Nomination for Angier, John B., House

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev. 10-74) PH0121568 DATA SHEET UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE RECEIVEO MAR 1 9 1975 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM DATE ENTERED APR 4 3 1975 2 3 4 6 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS NAME HISTORIC John B. Angier House AND/OR COMMON same LOCATION STREET & NUMBER High Street CITY.

TOWN Medford _NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIO NAL DISTRICT STATE Massachusetts 02155 CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY DISTRICT L BUILDING(S) _STRUCTURE _SITE -OBJECT OWNERSHIP _PUBLIC PRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION _IN PROCESS _BEING CONSIDERED - VICINITY OF CODE 025 STATUS XOCCUPIED _UNOCCUPIED -WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE - YES: RESTRICTED - YES: UNRESTRICTED XNO COUNTY Middlesex CODE 017 PRESENT USE _AGRICULTURE -MUSEUM _COMMERCIAL _PARK _EDUCATIONAL XPRIVATE RESIDENCE _ENTERTAINMENT -RELIGIOUS _GOVERNMENT _SCIENTIFIC _INDUSTRIAL -TRANSPORTATION _MILITARY _OTHER: OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME Mrs. Mary A. Irwin STREET & NUMBER 129 High Street CITY. TOWN Medford VICINITY OF LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION STATE Massachusetts 02155 COURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC. STREET & NUMBER Middlesex County Registry of Deeds 208 Cambridge Street CITY.

TOWN Cambridge REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS STATE Massachusetts TITLE Inventory of Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE 1974 DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS _FEDERAL XSTATECOUNTYLOCAL Massachusetts Historical Commission CITY. TOWN Massacnusetts 02108 40 Beacon Street, Boston 7 DESCRIPTION CONDITION _EXCELLENT XGOOD -FAIR DETERIORATED _RUINS _UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE _UNALTERED XALTERED CHECK ONE AORIGINAL SITE MOVED DATE_ DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

The John B. Angier House, designed by Alexander Jackson Davis in 1842, is a 22 story Gothic Revival cottage situated west of Medford Square on the northwest corner of High Street and Boynton Road. Facing south, the house is set back from the street and fronted by a large landscaped lawn surrounded by a low stone wall. The original tapered granite gate posts and iron gates survive and are flanked to the east by a portion of the original cut granite border which retains a section of its decorative iron fence. A magnificent copper beech presently grows in the southeast corer of the front lawn. The original landscape, now obliterated, was designed by Andrew Jackson Downing and included a circular drive in front of the house with two large trees placed within the island, and other trees and plantings informally placed in the side yards.

Constructed ofmasonry whichwasstuccoed in theearly twentieth century, the Angier House is a symmetrical interpretation of Gothic Revival architecture which utilizes a "T" shaped floor plan. The center entrance is approached by a series of wide granite steps through the center section of the narrow flat-roofed porch which extends across the facade's first story beyond the house's side walls. Supported by twelve pairs of deli- cately turned wooden columns, the front porch is framed by an elaborate network of Gothic tracery and pointed trellis which as late as the tur of the century displayed flowering vines. A low granite railing encloses the rear elevation of the porch extensions. Davis' original drawing for the facade's elevation included a crenellated balcony above the center section of the porch which was built of wood and remained until the early 20th century.

The placement of fenestration is symmetrical and consists of two tall double windows flanking the center double doorway, three shorter double windows across the second story and a small lancet double window in the third story's central gable. All of these openings exhibit intricate Gothic tracery around the upper lights which are framed by label mouldings with lancet or flat tops. The side elevations of the house contain identical window types with two double windows on the first and second stories and a lancet double window in the gable. The only exception in window type is on the first story of the east elevation where a three- sided, flat-topped bay window with Gothic tracery and diamond shaped window panes is employed to increase the front livingroom's interior space and sunlight.

The overhanging roof consists of three steeply pitched inter- secting ridge roofed gables framed at each end by elaborate bargeboards and pendants. Around the roof's cornice are a series of ornate scroll brackets on which decorative sawn wooden floiate trim has been partially preserved on the east, north and west elevations of the main house. The well preserved gray slate roof covering follows an imbricated pattem. A pair of chimneys rise through each side of the ridge roof with one set retaining its original clay "chimey-tops". Form No. 10-300a (Rev.

