Nomination for Holbrook, Dr. Amos, House

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

- Form 10-300 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Rev. 6-72) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM PH0026344 STATE: Massachusetts COUNTY: Norfolk FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY DATE (Type all entries - complete applicable sections) APR1 8 1974 NAME C OMMON: Dr. Amos Holbrook House AND/ OR HISTORIC: same LOCATION STREET AND NUMBER: 203 Adams Street CITY OR TOWN: Milton STATE Massachusetts 3.

CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY (Check One) District Site Building Structure Object Public * Private Both CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: 1lth CODE COUNTY: 025 Norfolk CODE 021 OWNERSHIP STATUS Public Acquisition: In Process Being Considered X Occupied Unoccupied - Preservation work in progress ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC Yes: X Restricted Unrestricted No PRESENT USE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Agricultural Government Commercial Industrial L Educational Military Entertainment Museum Park Private Residence Religious Scientific - Transportation® ther (speckty) RECEIVED AR 29 1977 - Comments OWNER OF PROPERTY OWNER'S NAME: LO NATIONAL REGISTER 5 Museum of the American China Trade STREET AND NUMBER: 215 Adams Street CITY OR TOWN: Milton : LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE, REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC: STATE: Massachusetts CODE 025 Norfolk County Registry of Deeds STREET AND NUMBER: 650 High Street CITY OR TOWN: STATE CODE Dedham Massachusetts 025 15 REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE OF SURVEY: Inventory of Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE OF SURVEY: 1967 - Federal State DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS: Massachusetts Historical Conmission STREET AND NUMBER: 40 Beacon Street CITY OR TOWN: Boston County - Local STATE: Massachusetts CODE 025 HB Zn19 329560 468/090 Norfolk STATE COUNTY: ENTRY NUMBER DATE FOR NPS USE ONLY 7.

DESCRIPTION (Check One) Deteriorated Excellent CONDITION - Good (Check One) Fair Ruins (Check One) L*Altered - Unaltered DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (if known) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

Moved ( - Unexposed * Original Site Surrounded by spacious lawns and ancient trees, the Amos Holbrook house is set back from the road at the apex of a curved driveway. Built in 1800, the Holbrook House is white clapboard over brick on the facade, with a protrusion signifying the belt course. The remaining elevations are brick. A two-story building with a five bay facade, it has a hip roof with two chimneys set in on each side. The lintels are brick (painted white) and the structure rests on a dressed granite foundation. The original building consisted only of the conventional arrangement of central hall and eight rooms, but it has had many later alterations. In 1872, a brick service appendage, in the conforming Federal style, was added to the west elevation, causing it to become three bays wide.

Of the appendage, which has one chimney, the north and south sides are five bays wide; the west side is three bays wide; the east side, projecting from the rear of the original structure, is two bays wide. The columned and balustraded front porch was also added in 1872, as were additional dormers on both sides of the hip roof. In 1907 a five-bay semi-octagonal wing was added to the rear southeast elevation of the original structure and the rear chimney relocated. A one-story Doric columned porch was added to the remaining three-bay south side of the original structure, between the two wings. In 1935 all of the sash, which had at various times been altered, were returned to the original six over eight. The dining room retains the original trompe l'oeil ceiling and wall frescoes, as does the hall on both the first and second floors.

The front parlor and dining room contain the original American Adam mantel- pieces, door overpanels, mouldings and cornices. The barn, c.1910, is remarkably similar to the Derby barn, designed by Samue1 McIntire in1798, though the Holbrook barn is smaller. It is a white clapboard two-story structure with a hip roof and a protruding center section on the facade, consisting of the main door topped by an arch opening and a shallow pediment. The barn was relocated from the east side of the house to its present location to the southeast in 1907. A one-story three-bay garage was added in 1963. Additional outbuildings include a greenhouse and potting shed,c.1907, a brick root cellar,c.1860, and a wooden hexagonal gazebo, c.1907. - z RU Z 1O RECEIVED MAR 2 9 1974 NATIONAL REGISTER -

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 SPECIFIC DATE(S) (If Applicable and Known) 1800 AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Abor iginal - Prehistoric Engineering Historic Agriculture [X Architecture LX - Art Commerce Communications Conservation Landscape Architecture Literature Military Music 18th Century 19th Century 20th Century and 1872 - Political - Religion/Phi- losophy X Science LX] Sculpture ] Social/Human- itarian Theater Transportation Urban Planning Other (Specify) STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Statement of significance

The Amos Holbrook House stands on the summit of Milton Hill. With its surrounding five acres of land, it is situated on what formerly was the estate of Thomas Hutchinson, the last royal governor of Massachusetts. Beginning in 1743 until he fled Ämerica for England in 1774, Governor Hutchinson attended in particular to the cultivation of his trees, some of which are believed to be extant on the property. The house was built in 1800 by DI.Amos Holbrook (1754-1842) who had been a Revolutionary War surgeon. On his return to Milton in 1777, Holbrook instigated the first attempt by an American community to establish a campaign for local small pox inoculation. The initiation of the Milton program resulted in the first state law for the betterment of community health. Am eminent man in his profession, Holbrook ientertained General Lafayette in 1824 in the house.

