Nomination for Lewis, Deacon Willard, House

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev.

10-74) PH0246212 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVEO SEP 5 1975 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM DATE ENTERED 2 g 1975 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS 1 NAME HISTORIC Deacon Willard Lewis House AND/OR COMMON same 2 LOCATION STREET & NUMBER 33 West Street CITY TOWN STATE Walpole Massachusetts 3 CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY _DISTRICT XBUILDING(S) _STRUCTURE SITE _OBJECT OWNERSHIP X PUBLIC _PRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION _IN PROCESS BEING CONSIDERED VICINITY OF CODE 025 STATUS _OCCUPIED XUNOCCUPIED X WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE XYES: RESTRICTED YES: UNRESTRICTED _NO -NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 9th COUNTY Norfolk CODE 021 PRESENT USE AGRICULTURE _MUSEUM _COMMERCIAL -PARK EDUCATIONAL _PRIVATE RESIDENCE ENTERTAINMENT _RELIGIOUS -GOVERNMENT -SCIENTIFIC _INDUSTRIAL -TRANSPORTATION _MILITARY XOTHER: offices 4 OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME Town of Walpole STREET & NUMBER Town Hall, Main Street CITY.

TOWN Walpole -VICINITY OF 5 LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION STATE Massachusetts 02081 COURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC. STREET & NUMBER Norfolk County Registry of Deeds 649 High Street CITY. TOWN Dedham STATE Massachusetts 6 REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE Inventory of the Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE 1974 DEPOSITORY FOR SurvEY RecoRDS Massachusetts Historical Commission CITYTOWN _FEDERAL XSTATE _COUNTY _LOCAL Boston, STATE Massachusetts 7 DESCRIPTION CONDITION _EXCELLENT _GOOD XFAIR _DETERIORATED _RUINS _UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE _UNALTERED XALTERED CHECK ONE XORIGINAL SITE _MOVED DATE. DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

The Deacon Willard Lewis House is located on the southern half of a small block bounded by West Street, Station Street and Elm Street. To the rear of the house behind a row of trees is the Kendall Company parking lot, and to the west and east across Station and Elm Streets are commercial buildings. To the south of the house is the town common, which is now the center of walpole's downtown area and therefore greatly altered from its nineteenth century condition. The Lewis House is the oldest house on the common, and the last remnant of walpole common's early nineteenth century development. The house is a 2 story ridge roof clapboard building, five bays wide and three deep, with a five bay ell to the west. Built c. 1826, the house was altered in the late nineteenth century, and again very recently.

The facade has five wiae ana ro on 6/6 windows on the second floor and two floor length bay windows with heavy dentiled cornices flanking a modern central doorway. There is another bay window on the west facade of house, similar in detailing to the front bays, but without full length windows. The ell to the west has five irregularly spaced 2/2 windows and an off-center entrance, and five small 3/3 windows on the second floor. The music room, built c. 1870-80, extends across the rear elevation of the main house. This addition has a full brick basement and a low pitched roof. The front boundary of the house is marked by a low cut granite wall which was the foundation of a fence built the same time the music room was added.

Plans for the restoration of the house, based on recommendations of the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, include painting the building white, shortening the front bay windows to match the side window, and restoring the front door. The property, now owned by the town, will serve as the headquarters for the historical society after the restoration is completed.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD .PREHISTORIC .1400-1499 -1500-1599 _1600-1699 -1700-1799 X 1800-1899 -1900- AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW ARCHEOLUGY-PREHISTORIC _COMMUNITY PLANNING -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC _CONSERVATION -LAW AGRICULTURE _ECONOMICS _LITERATURE ARCHITECTURE -EDUCATION _MILITARY ART -ENGINEERING -MUSIC XCOMMERCE -EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT - PHILOSOPHY -COMMUNICATIONS XINDUSTRY POLITICS/GOVERNMENT -INVENTION _RELIGION -SCIENCE -SCULPTURE -SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN -THEATER -TRANSPORTATION -OTHER (SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Statement of significance

