Nomination for Curtis, Paul, House

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev. 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTÍ NATIONAL PARK SERVICE H0121516 DATA SHETY FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM RECEIVEO MAR 31 1975 DATE ENTERED MAY 6 1975 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS NAME HISTORIC Paul Curtis House AND/OR COMMON M. Delano House (Medford Historical Inventory) 2 LOCATION STREET & NUMBER 114 South Street CITY.

TOWN Medford -NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 7 STATE - VICINITY OF CODE 025 COUNTY Middlesex CODE 017 Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY DISTRICT XBUILDING(S) -STRUCTURE -SITE _OBJECT OWNERSHIP _PUBLIC XPRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION - IN PROCESS - BEING CONSIDERED STATUS XOCCUPIED -UNOCCUPIED _WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE - YES: RESTRICTED - YES: UNRESTRICTED XNO ACCESS PRESENT USE AGRICULTURE MUSEUM _COMMERCIAL _PARK -EDUCATIONAL -PRIVATE RESIDENCE -ENTERTAINMENT -RELIGIOUS -GOVERNMENT -SCIENTIFIC -INDUSTRIAL -TRANSPORTATION _MILITARY OTHER: OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME STREET & NUMBER Heirs of Boris Mirski 114 South Street CITY. TOWN STATE Massachusetts 02155 Medford VICINITY OF LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE REGISTRY OF DEEDS,ET Middlesex County Registry of Deeds STREET & NUMBER CITY.

TOWN 208 Cambridge Street Cambridge, REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS Massachusetts STATE 02141 TITLE DATE Inventroy of Historic Assets of the Commonwealth 1974 DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS CITY.TOWN -FEDERAL XSTATE COUNTY _LOCAL Massachusetts Historical Commission STATE Boston Massachusetts 7 DESCRIPTION CONDITION _EXCELLENT AGOOD _FAIR .DETERIORATED _RUINS _UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE X UNALTERED ALTERED CHECK ONE XORIGINAL SITE _MOVED DATE DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

Located at the corner of South and Curtis Streets with an unobstructed view of the Mystic River, the Paul Curtis House is a two and one half story building with a rear kitchen ell. Set on foundations of stone which are faced with blocks of rock faced granite above ground level, both sections of the house are covered by medium-high pitched roofs of asphalt shingles. The main body of the house is rectangülar in plan and has two important entrances. The north facade of the house has three floor length windows across each story with the center window being used as a doorway at each story. This wal1 has horizontal matched boarding and corner pilasters. Set in front of this wall are four two-story fluted Ionic columns which support a plain entablature. The gable, which is covered with matched boarding, has one window at its center and serves as a high pediment for the temple front.

Projecting between the north wall and the columns at the second floor is a porch, the railing of which is made up of decorative round balusters and horizontally intersecting arcs. At the first floor the porch currently projects approximately eight feet beyond the columns, a later extension. The east wall of the house contains another entrance which has an open entry porch with two one story Ionic columns set in front of a doorway of multi-paned, rectangular side and top lights. The porch is raised several feet above ground level and is set slightly south of center on this wall. North of the doorway are two windows; to its south are a blank space and one window. At the second floor level, the fenestration reflects that of the first floor, with a window above the entrance. The entablature of the north wall extends around this elevation and the other sides of the house are pilasters.

The west wall of the main house has four windows at each story, in an almost symmetrical arrangement. Attached to the rear south wall is a two story kitchen ell of considerably lower height. The fenestration of this wing is irregular and has been slightly altered by the removal of a door on its east side, the enclosure of an exterior stairway on its south side and by the enclosure of its western porch. This ell is flanked on its east and west sides by one-story Ionic porches which extend the length of the wing. The entire house, excepting the north facade, is covered with wooden clapboarding painted white. Most windows have exterior louvred shutters. Many of the rooms of the main body of the house have interior paneled casement shutters. The house is currently in good physical condition, needing only a few superficial repairs.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD _PREHISTORIC _1400-1499 -1500-1599 -1600-1699 -1700-1799 X1800-1899 -1900- _ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC AGRICULTURE XARCHITECTURE ART _COMMERCE _COMMUNICATIONS AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW _COMMUNITY PLANNING -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _CONSERVATION _LAW -ECONOMICS -LITERATURE -EDUCATION _MILITARY _ENGINEERING _MUSIC EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT -PHILOSOPHY XINDUSTRY -POLITICS/GOVERNMENT -INVENTION _RELIGION _SCIENCE _SCULPTURE _SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _THEATER XTRANSPORTATION _OTHER(SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES 1839 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT Born on December 26, 1800, in South Scituate, a town from which many of the shipbuilders of Medford came, Paul Curtis moved to Medford in 1818 and worked in the shipyards of Thatcher Magoun, Medford's most prominent shipbuilder. In 1836 he formed a partnership with James Otis Curtis, a relative. This business arrangement lasted until 1838-1839, the firm having produced three ships. In 1839 James Curtis established his own shipyard near Park Street while Paul Curtis established one on the north bank of the Mystic River at the foot of Winthrop Street. Between 1839 and 1852 twenty-seven ships were constructed at the Winthrop Street yard; after 1852 Curtis moved to East Boston where, according to Sumner's 1858 History of East Boston, Curtis established one of the largest and "most convenient" shipyards on "the Island".

