Nomination for Russell, Jason House

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

- PH0008354 Form 10-300 (July 1969) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE STATE: Massachusetts COUNTY: NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM (Type all entries - complete applicable sections) Middlesex FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER T 9 1974 DATE NAME C OMMON: Ihe Jason Russel1 House AND/ OR HISTORIC: same LOCATION STREET AND NUMBER: 7 Jason Street CITY OR TOWN: Arlington STATE Massachusetts Congressional District- 8th CODE COUNTY: 025 Middlesex CODE 017 CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY (Check One) District Site OWNERSHIP STATUS Building Structure 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 - Comments X Other (Specify) caretaker HQ, Arlington lives on Historical Soc.Premises OWNER OF PROPERTY OWNER'S NAME: The Arlington Historical Society STREET AND NUMBER: 7 Jason Street CITY OR TOWN: Arlington STATE: Massachusetts LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE, REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC: Registry of Deeds, East Middlesex Courthouse STREET AND NUMBER: 02174 CODE 025 128 Third Street CITY OR TOWN: Middlesex Cambridge STATE Massachusetts 02141 CODE 025 REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE OF SURVEY: Inventory of Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE OF SURVEY: 1973 - Federal x State DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS: Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET AND NUMBER: 40 Beacon Street CITY OR TOWN: Boston OCT 9 MAY 161974 1974 NATIONAL STATE: REGISTER Massachusetts COODE 025 6/ 18 ISTATE: COUNTY: ENTRY NUMBER DATE FOR NPS USE ONLY DESCRIPTION X Excellent CONDITION - Good (Check One) - Fair (Check One) Deteriorated - Ruins - Unexposed (Check One) X Altered - Unaltered - Moved X Original Site DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (if known) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

The Jason, Russell House is a well-preserved and carefully maintained example of an 18th century Massachusetts farmhouse- one of only two remaining houses in Arlington of the Revolution- ary period. Built about 1740 by Jason Russell, it is a two- stong legeybnted frmmeteacre otdbndeic chimney, and clapboarded sides. Situated on a large corner tract at Massachusetts Avenue and Jason Street, it sits well back from both thoroughfares in a large lawn land- scaped with trees, shrubs, flowers, and a flagstaff. The front door, facing Jason Street, is approached by a narrow brick walk. The property is bounded by a low stone wall along the two street sides. A granite-slab monument stands at the curb edge of the on Massachusetts Avenue, with an inscription summariz- ing the

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

significance of the site in connection with the events of April 19, 1775. The house began as a two-room "half house" with two windows on the ground floor and three above (front elevation), and with door, stair, and chimney at the north, or right, end. About Russell doubled the house by adding two more rooms at the north end, making it a full house, five windows across, with door, stair, and chimney now in the middle. sizeable one-story ell to the south. About 1814 the front door was protected by adding a small enclosed porch. A lean-to dates from about 1850, and a large two-story ell from about sma i encloted porceit Axom about 1863, both additions being made on the west side, or back, bui 1d* the house. The Arlington Historical Society acquired the ing in 1923 and did extensive restoration the following year.

The interior of the house is of great interest, the kitchen in particular, with its large fireplace and unplastered white- washed ceiling, decorated with evenly spaced black spots known as sponge-painting, considered the earliest form of interior painting in New England. From the kitchen a stair leads dowr where several Minutemen took refuge during the butioe holes ard atlt1 to be seon in the wootwerk tron the ac- 1775, and held British troops at bay. tion. The rooms are furnished with a variety of 18th and 19th century furniture, which belonged mainly to the Russell and Teel families, major occupants of the house, and a number ot other artifacts and furnishings from both periods. The house contains the Historical Society's collection of 17th, 18th, and 19th century memorabilia. The resident caretaker occupies an apartment in the later two-story ell.

The house and its col- lection are accessible to the public at stated times without admission charge, although contributions toward its upkeep are welcomed. - Z un SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD (Check One or More as Appropriate) Pre-Columbian/ - 16th Century 15th Century 17th Century SRECIFIC DATE(S) (If Applicable and Known) 1740, AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Abor iginal Education Prehistoric Engineering Historic Industry Agriculture Invention Architecture Landscape Art Architecture Commerce Literature Communications Military Conservation Music LX 18th Century 19th Century 1775 20th Century Political Religion/Phi. losophy Science Sculpture Social/Human- itarian Theater Transportation Urban Planning Other(Specify) STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Statement of significance

The significance of the Jason Russell House lies: first of all, in its dramatic relationship to the opening moments of the American Revolution. Past it rode Revere and Dawes to arouse the countryside. Past it marched the British troops on their way to Lexington and Concord, and past it they returned toward Cambridge, harried by the patriot militia. Jason Russell himself, builder of the house, lost his life there, along with eleven Minutemen, when they were surprised by a British flanking party. Marks of the fighting are still preserved in the house itself. Secondly, the house is a beautifully preserved example of the home of a well-to-do mid-18th century Massachusetts farmer- Furnished with many household articles of the period, the house is a marvelous teaching tool and a museum, of value both to schoolchildren and adults.