c. 1826; 1863 BUILDER/ARCHITECT The Deacon Willard Lewis House is significant as one of the last remaining buildings associated with the colonial and federal development of the town of walpole. It gains further significance through its association with Deacon Willard Lewis, one of Walpole's outstanding nineteenth century industrialists. The Lewis House, which fronts directly on the town common, was built on a parcel of land known as the Rev. Phillips Payson schoolhouse pasture. The house was built next to the sixth water-power privilege on the Neponset River, which was Walpole's original source of power, thus making the site important to the early development of the town. Deacon Willard Lewis, who bought the house and the sixth water-power privilege in 1863, was born in West Roxbury in 1808, and moved with his family to walpole when he was very young.

Lewis, who was a prominent member of Walpole's business community, conceived the idea of making lint by machine for bandages, and manufactured these bandages for the Civil War effort. Lewis was also a deacon at the Walpole Orthodox Church and represented Walpole's interests in the Massachusetts General Court in 1872-83. After purchasing the water-power privilege in 1863, Willard continued to manufacture lint bandages for the U.S. Government and began to make carpet lining, cotton batting and cotton percolator. His business thrived and by 1875 his mill employed 70 people and turned out two tons of batting a day. The house remains today as a reminder of the development around the town common and of the contribution Deacon Willard Lewis made to the growth of the community.

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Delue, Willard, The Story of Walpole, 1925 Hurd, D.

Hamilton, History of Norfolk County, 1884 Lewis, Isaac Newton, A History of Walpole, Mass., 1905 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY - less than 1 acre UTM REFERENCES A193/113/61/110 14161618/1/210/ ZONE EASTING NORTHING Ldblili VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION UTM Be wm 11-21-75 EASTINC NORTHING DLULLILJLILIL 1 Fusscri c SNFiLOD EoE 2 Fu ave 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 Christine Boulding, Assistant Survey Director, David Wakefield ORGANIZATION DATE Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET & NUMBER August, 1975 TELEPHONE 40 Beacon Street CITY OR TOWN 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. STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER SIGNATURE Cle abiek Keel Amadon TITLE Mass. State Historic Preservation Officer FOR NPS USE ONLY DATE Qug. 12,1925 I HEREBY CEBTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OYICTOT XACHEOpayH PRESERYATOM KEEPER OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER DATE 10/29/93 DATE UCT 2 3 1975 GPO 888-445 property Leus, Desces Willand, beuse State MAss Working Number 9.5. 75.1639 TECHNICAL Photos L Maps Norfolf CONTROLO OK 9.8.75 HISTORIAN u.R 10/10/25 ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN Claccep evorieh 9--5 ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER altered but...

Inventory - Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF AcerpT Cole 10-17.75 BRANCH CHIEF KEEPER 0CT33107 Entered ACT 2 9 1975 INT:2106-74 National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 2-3-16 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 SEP 5 1975 RECEIVED DATE ENTERED 2 9 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH 1 NAME HISTORIC Deacon Willard Lewis House AND/OR COMMON same LOCATION CITY. TOWN _VICINITY OF Walpole PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT GoA. Milliken NEGATIVE FILED AT Walpole Historical Commission IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW. DIRECTION, ETC.

IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET looking north at southeast facade of house COUNTY Norfolk STATE DATE OF PHOTO 1974 PHOTO NC noue SOUTH G. A. MILLIKEN 50 SUMMER ST. WALPOLE, MASS. O2 1974 ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered OGT 2 9 1975 Name Location Iewis, Deacon Willard, House maIpole Norfolk County Hon. Edward M. Kennedy Hon. W. Exooke Hon. John J. Moakley Regional Director, North Atlantic Region PR MMott/je 11/4/75 Also Notified State Historic Preservation Officer Mrs. Elizabeth R. Amadon Bxsecutive Director, Massachusetts Historical Conmission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 INT: 2950-75 *NR Data Sheet DATE: Keviewer NR 3/2177 INITTALS, geoff. DOE Oct.