By 1858 twenty-one ships had been constructed at the East Boston yard; various histories indicate that Curtis constructed more than one hundred vessels during his lifetime. Early after his arrival in Medford, Paul Curtis bought one half of a house on Maverick Street from Jotham Stetson, where Curtis lived during the 1820's. In the 1830's he lived on Riverside Avenue, then named Ship Street. He purchased 1and on South Street in 1838 and built his house to which he moved in 1839. The site of his South Street house was directly opposite his Winthrop Street yards e- hoae t.e d and directly west of the yards and home of Jotham Stetson to whom Curtis sold some of the South Street land and with whom Curtis appears to have had an 111- defined business/personal relationship from his earliest settlement in Medford.

With its temple facade, Ionic side porches, and dramatic site on the Mystic River, the Paul Curtis House is Medford's most elaborate and well preserved example of Greek Revival architecture. The house's association with shipbuilding, Medford's major industry of the nineteenth century, and its relationship to the river make it an important and visible survivor of the area's past. In addition to the foregoing associations, there is a strong local tradition that the house is referred to as "Grandmother's House" in the poem "Over the River and through the Woods" by Lydia Child, a Medford native. No information was found to substantiate or disprove this tradition.

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Gleason, Hall. Old Ships and Ship Building Days of Medford, J. C. Miller, Jr: West Medford, 1936. Sumner, William H. History of East Boston. J.E. Tilton & Co.: Boston, 1858. Medford Historical Society, Medford Historical Register, Vol. 4, 1901, p. 92. Middlesex County Registry of Deeds, under Paul Curtis, 1825-1852. 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY less than one acre MoK UTM REFERENCES (0 AL91 13135879 14,619819501 ZONE EASTING NORTHING *ZÓNE NORTHING NORTHING ULLLLIILI VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION 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 ORGANIZATION Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET & NUMBER 40 Beacon Street CITY OR TOWN Commission Patricia L. Weslowski, Survey Director and Brian R.

Pfeiffer, Medford Historical February 1975 TELEPHONE 617-727-8470 STATE Boston, Massachusetts 02108 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). 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. FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE Elizabech R. Amadon DATE Mass.

State Historic Preservation Officer 3/24/75 TITLE FOR NPS USE ONLY I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER florlere ST Chatte AfUNSRePATON KEEPER OF TE NATIONAL REGISTER DATE DATE 516/5- 5.175 Property Cuatis, Paul, Nouse State Massachuretts Working Number 3.3l.25.499 TECHNICAL Photos - How coult we reject "grand mothers house? M.ddlesep CONTROL OK pl 3.31.75 HISTORIAN Acrecte 4/21/75 ARCHITECTURAL ,HISTORIAN ACCEPT LEBOVKU 4-1-75 ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF Cole 4-23.75 BRANCH CHIEF KEEPER stemz fa masty3.1-25 MAY 6 1975 Entered IN T :2106- 74 National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry Send-back - Re-submit United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No. 7 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 31 1975 DATE ENTERED MAY 6 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH 1 NAME HISTORIC Paul Curtis House AND/OR COMMMY. Delano House LOCATION CITY. TOWN Medford _VICINITY OF PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Brian Pfeiffer NEGATIVE FILEDAT Medford Historical Commission IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET north facade #1061 COUNTY Middlesex STATE DATE OF PHOTO 1975 PHOTO NO PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL RE #lozl 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 ONLY RECEIVERAR 3 1 1975 MAY 6 DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- ENCLOSE WITH MAP 1 NAME HISTORIC AND/OR COMMON LOCATION CITY.TOWN Paul Curtis House M. Delano House Medford - VICINITY OF COUNTY Middlesex MA STATE 3 4 MAP REFERENCE SOURCE United States Geological Survey, Boston, North, Mass., quadrangle SCALE 1:24,000 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. PROPERTY BOUNDARIES 2. NORTH ARROW 3. UTM REFERENCES DATE 1971 INT:2986-75 ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSINTS Date Entered AY 6* 1975 Name Curtia, Peul, House Location Hedford Midalesex County Also Notified Hon. Edward M. Kennedy Hon. Edward W. Brooke Hon. Sorbert I.

