Nomination for Holyoke-French House

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SNOILNYLNI PH0006289 Form 10-300 (July 1969) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARKSERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM HB NO 4TN ReF #, 72000/23 STATE: Massachusetts COUNTY: Essex (Type all entries -complete applicable sections) NAME COMMON: AND/OR HISTORIC: Holyoke-French House Holyoke-French House LOCATION STREET AND NUMBER: CITY OR TOWN: (Congressional District - 6) Elm Street and Topsfield Road FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER APR 26 1972 181191 RECEIVED JAL25 972 NATION REGIS DATE Boxford STATE CODE 025 COUNTY: Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY (Check One) District * Building Site Structure Essex CODE 009 OWNERSHIP STATUS Object Public Private Both Public Acquisition: - In Process - Being Considered Occupied Unoccupied - Preservation work in progress ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC Yes: * Restricted Unrestricted No PRESENT USE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Agricultural Government Commercial Industrial Educational Military Entertainment Museum - Park Private Residence Religious Scientific Transportation Other (Specify) - Comments OWNER OF PROPERTY OWNER'S NAME: The Boxford Historical Society STREET AND NUMBER: Elm Street CITY OR TOWN: STATE: Boxford Massachusetts 01921 LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE, REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC: Essex County (Southern District) Registry of Deeds STREET AND NUMBER: Essex County Courthouse CITY OR TOWN: STATE CODE 025 CODE Salem Massachusetts 01970 REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE OF SURVEY: Inventory of Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE OF SURVEY: December, 1966 - Federal EState - County DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS: 025 - Local Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET AND NUMBER: CITY OR TOWN: Office of the Secretary, State House ISTATE: Boston Massachusetts CODE 025 STATE: Massachusetts COUNTY: ENTRY NUMBER972 APR 6 6 DATE FOR NPS USE ONLY DESCRIPTION (Check One) - Deteriorated CONDITION Excellent x Good (Check One) - Fair Ruins - Unexposed (Check One) - Altered & Unaltered - Moved X riginal Site DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (if known) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

The Holyoke-French House, built in 1760, is located on a broad, tree-lined street in Boxford Center, a quiet village with a common, church, old houses, town hall and a country store. It faces south toward a small triangular green. The contiguous property is fairly open with some planting and shade trees. The grounds surrounding the house have informal gardens and land- scaping. On the north where the land rises, the property is bounded by a stone wall which continues on the east and on a small section of the south side. From there a picket fence completes the boundary to the southwest corner. The symetrical, 2½ story late Colonial house is covered with clapboard siding, now painted a pale yellow. The ridge of the gambrel roof is in- terrupted by a pair of chimneys set in from each end about éight feet.

The front (south) center entrance has an appropriate double crossed door; direct- ly above but within the door frame, are five lights. It is flanked by two graceful fluted pilasters which support an entablature and unbroken pedi- ment. The west and north facades also have center entrances. The overall width of the west (side) entrance is narrower than the south and has a double crossed door of an earlier period. This entrance has architectural features similar to those surrounding the main door, although the pilasters are slimmer and more elongated. A four light transom is located between the door and entablature. The north entrance is similar but carries no pediment The house is five bays wide and three deep. The shuttered windows, regular- ly spaced, are sash with 9-over-9 small panes and have simple wooden lintels and sills.

At one time, possibly in the 19th century, two dormer windows were added on the front (south); these were removed in 1961 when the Boxford Historical Society did extensive restoration work. On the main facade there are a pair of windows on each side of the front door; four windows are set evenly above them' on the sècond' floor and a fifth is centered over the door. On the east facade the windows of the first and second floors are set three above three. On the third floor, there are two with the window toward the north set directly above the end window below; the window toward the south is set in slightly. The west facade is identical except that a door re- places the center window.

On the rear (north) facade, one window is set east of the entrance and three windows on the second story are set one above the first floor window, one above the entrance and the third above the ridge of the ell. The 1½ story ell extends from the north side. It is simple Gothic Revival in style, is covered with wide brown vertical siding and has a steep pitched roof with a gingerbread bargeboard and one chimney. Like the main house, the facades and plan are symetrical, with central doors on the west and east Each door is flanked on either side by a window. On the north fa- cade a small window is set on either side of the center one, and one window Asccentered above them on the second floor. Above each opening a cornice RECdecorated with small raised diamonds is supported by brackets- JAM 25 NATION/ (see continuation sheet) REGIS: 7.