29, 1975 NAME AS IT APPEARS IN FEDERAL REGISTER: Lewis, Deacon Willard, House OTHER NANES: LOCATION: STREET& NUMBER33 West Street - CITY.TOWN Waipole VICINITY OF STATE Massachusetts OWNER OF PROPERTY: (Circle) CONGRESSIUNAL DISTRICT 9th Norfolk COUNTY Plymouth Code 023.

eb/ic PRIVATE STATE LOCAL GOV'T MUNICIPAL COUNTY OTHER ADMINISTRATOR (underiine) FEDERAL (AGENCY NAME) : NPS REGION: (CIRCLE) N.ATLANTIC MID ATLANTIC SOUTHEAST MIDWEST SOUTHWEST ROCKY MOUNTAIN WEST PACIFIC NORTHWEST FEATURES: INTERIOR Substantially intact-1 Z-unknown - 4 - not applicable - 7 CONDITION - -EXCELLENT -9000 _FAIR EXTERIOR ENVIRONS _Substantially intact-2 - Substantially intact-3 - unknown.-5 _ unknown -6 - not applicable - 8 - Not applicable-9 ¿Interioi, exterior) envtrons (not intactso _DETERIORATED _UNALTERED _RUINS LALTERED _UNEXPOSED -Reconstructed _ORIGINAL SITE _MOVED _Unknown _Unexcavated -Excavated ACCESS - Yes-restricted Yes-urrestricted 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 NO ADAPTIVE USE: YES NO Saved ?

YES NO FUNCTION(S): (use vocabulary words) then- private neridevie now- ofuces SIGNIFICANCE: -ARCHEULUGY-PREHISTORIC -ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC -AGRICULTURE ARCHITECTURE Teomebee -COMMUNICATIONS Claims "first" YES _CONSERVATION -ECONOMICS _EDUCATION LENGINEERING EXPVORATION SNDUSTAM _INVENTION NO _LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE -RELIGION _LAW/Gov't/politics -SCIENCE -LTERATURE -MILITARY _SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN -MUSIC _PHILOSOPHY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT -TRANSPORTATION - OTHER (SPECIFY) "oldest' YES NO "only" --entertainment _health -recreation -settlement socio/cultural urban & commun Planning YES NO 31 ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: Sakordsar gich Reuval aud Victoian ekemeuts architect/m.builder: landscape/garden designer: interior decorator: engineer: artist/artisan: builder/contractor: ETHNIC GROUP: NAMES: (label role & appropriate date) personal events Diacon Willand Lewin - taate localliy promineur Durners mau; munufactired and lint batting jor bandageo fer U.d.

gaut war el/ents. DATES: institutional DATE CS CCNSTIUCIEON (SgeSile 4aeo oe 3/% ol eatien, C.. 1826 DATE (S) OF "MAJOR" ALTERATIONS: c.1870-80,20MC HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT DATE (S) : SOURCE. (OF NOMINATION) OTHER PRIVATE STATE LOCAL GOV"T MUNICIPAL COUNTY FEDERAL 'AGENCY: ACREAGE' (to noarest tenth of an acre leso than / COMMENTS: (include architectural information here) FRame, clapboardeng; 21/z ST0RES, L- shapei, gabled roaf, vtereor chumneys, Front center Eutrance", fauk lang palinigomiat 1 somy irudour bao, sicr entanegrel dm bay; Rear addition, c. 1870ea elodditnn. Oldest horse ou toun con FA; last remnaut touris early 19t coon detlopreut. SIGNIFICANCE:(maximum two sentences) Grake Revival aud Victrian elmeruts. One of rmaining buildings assoaated with the early development of Walpok.