It is visited each year by thousands of local residents and tourists, and undoubtedly will become even more popular as the Revolutionary Bicentennial approaches. Pertinent quotations from the Interim and Final Reports of the Boston National Historic Sites Commission (House Documents 57 & 107): "The house is remarkable not only in its own right, but also because it is one structure out of many that stood in the path of the Redcoats that has not succumbed entirely to the dictates of utility and change. The old house is a monument both to Arlington's Colonial and Revolutionary past . - . one of the most significant yet least known survivals from the first day d the War of the Revolution." (H.D. 57, PP.103-104) "A few Minute Men . . .

were posted in back of the Russel1 House and wait- ing for the British column to come up the road, when they were surprised by the flanking party in their rear and driven toward the house, where they were caught between the flankers and the main body. There followed the most famous fight at close quarters during the eventful day and the bloodiest encounter associated with any house in the Revolution." (H.D. 57, p.59) "It is sufficient to say that the Jason Russell House is creditably main- tained as an historic site as well as headquarters for the Arlington Historical Society, . . . and that the structure merits recognition and certification of a fitting order from the Nation to signify its place in American hietory," (H.D. 103, p.58)

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Smith, Samuel Abbot West Cambridge, 1775 Boston, 1864 pp.37-39 10. nylander, Robert H. Russett and ds tse in Mentomy, in "Old-Time New England", Bulletin of the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, vol. IV, No. 2, Fall, 1964, Seria1 No. 198, pp.29-41 Sarles & Shedd Colonials and Patriots, vol. VI, National Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings, Washington, 1964, p.204 Final Report of the Boston National Historic Sites Conmission, 87th Congress, 1st Session, House Document 107, App.

B, pp57-8 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES DEFINING A RECTANGLE LOCATING THE PROPERTY DEFINING THE CENTER POINT OF A PROPERTY OF LESS THAN TEN ACRES CORNER LATITUDE LONGITUDE R LATITUDE LONGITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds NW 42° 24- 58 71 ° 09 ' 32k NE SE SW APPROXIMATE ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY: less than an acre LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNPARIES STATE: CODE COUNTY CODE STATE: CODE COUNTY: MAY CODE STATE: CODE COUNTY: STATE: CODE COUNTY: NATIONAL REGISTER CODE CODE 61 2. FORM PREPARED BY NAME AND TITLE: For Elizabeth R.Amadon,State Survey Director ORGANIZATION by Rev.

Charles Wesley Grady, Arlington Historical Socicty Massachusetts Historical Commission 5/7/74 STREET AND NUMBER: 40 Beacon Street CITY OR TOWN: Boston 617-727-8470 STATE LIAISON OFFICER CERTIFICAIION STATE Massachusetts 02108 NATIONAL REGISTER VERIFICATION CODE 025 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 let of significance of this nomination is: Tational Local X Name Hotorable botk Darmu F.X.Davoren Secretary of the Commonwealth TitlChairman,Massachusetts Historical Commission Date 5|8|74 I hereby certify that this property is included in the Nationa 1 Register.

ARmarteuse Chief, Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation Date 10/9/7p ATTEST: Date parlguna 10.2.24 GP 0 901.087 UTM 19/322360 4698000 CU - PROPERTslussell, St asin, Hauxe STATB Maas. WORKING NUMBER 5.16.74.806 TECH REVIEW PHOTOS MAPS Middlesex CONTROL REVIEW 5.22 HISTORIAN ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN ARCHEOLOGIST 7/31/14 7/3/74 REVIEW UNIT CHIEF Accem Col 9/12/74 BRANCH CHIEF KEEPER haet ferr 18.2-74 National Register Write-up NoV 18,1974 Federal Register entry 12/3/74 Send-back _ Re-submit_ Entered OCT 9 1974 INT: 1538-73 jasm Reisoui A Ali. Form No. 10-301a (7/72) 2. 3.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE STATE Massachusetts NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM (Type all entries - attach to or enclose with photograph) COUNTY Middlesex FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER D NAME COMMON: The Jason Russell House AND/OR HISTORIC: LOCA TION STREET AND NUMBER: 7 Jason Street CAAMEL MAY 1 6 1974 CLTY OR TOWN: Arlington NATIONAL STATE: CODE COUNTY: REGISTER Massachusetts 205 Middlesex PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT: Bruce Taylor DATE OF PHOTO: January, 1973 NEGATIVE FILED AT: Arlington Historical Society, 7 Jason Street Arlington, Mass. IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. General exterior of Jason Russell House, looking from east, from corner of Jasotiffeetand Massachusetts Avenue. Front of house faces Jasonistreet, sgytheast- NAIIUNAL auich CODE 017 INT: 154-72 Form No. 10-301 Rev.

7-72 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) STATE Massachusetts COUNTY Middlesex FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUM855 9 DATE NAME The Jason Russell House COMMON: AND/OR HISTORIC: LOCATION STREET AND NUM BER: 7 Jason Street Arlington Massachusetts - CITY OR TOWN: STATE: CODE 025 COUNTY: Middlesex MAP REFERENCE SOURCE: U.S. Geological Survey, Lexington Quadrangle, Mass SCALE: 1:24000 DATE: 1971 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. Property broundaries where required. 2. North arrow. 3. Latitude and longitude reference. 10 RECENED 1 61974 NATIONAL REGISTER CODE 017 INT: 155-72 ENTRIES IN THE 'NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS OCT 9 1974 Date Entered Name Location Russel1, Hie Jason, House Hale, Rev.

John, House The 1790 House Sparzow, Riehard, House Howland, Jabez, House Arlington Middlesex County Beverly Essex County Woburn Middlesex County Plymouth Plymouth County Plymouth Plymouth County Also Notified Hon. Edward M. Kennedy State Historie Preservation 0ff1cer Hon. Edward W. Brooke Hon. John F. X. Davoren Hon. Thonas P. 0"Ne111, Jr. Secretary of the Cormonvealth Hon. Miehael J. Harrington Chairuen, Massachusetts Historical lion. Torbert H. MacDonald Commission Hon. Gerry B. Studds 40 Beacon Street Regional Director, North Boston, Massachusetts 02108 Atlantie Region MMott/row 10/11/74