, i1iaassumed that only the
main block would be retained and moved,and all other components demolished as part of the stabilization scope. The structural
section of the Condition Assessment goes into more detail regarding how the building could be supported and moved. Once the
building is moved to its new |ooadon, it will require the work outlined in Scenario 8 (except for the foundation nepairs, as
relocation will require anew foundation and baaemend.
In this scenario the demolition of all other components of the building would be done as part of the stabilization scope.
8tab8izotionlmoth6o0ingplan
I) Demolition and closure ofareas toremain
m Demolition of the east e||, bam, north e|| and Barnes addidon, including disconnection of all services shared with the
main block/north ell/Barnes addition and barn. Remove footings and infill 1ograde.
m Reinforcement of lateral load resisting structure of freestanding elements as described in the structural report.
m Construction of load bearing walls and posts along the separation line to support the severed edged of the Main
Block's structure.
m Construction ofabraced temporary foundation wall and spread footing below the separation line wall.
m Sheathing and weather protection ofthe separation line wall to function aaanexterior element.
2) Foundations
As noted in Scenarios 1 and 2. foundation issues a1the remaining structure should be addressed to keep water and
rodents out of the building interior and prevent deterioration of the building framing due to rotted wood sills.
m Resetting of loose stones and fill holes at rubble stone foundations. All areas of the foundation should be
inspected and repaired(with removal ofvegetative growth ifnecessary)
m Resetting of the shifted granite stone at the southeast corner of the main block foundation
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3) Walls and trim
Work a1walls and trim iasimilar to that outlined inscenarios 1and 2.but only for the main block.
Recommended stabilj����
m Strip paint from all exterior siding and trim a1the remaining structure.
m Inspect siding boards and replace rotted siding -a conservative estimate would be that 20%of the existing siding
requires replacement.
m Remove, restore and reinstall cornice elements at main block and barn including installation of new metal flashing
a1horizontal surface ofcornice elements.
m Prime and repaint siding and trim.
m In addition to structural work,provide new north exterior wall,with cladding to match the existing.
4) Windows
Window workwmu|dbe1heaameaa1ha1necommendedinacenarioa1and2.bu1on|ya11hemainb|ook.
Recommended stabilj����
m Remove existing problematic wood exterior storm windows at the main block and install aluminum storms at
exterior. Storms must be installed within the opening at the main block to avoid damage to the historic window
trim.
m Remove basement window sash and install louvers and vent fan.
5) Roofing,Gutters and Soffits
Roofing,gutter and soffit work would besimilar to that recommended inscenarios 1and 2.but only a1the main block.
Recommended stabilj�������
m Removal of all wood gutters and replacement ofgutters and main block with copper or membrane-lined wood
gutters.
m Replacement of all rain leaders at the main block with new zinc-coated copper or hot-dipped galvanized steel
leaders.
m Replace soffits and fascias inkind a1the main block with repairs tothe exposed interior framing aarequired. This
will require removal and replacement of approximately 2'-0"of roofing and roof sheathing at the eaves.
m
Provide closure at cut edge where the north ell and Barnes addition are removed. Include new gutters and
leaders.
6) Chimneys
m
Rebuild the area ofloose brick a1the top ofthe east chimney.
Future Work
Moving of the main block and restoring it are included in this scope. The restored building would be part of a larger complex that
would provide an accessible entrance,elevator,etc.
Recommended demolitigL/structural scope:
m Installation of temporary steel beams to support the structure load and transportation via truck
m New cast in place foundation and basement a1new location.
m Infilling of the empty foundation pits left under the demolished structures,removal of all debris and unwanted
foundation remnants prior todemolition.
112
Overall 7reatmentplan
Future 61xt6rior work including exterior structural workj
Foundations
m Replacement ofapaUedbricks a1the main block south elevation foundation.
Windows and doors
m Restoration of all remaining existing exterior doors(with the exception of the garage door at the barn,see below)
m Replacement ofexterior entrance stairs and landings.
m Replacement ofthe garage door with adoor more appropriate to an 1840s barn
Roofing
m Inspection and reinforcement ofmain block roof framing
m Complete roof replacement either with new composite roofing tied into the addition roof or reconstruction of the north
gable ofthe main block and re-roofing with historically accurate wood shingles.