10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTOR Y -- NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVEDMAR 19 1975 DATE ENTERED APR 2 3 1975 CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 7 PAGE A ridge-roofed 2z story ell, centrally situated on the north elevation of the main house, is characterized by simple fenestration utilizing regular sash, plain lintels and sills. Three 12/12 windows are located on the first stories and three 8/8 windows are located on the second stories of both the east and west elevations. Iwo small covered entrance- ways are located in the corners formed where the ell joins the main house, each with some Gothic trim. Small centrally located 4/4 windows are situated on the second and third stories of the ell's north elevation.

Each side of the ell contains a ridge-roofed dormer, trimmer by curvilinear sawn wooden ornament and framing an arched 6/6 window. Iwo irregularly placed interior chimneys rise through the roof. The cornice along the ell's west elevation retains its simple curvilinear sawn wooden ornament and the north elevation of the ell retains its elaborate bargeboards aroung the gable. The construction of a concrete block, single car garage adjacent to the ell in the early twentieth century destroyed the house's original attached ice shed. The Angier's carriage house stood on the opposite side of Boynton Road and their stables, also demolished, were approached through the two granite posts still standing nearby on Powderhouse Road. The interior of the Angier House is generally well preserved, retaining its original floorplan, Gothic Revival wood paneling and carved marble mantlepiece.

In addition, the rooms still have their original Gothic Revival paneled doors and hardware with label mouldings around the door» ways. The tracery in the tall windows is in excellent condition and almost all the windows retain their original interior louvered shutters. The ornamental plaster ceilings are also intact. Particularly noteworthy are the original gilt corniceboards in the livingroom. Unfortunately the diningroom lost its original light fixture to a previous owner along with the parlor's gilt corniceboards.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE .RIOD HISTORIC 1499 -1500 1599 -1600 699 -1700-1799 X1800-1899 -1900- AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC _COMMUNITY PLANNING X LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC _CONSERVATION -LAW AGRICULTURE ECONOMICS XARCHITECTURE - LITERATURE _EDUCATION _MILITARY ART ENGINEERING -MUSIC COMMERCE _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT -PHILOSOPHY _COMMUNICATIONS -INDUSTRY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT INVENTION -RELIGION SCIENCE _SCULPTURE -SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _THEATER -TRANSPORTATION _OTHER (SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES 1842 BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT Alexander Jackson Davis and Andrew Jackson Downing STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The John B. Angier House in Medford, Massachusetts, is significant as a collaborative effort by America's great Romantic period architects and landscape designers, Alexander Jackson Davis and Andrew Jackson Downing- In addition this cottage is one of a limited number of Davis' extant commissions in Massachusetts. It is also Medford's best example of Gothic Revival domestic architecture. The Angier House was built for John B. Angier, a Medford schoolmaster, and his wife, Abby S. Adams, a granddaughter of President John Adams. Angier was born in Durham, New Hampshire, on April 10, 1797, the son of John and Rebecca (Drew) Angier. After graduating from Harvard in 1821, he opened a private school for girls in Medford.

In 1849 Angier gave up his position with the school and shortly thereafter was appointed treasurer of Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railway Company of Texas which also had a Boston office. According to Roger H. Newton, author of Iown and Davis, Architects, the Angiers were introduced to Ithiel Town by Andrew J. Downing. In 1842 Davis was commissioned by the Angiers to design their new home in Medford. His original elevation and floorplans for the house are among the collection of Town and Davis architectural drawings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Aditional floorplans are in the collection of the New York Historical Society. The Angiers' furniture for their new home was designed by Davis and executed by his cabinetmaker, Richard Byrnes; their grounds were landscaped by Andrew Jackson Downing. Both their furniture and Downing's plantings are no longer part of the property.

A hurricane in the 1950's destroyed a large tulip tree and Scotch liburnum which according to local tradition were presented to Abby S. Adams by her uncle, President John Quincy Adams, on May 30, 1831, when she was wed to John B. Angier.

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Cameron, Kenneth W., Emerson the Essayist,Raleigh, N.C.,1945,p-438- 2. Davis, Alexander J-,Rural Residences New York,1837. 3. Medford Historical Society, Medford Historical Register, Medford, 1909, volume 12, p.