The trompe l'oeil architectural frescoes are believed to be contemporary with the house and traditionally said to be done by Italian craftsmen. They are considered by architectural historians to be unique, for their time, in America. Today these frescoes are in a remarkable state of preservation, with only a few signs of their age, and certain areas that have been repainted. The finely carved American Adam mantelpieces, door overpanels and mouldings highly compliment the frescoes. The Museum of the American China Trade purchased the Holbrook property in 1973 in order to preserve the house and save it from demolition and the subsequent development of tract housing.

The property, along with that of the adjacent Museum of the American China Trade (The Robert B.Forbes House, National Historic Landmark) is located across Adams Street from a preserved 14 acre open space that runs down to the Neponset Estuary. The conserva- tion of the property and the buildings assures the continuation of Milton Hill as a unique refuge from the urban density which lies at its base. 1) 8 19 MAR RECENVED 10 197g NATIONAL REGISTER

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES 1. 2. Hamilton, E.Pierce, A History of Milton, Milton Historical Society,1858. Teele,Albert K.,ed., The History of Milton,Mass. 1640 to 1887, Town of Milton, 1887. 10.

GEOGRAPHICAL DATA LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES LATITUDE AND LONGIT-IDE COORDINATES DEFINING A RECTANGLE LOCATING THE PROPERTY DEFINING THE LENTER POINI OF A PHOPERTY OF LESS THAN TEN ACRES CORNER LATITUDE LONGITUDE LATITUDE LONGITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds NW 42 15 55 71° 03 59 NE SE SW APPROXIMATE ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY: 5 acres ILIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE: CODE COUNTY CODE STATE: CODE COUNTY: RECENVED CODE STATE: CODE COUNTY: STATE: CODE COUNTY: MAR 2 9 1974 NATIONAL REGISTER CODE CODE FORM PREPARED BY NAME AND TITLE: Mindy Arbo for Elizabeth Amadon, State Survey Director ORGANIZATION Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET AND NUMBER: 40 Beacon Street DATE CITY OR TOWN: Boston (617) 727-8470 2.

STATE LIAISON OFFICER CERTIFICATION 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 c-iteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service. f significance of this nomination is: Nar F.X.Davoren ecretary of the Commonwealth I hereby certify that this property is included in the Nationa1 Register. ARuarlaae Director, Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation Date 418/74 ATTEST: Chairman, Massachusetts Histori- cal Commission Date 3/20/74 Keeper of Vational Regi Date 4.18.24 * U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1973-729-147/1442 3-1 PROPERTY Halbsooks Ale. Amos, Hause STATE Mass. WORKING NUMBER 3. 29.

74,479 TECH REVIEW NortolK PHOTOS 1 MAPS CONTROL REVIEW 3 OK HISTORIAN Interesting development over time. Acept. 4/3/74 ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN Would lihe to see a photo ot frescor accept. HWsandl. 4/3174 ARCHEOLOGIST REVIEW UNIT CHIEF BRANCH CHIEF Cole 4-12-74 aceyyt 1.177 KEEPER National Register Write-up Federal Register entry pune 4, 1914 Send-back Re-submit_ Entered APR 1 8 1974 INT: 1538-73 MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN CH FORM 10-301 A (6/72) 1. NAME COMMON Dr. Amos Holbrook House 2. L.OCATION STATE Massachusetts STREET AND NUMBER 203 Adams Street 3. PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Bradford Herzog 4. IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC.

Facade facing north UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM (Type all entries - attach to or en close with photograph) AND/OR HISTORIC same COUNTY TOWN Norfolk Milton NUMERIC CODE (Assigned by NPS) APR 1 8 19 DATE NEGATIVE FILED AT April, 1965 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER RECEiVED MAR 2 9 1974 NATIONA: REGIST- Tenzs GP( QUALIPTE Regional Director, North Atlantic Region 4/22/74 MMott PR ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACAUSLITS Date Entered APR 1 8 1974 Name Location The Grange Dorchester North Iurying Ground Firet Parish Unitarian Church Copp'a Hlll furial Ground Holbrook, DI. Anoa, House Winthrof Building Lincoln Micdlesex County Boston (Dorchester) Suffolk Courty Medfield Nortolk County Boston Suffolk County Milton horfolk Couty Boston Suffolk County Also Notified Hon. Edward M.

Kennedy llon. Idwará w. Brooke Hon. Robert F. Drinan Eon. Jobn J. Moakley Hon. Margaret M. lleckler Hon. Jameg A. Burke State Historic Preservation Officer Eon. John P. K. Davoren Secretary of tha Cormonwealth Chairaen, Massachusetts fistorical Comaissica 40 beacon Street Boston, Nassachusetts 02103 SECTION I - APPLICANT/RECIPIENT DATA I1LFEDEEAL AGENCY ACTION EM02 H -CanHooTeN SECTION OMB Approval No. 29-.0210 FEDERAL ASSISTANCE 1. TYPE or PREAPPLICATION ACTION APPLICATION (Mark ap- propriale NOTIFICATION OF INTENT (Opt.) 0x) REPORT OF FEDERAL ACTION 2. APPLI- CANT'S APPLI- CATION Leave Blank 8. NUMBER b. DATE Year month da! 1976 12 14 4. LEGAL APPLICANT/RECIPIENT a. Applicant Name : Massachusetts Historical Commission b. Organization Unit c. Street/P.O. Box : 294 Washington Street d. City : Boston -. County : Suffolk f. Stete : Massachusetts g. ZIP Code: h.