DESCRIPTION (continued) Between the ell to the north and the house proper an area about six feet deep (north to south) and fifteen feet wide, containing a pantry and bath, is attached to the house from its rear west corner to the north entrance. The roof on this area is several feet lower than that of the ell, thus dividing, architecturally, the one structure from the other. To the north of the main house is a cobbler shop (10' by 10') moved from the old Chadwick place in West Boxford in the 1950's. About 100 feet to the northeast is a 1½ story barn, c. 1900, built into a small rise in the ground, of wide board siding and simple design. Except for the ell (built c. 1890) to the rear, the Holyoke-French House re- mains today much as it was when built and is one of the most important struc- tures in the Boxford Village Historic District. 1191 18:10 JAI 25 1572 NATION REGIS

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD (Check One or More as Appropriate) Pre-Columbian! 15th Century 16th Century 17th Century 18th Century 19th Century 20th Century SPECIFIC DATE(S) (If Applicable and Known) 1760 AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Abor iginal Educati on - Prehistoric Engineering Historic Industry Agriculture Invention Architecture Landscape Art Architecture Commerce Literature Communications Military Conservation Music Political Religion/Phi- losophy Science Sculpture Social/Human- itarian Theater Transportation Urban Planning Other (Specify) STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Statement of significance

Che Holyoke-French House, probably the least altered early house in Boxford, was built in 1760 by Samuel Holyoke, a Boston merchant- -It replaced a house built in 1701/2 for the first minister of Boxford, Reverend Thomas Symmes. This 1701 house was sold in 1759 to the Reverend Elizur Holyoke, whose father, Samuel, tore it down and the following year had the new one built on the same site. Reverend Elizur Holyoke was a nephew of Edward Holyoke, president of Harvard College, and a great-grandson of Elizur Holyoke of Springfield for whom Mount Holyoke College was named, Reverend Elizur Holyoke's son, Samuel, was a composer and publisher.

His works include "Harmonia Americana", "The Instrumental Assistant" and "The Columbian Repository of Sacred Harmony." The house remained in the Holyoke family until purchased in 1866 by Elvin French, described in Perley as a "well known musician." His son rented the house summers and used the ell to live in. Both French and his son did considerable and apparently skillful restoration on the house, "in such a manner as to allow all that is interesting in it to remain.": l.. The last family resident, Miss Gertrude French, lived in the el1 (the house irproper had no heat) and spent her later years there alone until her death in 1940. She bequeathed the building to the Boxford Historical Society to house the Society's collections; thus it came to the Society directly following the ownership of only two families. The house is now open for educational tours.

The Holyoke-French House is architecturally important because of its sty- listic purity; its historical significance derives from connection with the esteemed Holyoke family. 1 Perley, Sidney, Dwellings of Boxford, Essex Inslipate, Salem, Mass., 1893 KECEÎVED JAI. 25 1972 NATION* REGIS 18

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Perley, Sidney, Dwellings of Boxford, Essex Institute, Salem, Mass., 1893 Chamberlain, Samuel, Open House in New England, Bonanza Books, New York; 1948 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES DEFINING A RECTANGLE LOCATING THE PROPERTY CORNER LATITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds LONGITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds R LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES DEFINING THE CENTER POINT OF A PROPERTY OF LESS THAN TEN ACRES LATITUDE Degrees. Minutes Seconds LONGITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds NW 42 39 40 72 NE.

SE SW APPROXIMATE ACREAGE OF NOMINATED LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR EOUN FAOBQUMRARIES STATE: CODE RECEIVED STATE: CODE COUNTY: N JAI 25 1972 59 51 STATE: CODE STATE: CODE FORM PREPARED BY NAME AND TITLE: Miss Anne Wardwe11 ORGANIZATION Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET AND NUMBER: State House CITY OR TOWN: Bost.on STATE LIAISON OFFICER CERTIFICATION aRe-EF 059 C As the designated State Liaison Officer for the Na- tional Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service. The recommended level of significance of this nomination is: National State; Name F.X.