13- 196- GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY Less than one acre 4698 ALL,21 1313,40001 ZONE EASTING 14,012.713,7,9 NORTHING VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION Lil.Lu BLJLL ZONE EASTING NORTHAA+ VORTHING UJLLILLILILIL LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE CODE COUNTY CODE STATE CODE COUNTY CODE 11 FORM PREPARED BY NAME / TITLE hnistiy RGANIZATIO , Boulding, Assistant Survey Director, and John Herzan Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET & NUMBER 40 Beacon Street CITY OR TOWN Boston February, 1975 TELEPHONE (617-727-8470) STATE Massachusetts 12 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE EVALUATED SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE IS: NATIONAL STATE_ LOCAL As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665), 1 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.

SHPO FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE Eljabeth R. Amadon TITLE DATE Mass. State Historic Preservation Officer 3/13/75 FOR NPS USE ONLY I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER CAmorl DIRECTOR, OFFICE OFAI ATTEST: Vifrewtmeon DATE DATE 473/45 APR 4 4 1975 KEEPER OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER Property Anguer, John B, Weuse Middlesex State Mass. Working Number3. 19. 25.436 TECHNICAL, Photos Huthn eppenosnaneot Maps CONTROL oK 3,28,25 A cepnd Dtin f lan rgra hane beenmie, HISTORIAN Auette 3/24/75 Called 3-21-15 Christine sechechel+ ogpees with ou northing ARCHITECTURAL HCCEPT LEBOVICL ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER gret Inventory Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF Acem ole 4-8-75 BRANCH CHIEF aunt Hunge 4.21:25 KEEPER National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 6-3-75 Send-back Re-submit United States Department of the Interior Natjonal Park Service WASO No.

7 22 1975 Entered APR 2 3 1975 INT:2106-74 Form No. 10-301a (Pev. 10-7+) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED MAR 19 1975 DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH APR 2 3 19 NAME HISTORIC John B. Angier House AND/OR COMMON same LOCATION CITYTOWN Medford ___VICINITY OF PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Brian Pfeiffer NEGATIVE FILED AT Medford Historical Commission IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT. GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET south facade #l062 COUNTY Middlesex STATE MA DATE OF PHOTO 1975 PHOTO NO. #l03 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTE Form No. 10-301a (Pev.

10-7+) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVEMAR 1 9 1975 APR 2 3 DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH NAME HISTORIC John B. Angier House AND/OR COMMON same LOCATION CITY. TOWN Medford _VICINITY OF PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Brian Pfeiffer NEGATIVE FILED AT Medford Historical Commission IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW. DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET east elevation #282 COUNTY Middlesex DATE OF PHOTO 1975 STATE PHOTO NO #297 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTE Form No. 10-301 (Rev.

10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY MAP FORM FOR NPS USE O RACEVEBAT DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTE TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- ENCLOSE WITH MAP 1 2 3 4 NAME HISTORIC John B. Angier House AND/OR COMMON same LOCATION CITY.TOWN Medford VICINITY OF COUNTY Middles MAP REFERENCE SOURCE SCALE United States Geological Survey, Boston, North, Quadrangle 1:24,000 DATE 1971 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. PROPERTY BOUNDARIES 2. NORTH ARROW 3. UTM REFERENCES ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE Date Entered MASSACHUSETTS APR 2 3 1975 Name Dean Junior College Historic District Angier, John B., House Location Fxanklin Norfolk County Medford Middlesex County Also Notified Hon. Edward M. Kennedy Hon. Edward W. Brooke Hon. Joseph D. Early Hon. Torbert H.

