Nomination for Harnden Tavern

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev.

10-74) PH0090221 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DATA SHEET FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM RECEIVED DATE ENTERED APR 91978 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS 1 NAME HISTORIC Harnden Tavern AND/OR COMMON same LOCATION STREET & NUMBER 430 Salem Street CITY, TOWN -NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Wilmington STATE - VICINITY OF CODE 025 5th COUNTY Middlesex CODE 3 Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION 017 CATEGORY -DISTRICT X BUILDING(S) STRUCTURE -SITE -_OBJECT OWNERSHIP XPUBLIC -PRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION -IN PROCESS -BEING CONSIDERED STATUS XOCCUPIED - UNOCCUPIED _WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE XYES: RESTRICTED - YES: UNRESTRICTED _NO PRESENT USE +AGRICULTURE XMUSEUM _COMMERCIAL -PARK XEDUCATIONAL - PRIVATE RESIDENCE -ENTERTAINMENT -RELIGIOUS -GOVERNMENT -SCIENTIFIC -INDUSTRIAL -TRANSPORTATION LMILITARY -OTHER: OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME Town of Wilmington STREET & NUMBER Middlesex Avenue CITY, TOWN Wilmington _ VICINITY OF 5 LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION STATE Massachugetts pE07887 COURTHOUSE, REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC.

JAN2 8 1975 Middlesex County Registry of Deeds STREET & NUMBER Cambridge Street CITY. TOWN NATIONAL REGISTER STATE Massachusetts Cambridge REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE Inventory of Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE 1974 -FEDERAL X _STATE -COUNTY -LOCAL DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS CITY. TOWN Massachusetts Historical Commission STATE 40 Beacon Street Massachusetts 7 DESCRIPTION CONDITION X EXCELLENT -GOOD 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

Built c. 1770, the Harnden Tavern faces south on a major residential road in Wilmington. The 2 story clapboard structure has a hip roof with a large central chimney and is two rooms wide and two deep, with a central hall. The focal point of the facade is the central doorway with its Doric pilasters, full classical entablature and dentiled triangular pediment. Like the pediment, the house cornice is also dentiled. A long 2 story clapboard ell, believed to have been built in the first half of the 19th c., extends east from the northeast corner of the house. The ell has a ridge roof and the four first floor windows are flanked by a small open porch at either end. The east elevation of the ell also has a small open porch. A tall narrow chimney projects from the ridge peak in the center of the ell.

A large 2½ story ridge roof barn is situated further to the east of the ell, with its axis north-south. Covered with clapboard, the barn has irregular window openings and a number of doors on its south and west sides. RECEIVED JAN2 8 1975 NATIONAL REGISTER 8

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD _PREHISTORIC .1400-1499 -1500-1599 -1600-1699 X1700-1799 _1800-1899 - 1900- ARCHEOLUGY-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 LINDUSTRY -POLITICS/GOVERNMENT INVENTION -RELIGION _SCIENCE _SCULPTURE - SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN -THEATER -TRANSPORTATION XOTHER (SPECIFY) medicine SPECIFIC DATES BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT c.1770 Ebenezer Jones STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Built c.1770, the Harnden Tavern is significant as the only example of late Georgian architecture in Wilmington and as the home of a family of important physicians. The house was built by Ebenezer Jones, a local contractor, probably for speculation. Sometime prior to 1795, the house was sold to Capt.Joshua Harnden, a Revolutionary War hero and a member of a committee which reported to the Cambridge Convention on the formation of the State Constitution in 1780. For thirty years thereafter it was known as the Harnden Tavern, a popular grog shop on the main road from Salem to Lowell. In 1818 the Inn was sold to Dr.Silas Brown. Silas' father, Jonathan (1735-1822) was the physician who went to Saratoga in October 1777 to escort the British officers to Cambridge after Burgoyne's surrender.