DAVOREN (0:: Secretary of the Commonwealth, Title Chairman of the Massachusetts Historical Commission Date January 15, 1972 CODE CODE COUNTY: NATIONA- REGIS ( CODE COUNTY: CODE DATE 1-1/11/72 STATE CODE 025 Massachusetts NATIONAL REGISTER VERIFICATION w. sodgmg) vor r AEL1 I hereby certify that this property is included in the Nationa1 Register.

Potert M Utley Chief, Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation :14: Date 4/26/72 VT SnC nF Lrs.onl ATTEST: ollamenu Keeper of Th Vational Re APR 26 1972 Date N 4724920 E 336300 ZONe19 UIM 9-1-5 TR TION DATE OF RECEIPT DATA PAGE PHOTO DESCRIPTION (S) N MAP (S) NMAP DESCRIPTION (S) VOGGED ACKNOWLEDGE RESUBMIT REVIEW HISTORIAN Esset county Nalyohe-trench Horse 1/2572255 PROPERTY STATE Mass NO NUMBER REGISTER: APR 2 6 1972 1/25/95 161/ Tech 3/23/72 ok RECENED JAN 25 1972 NATIONA' REGIST: 4/19/2 Obap Sale 415/22 ARCHEOLOGIST ARCHITECT Of Chamber 4-5-12 ASST. KEEPER KEEPER WRITER/EDITOR 1/10/72 CHIEF, OAHP EDITORIAL PROCESSING, EDITOR Federal Registry Entry 6-6-72 LOGGED 4-26-22 COMMENTS: Annual Edition Entry CARD '4-26->L WORKING NUMBER 1,25.72.143 CONGRESSIONAL DIST._ #6 I Pif" I Holyoke French Houte (1740) Brtfnd, Moes.

Soutk (Frout) Facach fecembes, 1971 (Restoral con en mes Number 4 26 72 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM (Type all entries - attach to or enclose with photograph) NAME COMMON: Holyoke-French House AND/OR HISTORIC: same LOCA TION STREET AND NUMBER: Elm Street and Topsfield Road CITY OR TOWN: Boxford STATE: CODE COUNTY: 025 Massachusetts PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT: Boxford Historical Society, Inc. DATE OF PHOTO: December, 1971 NEGATIVE FILED AT: Boxford Historical Society, Inc. IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. I - South facade, taken from Topsfield Road STATE Massachusett COUNTY Essex FOR NPS US ENTRY NUMBER APR 26 1972 Essex II Pix I Holyote-Terench House (1760) Borford, Mus Site, Showery!

House: South i Cast Baru: South Facade UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM (Type all entries - attach to or enclose with photograph) STATE Massachusetts COUNTY Essex FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER APR 26 1972 DATE NAME COMMON: Holyoke-French House AND/OR HISTORIC: same LOCA TION STREET AND NUMBER: Elm Street and Topsfield Road CITY OR TOWN: Boxford STATE: Massachusetts CODE COUNTY: 025 PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT: Boxford Historical Society, Inc. DATE OF PHOTO: December, 1971 NEGATIVE FILED A Boxford Historical Society, Inc. 9 Essex CODE 009 IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC.

REGIS XATIONA VEg TELTZO II - South and east facades; barn on right; taken from Topsfield Road BARE 40 4725 Viltage Cem °42'39'40"1 20 72º59'51 Boxford Gravel Pit Grave Pit Brook Gravel -Pits D Gravel Pits HILL 4724 ST BOXFORD, MASSACHUSETTS HOLYOKE-FRENCH HOUSE 600 000 FEET U.S.G.S. Georgetown, Massachusetts 18L/192 4723 Date: Scale: 1 : 24,000 Cri REGIS NATION. WILDLE SANC 4722 PIVER 81 IPSWICH 4721 Masconomet Regional High Sch/ Rowtey Bridge 42°37'30" (READING) 769 MIDDLETON 71°00' 337 740 000 FEET 2.7 MI.70 U.S. / Y BOSTON 22 MI. Mapped, edited, and published by the Geological Survey Control by USGS, USC&GS, and Massachusetts Geodetic Survey Topography by planetable surveys 1942. Revised 1966 Polyconic projection.