Contact Persor (Name 02108 & telephone No.) Elizabeth Reed Amadon, S.H.P.O : (617) 727-8470 7. TITLE AND DESCRIPTION OF APPLICANT'S PROJECT Dr. Amos Holbrook House Development Project, Milton, Suffolk County "Preserve elements of the porch, balustrade and dormers." Source of non-federal match is the Museum of the American China Trade. 3. S APPLICA- TION IDENTI- FIER n. NUMDER b. DATE ASSIGNED 74070490 Yeur 1974 monch day 08 13 5. FEDERAL EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO 046-002-284 6. PRO- GRAM (From Federal Cataiog) 8. NUMBER b. TITLE 159041 Historic Preservatior 8. TYPE OF APPLICANT/RECIPIENT A-State H-Community Actien Agency B-Interstrte I- Higher Educational institution C-Substate - j-Indian Tribe District K-Cther (Specifv): D-County E-City F-School District G-Spociai Purpose District Enter appropriate leiter 9.

TYPE OF ASSISTANCE A-Basic Grant D-Insurance B-Supplemontal Grant E-Other Enter appro- C-Loan priate letter(g) 12. TYPE OF APPLICATION A-Nex CRevision E-Augmentation B-Renewal D-Continustion Enter appropriate letter 15. TYPE OF CHANGE (For 12c or 19e) A-Increase Dollars F-Other (Specifu) : B-Decrease Dollars C-Increase Duration D-Decreasa Duration E-Cancellation A 10. AREA OF PROJECT IMPACT (Vames of cities, coumties, 11. ESTIMATED Statcs, etc.) BER OF NUM- PERSONS BENEFITING Commonwealth of Massachusetts 5,689,170 13. PROPOSED FUNDING 14. CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS OF: 8. FEDERAL $ 7,000 b. APPLICANT 8 .00 a. APPLICANT b. PROJECT ,375 .0O 9 11 c. STATE 17. PROJECT Year month day DURATION Enterappro- d. LOCAL see #34 e. OTHER 3,6 Montha priate letter(e) ESSUBMDPATE TO Year month day f. TOTAL $ SUBMITTED 19. EXISTING FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER 15,375 12 14 25-75-00256-00 20.

FEDERAL AGENCY TO RECEIVE REQUEST (Name, City, State, ZIP code) 21. REMARKS ADDED National Park Service, Washington D.C. 20240 Yes & No 22. a. To the best of my knowledige and balief, o. If required by OMB Circular A-95 this applicatien was submitted, pursuant to in- No ro- dats in this preapplication/asplicatien are structions therein, to appropriate clearinghouses and all responsas ara THE aitacliedi: aponse Responee attached true and correct, APPLICANT the document has baen CERTIFIES duly suthorized by the governing body of the applicant and the applicant will comply (1) THAT D with the attached assurances if the essist- Office ofstatePlanning (2) ance is approved. (3) 23. a. TYPED NAME ANDTITLE CERTIFYING REPRE- Elizabeth Reed Amadon, Exec. SENTATIVE Dir. and S.H.P.O. 24. AGENCY NAME Department of Interior 26. ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT b. SIGNATURE c.

DATE SIGNED Elishit Reed Amedm Year month day 19 76 12 14 25. TION APPLICA- Yesr month' day RECEIVED 19 76 12 21 28. FEDERAL APPLICATION IDENTIFICATION National Park Service 27. ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE Grants Administration Dix. 29. ADDRESS 30. FEDERAL GRANT 18th & C Streets NW., Washington, D.C. 20240 IDENTIFICATION 31. ACTION TAKEN Year month day 25- 75-00256-00 34. Year month day E. AWARDED a. FEDERAL D. REJECTED b. APPLICANT $7,000 8,375 .00 33. ACTION DATE D 19 77 3 3 STARTING DATE 35. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMA- 1977 3 3. .00 CONTACT 36. TION (Name and telephore number) Year month day D c. RETURNED FOR c. STATE .00 ENDING DATE 1980 AMENDMENT 3 2 d. LOCAL .00 d.DEFERRED e. OTHER .00 Stephen D. Newman (202) 523-5 472 37. REMARKS ADDED WITHDRAWN 1. TOTAL $15,375 .CO - Yes 33. FEDERAL AGENCY A-95 ACTION 424-101 a. In taking abova action, any comments received from clearinghousos ware con.

b. FEDERAL AGENCY A-95 OFFICIAL sidered. If axeucy responsa is due under provisions of Part 1, OMB Circulas A-95, (Name ard telephone no.) it has been ur is boing made. Same as #35 DEC 0 I 078 25-75-00256-00 TANDAND FORM 424 PAGE 1 (10-75 Prescribed ty GSA. Fedarcl Management Circular 76-