Dismayed by the doctrines of the established churches in the years before the Civil War, the Silas Browns embraced the doctrines of the Sweden- borgians, ardent abolitionists. It was at this time that the tavern is believed to have become a stop in the underground railway. The secret chamber located in the southwest bedroom next to the center chimney may have been used to harbor runaway slaves. There axe no substantiating documents, however, other than family letters whichrmake only indirect references because of the great need for secrecy at that time. Silas Brown was a practicing physician in Wilmington for over 50 years and died in 1864. Silas's son,Jonathan, also served as a local and wartime physician. After having studied with his father and at Harvard Medical School, Jonathan was appointed resident physician of the new State Almshouse in Tewksbury in 1854.

He served as superintendent there for 11 years. For 6 months in 1862, he served as Chief Surgeon under Gen. Mc Clellan in Va. but after contracting malaria, he returned home. He resigned his position at the Almshouse in 1865 and resumed private practice. He died in 1867. In 1893 the Hathaway family acquired the Tavern and owned it for 150 years. On June 25,1973 the Township of Wilmington voted to take the Harnden Tavern by eminent domain under the State's Historic Eminent Domain Act, to preserve it from threatened demolition. This is the only case in which the provisions of this act have been exercised. Now used as a house museum and caretaker's quarters, the Tavern is an unusually well preserved late Georgian house. Among many other elements, it retains its original clapboards, entrance door, window panes and sash. The interior remains little changed as well.

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES 1. Brown, Dr. Silas, Journal, unpublished, begun in 1777. "Obituary", Lowell Daily Courier, Aug.24, 1867. 3. Various deeds running with the property. 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY approx.

2 UTM REFERENCES ALIal L3/21317010 ZONE EASTING 1417.11t621310 NORTHING Lilu VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION CD ZONE EASTING NORTHING NORTHING Pe LLLyLIILI STATE STATE LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE6A COUNTY BOUNDARIES CODE COUNTY JAN2 8 1975 CODE CODE COUNTY NATIONAL REGISTER CODE 11 FORM PREPARED BY NAME / TITLE Mindy Arbo, N.R.Editor for Pat Weslowski, State Survey Director ORGANIZATION Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET & NUMBER DATE 3/12/74 TELEPHONE 40 Beacon Street 617-727-8470 CITY OR TOWN Boston STATE Massachusetts 02108 12 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE EVALUATED SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE IS: NATIONAL _ STATE_ LOCAL X 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 SIGNATL/E Oiyaluch R.Amadon TITLE Executive Director, Mass. Historical Commission Stake lVestoric Pres. Oreeu DATE gan, 15,1975 FOR NPS USE ONLY 1 HEREBY CERTIPY THIS PROPERTY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER Axtua DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF ARCHEÓLOG) ATTEST: KEEPER OF THE NATIONAL TEEISTER ANT HISTOBK/PRESERYATION huel DATE DATE 4/3/75 APR2 1975 Form No. 10-301a (Rev. 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED DATE ENTERED APR 3 1975 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH 2 3 NAME HISTORIC Harnden Tavern AND/OR COMMON same LOCATION CITY.

TOWN _VICINITY OF Wilmington PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Middlesex Colonial Studio of Photography 1973 NEGATIVE FILED AT same IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET #/041 looking northeast PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER The Colonial Studio of Photography 474 Main Street WILMINGTON, MASS. 01887 COUNTY STATE DATE OF PHOTO Massachusetts TOL DECEIVED JAN2 8 1975 PHOTO NO NATIONAL REGISTER 8 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 RECEIVED DATE ENTERED APR 8 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- ENCLOSE WITH MAP 1975 1 NAME HISTORIC AND/OR COMMON 2 3 4 Harnden Tavern same LOCATION CITY, TOWN Wilmington MAP REFERENCE SOURCE USGS Wilmington,MA.

SCALE 1:24,000 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. PROPERTY BOUNDARIES 2. NORTH ARROW 3. UTM REFERENCES -VICINITY OF COUNTY Middlesex STATE Massachusetts DATE 1965 12/ RECEIVED JAN2 8 1975 NATIONAL REGISTER ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE Date Entered MASSACHUSETTS SOR 3 1975 Name Location Oak Grove Cemetery Harnden Tavern Gloucester Essex County Wilmington Middlesex County Also Notified Hon. Edward M. Kennedy Hon. Edward w. Brooke Hon. Michael J. Harrington Hon. Paul E. Tsongas Regional Director, North Atlantic Region State Historic Preservation Officer Mrs. Elizabeth R. Amadon, Executive Directo Massachusetts Historical Commission 40 Beacon Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 PR MMott/cha 4-7-75 FNR Data Sheet DATE: Reviewer NR 3/29/77 INITIALS: Bng.