1927 North American datum 10,000 foot grid based on Massachusetts coordinate system, mainland zone 1000-meter Universal Transverse Mercator grid ticks, zone 19, shown in blue 339 MN GN 15½° 276 MILS 1°19' 23 MILS UTM GRID AND 1966 MAGNETIC NORTH DECLINATION AT CENTER OF SHEET Bare Hill Pine Grove Cem :Proctor:g Sch) opsfield ,ST PO4p 57'30" 65 340 1000 ETELH THIS FOR SAL *Form 10-301 (July 1969) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY MAP FORM (Type all entries - attach to or enclose with map) - NAME cOMMON: Holyoke-French House AND/OR HISTORIC: Same LOCATION STREET AND NUM BER: Elm Street and Topsfield Road CITY OR TOWN: Boxford STATE: Massachusetts MAP REFERENCE SOURCE: CODE 025 U.S.G.S. - Georgetown, Massachusetts SCALE: 1: 24,000 DATE: 1966 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1.

Property broundaries where required. 2. North arrow. 3. Latitude and longitude reference. COUNTY: STATE Massachusetts COUNTY Essex FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER APR 26 1972 Essex 79 LA DATE CODE 009 ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATEMASSDCIRIS Date Entered APR 2.6 1372 Name Location Ipring-Greenough House Holyoke-Franch House Old Zown Bal1 Eostoa (Janaica Plain) Suffolk County Laxfozd Essex County Pittsfiaid Berkshire County Also Notified Hon. Edward M. Kennedy Ion. Edward W. Brooke Hon. Louise Day Hicks lon. Michael J. Harrington Ion. Silvio 0, Conte Dixector, Northeast Region HR NRowland: mm 4/25/72 State Ifaison Offlcer Eon, Joha Y. X. Davozen Secretary of the Cormonwealth Chaiman, Massachusette Historleal Comnission Oftice of the Secretary State House Boston, Hassachusetts 02133 NOTIFICATION OF GRANT-IN-AID ACTION 1. STATE APPLICATION IDENTIFIER 73070340 2.

(Kescrved for use by State central information recrption agencu) 3. GRANTOR: a. Federal agency Department of the Interior b. Organizational unit National Park Service c. Administering offire - (1) Nume Division of Grants (2) Address. Street or P.O. Box 18th and CStreets, Nw. 4. FEDERAL AGENCY GRANT IDENTIFIER: a. Code b. Title City -Washington Statc D.C. Zip Code 20240 25-74-00072-00 Holyoke-French House Development c. Purpose Project work will include the installation of a burglar and fire alarm systems and the correction of inadequate perimeter drainage. 5. GRANTEE: a. Name Massachusetts b. Address - Street or P.O. Box 40 Beacon Street 6. GRANTEE TYPE (Check only the single most applicable box) a. State b. Inter- c. County d. City state Mrs. Elizabeth R. Amadon, Exec. Dir., MA Historical Commission Boston MA 02108 e. School district f. Special unit 9. Community action h.

Sponsored organization i. Other L 7. APPLICATION RECEIPT DATE 8. ACTION DATE Year Month Day Year Month 75 10 20 75 11 Day 10 11. TYPE OF ACTION (Check as many bozes as apply to this action) a. New b. Continuation c. Supplemental grant grant grant (identify agency in item 16) 9. EFFECTIVE STAKTING DATE Year Month Day 75 11 10 10. ENDING DATE Year Month 78 /11 Day 09 d. Change in existing grant (1) Increase in (2) Decrease in duration duration (3) Cancellation (4) Increase(S) (5) Decreasc($) L Lx 12. AMOUNT OF CONTRIBUTION a. Federal - (1) bosic (2) Supplemental $2,000 13. CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ( if none, clarify in item 16) b. State $ 2,085* a. Program Number 15.904 c. Local $ d. Other $ b. Supplemental Program Number 14. AUTHORIZATION a. Federal Budget Accounts b. Public Lows 10-58-1040-0-1-405 PL Title 89 5665 c. U.S. Code 16 U.S.C. 470 15.

FACILITY LOCATION: (F'or fucility grant actions only) -. City Elm St. & Topsfield Rd., Boxford PL Tille Sec. PL Title Sec. b. County Essex 16. REMARKS *Boxford Historical Society, Inc. Prepared by Ralph E. Thomas 523(139)-5054 STANDARD FORM 2 June 1970 Bureau of the Budget Circular A-98 240-101