MacDonald State Historic Preservation Officer Mrs. Elizabeth R. Amadon, Executive Director Massachusetts Historical Commission 40 Beacon Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 Regional Director, North Atlantic Region PR _MMott/cha 4-24-75 *NR Data Sheet DATE: 3 22 77 Reviewer INITIALS : guvo NR DOE Aprii 23; 1975 (4-23-15). - 10 NAME AS IT APPEARS IN FEDERAL REGISTER: Angier, John B., House OTHER NANES: LOCATION: STREET & NUMBER CITY.TOWN STATE 129 High Street Medford VICINITY OF Massachusetts CONGRESSIUNAL DISTRICT 7th COUNVMiddlesex code 017 OWNER OF PROPERTY: (Circle) ADMINISTRATOR(underiine) NPS REGION: (CIRCLE) PRIVATE STATE LOCAL GOV'T MUNICIPAL COUNTY OTHER , NAt FEDERAL (AGENCY NAME) :

A.ATLANTIC MID ATLANTIC SOUTHEAST MIDWEST SOUTHWEST ROCKY MOUNTAIN WEST PACIFIC NORTHWEST FEATURES: INTERIOR Lsubstantially intact-1 - unknown - 4 - not applicable - 7 CONDITION - _EXCELLENT LGOOD -FAIR EXPERIOR ENVIRONS Lsubstantially intact-2 Substantially intact-3 _unknown.-5 _ unknown -6 _ not applicable - 8 _ Not applicable-9 -Interioi, exterior, environs not intact-0 _DETERIORATED _UNALTERED _RUINS LALTERED _UNEXPOSED -Reconstructed _ORIGINAL SITE _MOVED _Unkncwn _U'nexcavated _Excavated ACCESS - Yes-restricted historic district? Yes-unrestricted No access Unknown YES WITHIN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT? IF YES, NAME: YES NO WITHIN NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK? IF YES, NAME: YES NO ADAPTIVE USE: YES N Saved?

YES NO - FUNCTION(S): (use vocabulary words) then- private keridevica now- private - Reridence SIGNIFICANCE: -ARCHEULUGY-PREHISTORIC -ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC AGRICULTURE LARCHITECTURE - 4 -ART _COMMERCE COMMUNICATIONS Claims _CONSERVATION -ECONOMICS _EDUCATION -ENGINEERING -_EXPLORATION _INDUSTRY _INVENTION LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE" -RELIGION _LAW/Gov't/politics _SCIENCE -LTERATURE _MILITARY _SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _MUSIC __PHILOSOPHY POLITICS/GOVERNMENT _TRANSPORTATION _OTHER (SPECIFY) --entertainment _health _recreation -settlement -socio/cultural _urban & commun planning "first" YES NO "'oldest? YES NO "only" YES NO ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: GOTAI.

REvival architect/m.builder: ALZXANDER JACKSON engincer: landscape/sarderr designer® DAUIS interior decorator: AMDREW JACKSM artist/artisan: DowninG builder/contractor: ETHNIC GROUP: NAMES: (label role & appropriate date) personal events institutional DATES: DATE OF CONSTRUCTION (Specific date or 1/4 of century). 1842 DATE (S) OF "MAJOR" ALTERATIONS: HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT DATE (S) : SOURCE. (OF NOMINATION) PRIVATE STATE LOCAL GOV"T MUNICIPAL COUNTY OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY : ACREAGE: (to nearest tenth of an acre) Leaothaul COMMENTS: (include arhitectural infornation here) MASONRY, STUCLOED; 2%½ STORIES, TSHAPEL, HIPPED ANDI E, GABLED ROOF SECTIONS, INTERIOR CHIMNEYS WITH DECORATIVE POTS, FRONT CENTER GLAZED DOUBLE-DOOR ENTRANCE -.

WITH PEWNRR-ARCHED TRANSOM, FLANKING FUL-LENGTH WINDOWS WATH LABEL MOUDS, I-STORY FRAME ENTRANCE PORCH, WITH LATTIEE WORK BETWEEN PAURED COLUMNS, ELABOROTE TRACERT BAREEBOARDS, BRACKSTED SIGNIFICANCE°(maximun tho sentences) CORNICE, DIAMOND-PANED LEADED S1DE BaY#, details intacto 22 S70Et RiAR WING: NUIZRIOR(FEATURES ORIGINAL MOLDINES, DOO0S, AREASBEST EXAMPLE OF TRACIRY AND ORNCHENTOL PLASTERWORK; STUCCOED, ZAKLY 20TH COiLEOTHIE RENWAL; DESIGN & COLLABORATION BETWEEN ALIZAWDER JACKSON DauIs auD ANDREW JACKSON DOWDING, NOTED ROMANMC ARCHISCT AMD KaNDSCa