Future LqLlding systems work
m Replacement of all building systems in remaining areas:heat,electricity,plumbing,fire detection/protection
Future Lu r structu�ralwork�
m Restoration of all existing window sash or replacement of all window sash with historic replicas
m Additional structural reinforcement for east fireplace and either replacement of non-historic fireplace surround or
repairs toexisting surround.
m Additional structural reinforcement tosecond floor framing
m Removal ofnon-historic office partitions and finishes and repairs.
m Restoration ofexisting wood and plaster finishes toremain.
m New finishes aarequired.
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Bibliography
V.BIBLIOGRAPHY
"103-Year-Old Barnes Property Being Restored." Lexington Minuteman July 27. 1950: 1.
Boston Business Directories 1840a to 1950a (Boston) and 1880a to 1950a (Lexington). Massachusetts State Houae, Library
Annex Collection.
Cambridge Historical Commission (Project Architectural Historians: Antoinette F. Downing, Elizabeth MacDougall and Eleanor
Pearson). "Mid Cambridge/Survey ofArchitectural History inCambridge, 1967^ (Page 5G. discussion ofGreek Revival
buildings byLexington architect Isaac Me|vin).
Comprehensive Cultural Resources Survey ofLexington. "The Historic Dia1rict, 800k5'Form 8. NoA.^ (Researched by Harriet
White ofthe MAPCin 1978 and updated in 1SD4byLawrence Whipp|e).
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OQ 1775 61. Town of Lexington
Historic Districts Commission
APRIL 19"
�FXI N U1
Joseph Welch, Chairman Tel: (781)862-0500 x294
Daniel Griffin Jr. Fax: (781) 861-2780
Scott.Kyle
Paul Ross
Robert.Warshawer
Mr. Hank Manz January 8, 20 i 2
Chair, Board of Selectmen
'Town of Lexington
1625 Massachusetts Avenue
Lexington, MA 02420
Re: 1557 Massachusetts Avenue, the "White House"
Dear Mr. Manz:
I am writing to you on behalf of the Historic Districts Commission, in response to the appearance
by the Board of Selectmen in an informal hearing at our January 5 meeting, At that meeting,
members of the BBS requested guidance from the HDC as to its willingness to demolish or move
the "White House" at 1557 Massachusetts Avenue, Because we believe some confusion resulted
from the ensuing discussion, we wish to clarify our views with respect to this project.
As you may know, the White House has been the subject of HDC review on many occasions
over the last few years, most recently when a study was completed to incorporate the house into
a community center, 'That proposal entailed the partial demolition of the building complex and
relocation on the site to better accommodate the proposed addition, and the HDC had
preliminarily agreed in principle to such actions.
However, the recent request from the BBS differed markedly from prior proposals in that BBS
members requested total demolition of the structure, or absent demolition, removal of the
building to a site outside of the Historic District, with no indication as to what would become of
the existing site. We now advise you that based on the information presented at the January
meeting, the Commission would not support such a request. We would, however, welcome the
opportunity to meet with the BBS at subsequent informal public meetings to discuss alternatives
for the stabilization, reuse and, if necessary, possible relocation of the building to a different
location on the Massachusetts Avenue site,
We believe that the White House is an important structure on an important site -- the gateway to
the center of Lexington, and one of the first buildings that visitors see as they come into town,
'Therefore, it is crucial that the building be stabilized and the issues that now make it an eyesore
be addressed. We have joined with the Historical Commission in supporting the plan proposed
by Pat Goddard to rehabilitate the exterior of the building until such time that an appropriate use
can be identified and implemented. We have reluctantly accepted his proposal to demolish the
1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE-LEXINGTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02420
e-ynail acasparius(q.,,Iexingtonyna.gov
ell and barn to enable and encourage a redevelopment of the site that integrates the main block of
the building into any new construction,
We are confident that the White House can be restored -- the Historic Structure Report prepared
for Pat Goddard's department clearly demonstrates this, and we have seen the successful
rehabilitation of many buildings in much more deteriorated condition. We agree that immediate
steps should be taken to correct this unwelcome sight to those entering the Center, and would
support all such appropriate actions,
In our role as overseers of the historic buildings in the districts, we encourage public appreciation
of and pride in our'Town's heritage; to this end we strive to impose on property owners the
highest standards of preservation and stewardship. But in so doing, we cannot ask any less of the
'Town with respect to the buildings that it owns.
We welcome your comments and took forward to the opportunity to discuss these matters more
fully with the Board of Selectmen at your convenience,
Very truly yours,
Joseph Welch
Chairman, Historic Districts Commission