DOE April 8,,19./5 NAME AS IT APPEARS IN FEDERAL REGISTER: Harnden Tavern OTHER NANES: LOCATION: STREET & NUMBER 430 salem Street CITY.

TOWN CONGRESSIUNAL DISTRICT STATE Wilmington Massachusetts VICINITY OF COUNTY sth code Middlesex 01/ OWNER OF PROPERTY: (circle) PRIVATE STATE OCAL GOV'T Vub/iC FEDERAL (AGENCY NAME) : 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 - unknown - 4 - not applicable - 7 CONDITION - LEXCELLENT -GOOD -FAIR EXTERIOR ENVIRONS _Substantialiy intact-2 - Substantially intact-3 _ unknown.-5 - unknown -6 _ not applicable - 8 - Not applicable-9 -Interioi, exterior, enviions not intact-o _DETERIORATED LUNALTEREO _RUINS _ALTERED _UNEXPOSED -Reconstructed LORIGINAL SITE _MOVED _Unknewn -U'nexcavated _Excavated ACCESS - Yes-restricted Yes-unrestricted No access Unknown historic district? YES WITHIN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT?

IF YES, NAME: YES NO WITHIN NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK? IF YES, NAME: YES ADAPTIVE USE: YES NO Saved ? YES 1973 - undes states thotnic Eminent Domain Act - FUNCTION (S): (use vocabulary words) then- private revidence/taven.

now- muscum SIGNIFICANCE: -ARCHEULUGY-PREHISTORIC -ARCHEOLOGY.HISTORIC -AGRICULTURE LARCHITECTURE - ART _COMMERCE -COMMUNICATIONS Claims "first'" YES -CONSERVATION _ECONOMICS -EDUCATION _ENGINEERING _EXPLORATION INDUSTRY -INVENTION NO -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE -RELIGION --entertainment _LAW/Gov't/politics _SCIENCE _health -LITERATURE -recreation _MILITARY -SOCIALHUMANITARIAN -settlement _MUSIC -socio/cultural _PHILOSOPHY _TRANSPORTATION _urban & commun -POLITICS/GOVERNMENT LOTHER ISPECIFYI planning Aedtoate vuna "'oldest"' YES NO "only" YES Raitroad NO - ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: Lak gengian - architect/m.builder: landscape/garden designer: interior decorator: engineer: artist/artisan: builder/contractor: Ebenezer Jones ETHNIC GROUP: NAMES: (label role & appropriate date) personal Capt. Jashua Hainden - (Sresiceur- Rev. War hero events Br.

Silao Bicwn laten aunea - abolitionish may have harboud fuginii slares iis hcrise - institutional DATES: DATE OF CONSTRUCPION (specifie date or 1/4 of century): /770 DATE (S) OF "MAJOR" ALTERATIONS: laiy 1ghc - el buiit HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT DATE (S) : SOURCE. (OF NOMINATION) PRIVATE STATE OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY: ACREAGE: (to nearest tenth of an acre) 2 LOCAL GOV"T MUNICIPAL COUNTY COMMENTS: (inelude architectural information here) Eame, clapboardug; 3 stois, mod.fied Rctangle pupped root, Benttaenchimneyd, fent center pedimented entrana wih Daric pilastere, boted ranihed hood entranegh e sto.

ranc, 02-5t 04 daphoarded barn- Wilmington's only rmaining latz Gengian Structur; roidence afaud tavern of SIGNIFICANCEi(maximun tro sentences Capt.abshua Hardden., Revolutmary war hero; tatvr purportid to de lendnground Railroad stop under later ownesh.po) Di Silko Brown, ariet local physician and ardent abotitioiisr. museum.