MecDonald Reglonal Director, North Atlabtie Region: PR MMOTT/bsh 4/8/75 State#istoricPreservation 0f11cez Nra. Elizabeth R. Anadon Executive Direator Massechusetta Historical Conniasion 40 Beacon Street Boston, Messachusetta 02108 DMNR Data Sheet DATE: 3|2277 Reviewer TITAL geoff. NR DOE May 6, 1975- NAME AS IT APPEARS IN FEDERAL REGISTER: Curtis, Paul, House OTHER NANES: M. Delano House (Medford Historical Inventory)- seC LOCATION: STREET & NUMBER CITY, TOWN CONGRESSIUNAL DISTRICT 7th VICINITY OF STATE 114 South Street Medford Massachusetts COUNY Middlesex code 017. OWNER OF PROPERTY: (Circle) PRIVATE ISTATE LOCAL GOV'T FEDERAL (AGENCY NAME) : Inot accesullle...

MUNICIPAL COUNTY OTHER ADMINISTRATOR(underline) NPS REGION: (CIRCLE) N.ATLANTIC MID ATLANTIC SOUTHEAST MIDWEST SOUTHWEST ROCKY MOUNTAIN WEST PACIFIC NORTHWEST FEATURES: INTERIOR _ Substantially intact-1 Lunknown - 4 - not applicable - 7 CONDITION - -EXCELLENT 1_000D -FAIR EXTERIOR ENVIRONS (Substantially intact-2 -substantially intact-3 _ unknown.- _ unknown -6 - not applicable - 8 _Not applicable-9 -Interioi, exterior, environs not intact-o _DETERIORATED LUNALTERED _RUINS LALTERED _UNEXPOSED -Reconstructed LLORIGINAL SITE _MOVED _Unknown _Unexcavated _Excavated ACCESS - Yes-restricted Yes-unrestricted No access Unknown historic district? YES NO WITHIN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT? IF YES, NAME: YES NO WITHIN NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK? IF YES, NAME: YES ADAPTIVE USE: YES NO Saved?

YES FUNCTION (S): (use vocabulary words) then- private - Residence now- SAME SIGNIFICANCE: -ARCHEULUGY-PREHISTORIC -ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC AGRICULTURE EARCHITECTURE - 4 LART _COMMERCE _COMMUNICATIONS Claims -CONSERVATION -ECONOMICS LEDUCATION - ENGINEERING _EXPLOBATION LINDUSTRY - /3 -INVENTION -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE -RELIGION _LAW/Gov't/politics _SCIENCE _LITERATURE _MILITARY - MUSIC - PHILOSOPHY -POLITICS/GOVERNMENT -SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN LTRANSPORTATION-2S -_OTHER (SPECIFY) --entertainment _health -recreation -settlement _socio/cultural _urban & commun planning "first" YES NO "'oldest? YES NO "only" YES NO ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: GREEK RENIVOL architect/m.builder: landscape/garden designer: interior decorator: engineer: artist/artisan: builder/contractor: ETHNIC GROUP: NAMES: (label role & appropriate date) events personal (1) Paul Curtés - SQRLY oUnER - PROMUNSNIT SIMA- BULLDER.

DATES: institutional DATE OP CONSTELCTTON (Specifie date oz 1/a of century). 1839 DATE (S) OF "MAJOR" ALTERATIONS: - HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT DATE (S) : SOURCE. (OF NOMINATION) OTHER PRIVATE STATE LOCAL GOV"T MUNICIPAL COUNTY FEDERAL AGENCY: ACREAGE (to nearest tenth of an acre) less than / COMMENTS: (include archátectural information here) FRAME, CLAPBOARDINE; 2/2 STORIES, RECTANGULAR WITA END ELL, GABLED ROOF, INTERIOR SIDE CHHMNEX, Gable end FRCNT, CENTER ENTRANCE, FLANKED BY EQUAL HEKHE WINDOWS, 2-STORY - FULL-WIDTH RALLED IONIC TETRASTYLE PORTIO, SEFUNDER ROGT 1-STORT DLSTYLE SIDE PORTICO OTETRASTYLE &LE PORCHE EXCELLENT EXAMPLE anhiteckne OF TEMRLL-FORKL GREEK RENWL; BUILT FOR PAUL CURTIS, PROLUNENT. SIGNIFICANCE: (maximum two sentences) MEDPORD StlpBUIlER.