Nomination for Bowers, Jonathan, 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 INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DATA SHEET FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM RECEIVEJAN8 DATE ENTERED 1976 JUN 1 8 1976 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS NAME HISTORIC Grvers, The Castle ** AND/OR COMMON (Round House (preferred) 2 LOCATION STREET & NUMBER 58 Wannalancit Street onathau, Merse CITTOWN Lowell STATE - VICINITY OF CODE 025 _NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Fifth COUNTY Middlesex CODE 017 3 Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY DISTRICT XBUILDING(S) STRUCTURE .SITE _OBJECT OWNERSHIP _PUBLIC XPRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION IN PROCESS -BEING CONSIDERED STATUS X OCCUPIED UNOCCUPIED WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE _YES: RESTRICTED _YES: UNRESTRICTED X NO PRESENT USE AGRICULTURE -MUSEUM _COMMERCIAL _PARK _EDUCATIONAL X PRIVATE RESIDENCE _ENTERTAINMENT -RELIGIOUS _GOVERNMENT _SCIENTIFIC _INDUSTRIAL _TRANSPORTATION _MILITARY _OTHER: OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME Thomas B.

and Fran M. Dowling STREET & NUMBER 58 Wannalancit Street CITY. TOWN Lowe11 _ VICINITY OF 5 LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION Middlesex County (North District) Registry of Deeds STA Massachusetts 01854 COURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF DEEDS,ETC. STREET & NUMBER 360 Gorham Street CITY, TOWN Lowell STATE Massachusetts 6 REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE Inventory of the Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE 1975 _FEDERAL *STATE COUNTY _LOCAL DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS CITY, TOWN Massachusetts Historical Commission Boston STATE Massachusetts 02108 7 DESCRIPTION CONDITION X EXCELLENT _GOOD -FAIR _DETERIORATED -RUINS _UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE XUNALTERED ALTERED CHECK ONE XORIGINAL SITE _MOVED DATE DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

Situated near the top of a small hill less than one-half mile from the Merrimac River, this mansard house is commonly called the "Round House" or "The Castle " because of its unique design. The five-story house was built in 1872 by Jonathan Bowers, an industrialist and owner of a local pleasure resort. It was construc- ted of granite from Bowers' own quarry in Iyngsboro and cost $30,000. The Round House is forty feet in diameter and its walls are eighteen inches thick. Each of the first three floors have eleven foot ceiling heights with a two-foot depth of floor construction. The fourth floor attic is nine feet high and topped with a cupola. The house is set back from Wannalancit Street about thirty feet. The driveway approach is introduced by a granite wall standing four feet high.

Echoing the roundness of the house, the two sections of the wall curve inward at the entrance to the drive and are accented at both ends by a round granite column five feet high which is topped with a flat, round granite slab. The basement floor of the house is marked by a projecting belt course, and the windows are rectangular and plain. The main entrance on the first floor consists of a one-story, flat-topped porch extending from the round core toward Wannalancit Street. Seven steps lead through a large arch to the double front doors. On the opposite side of the building is another extension which probably served as the pantry- One-story high with a flat roof, it contains three small arched windows and an arched doorway. The first floor has five segmental arched windows. On the south side of the house is a two-story rounded bay window.

The second story windows are arched, and an oriel window projects from the north Ihe third floor is in the steep section of the mansard which is covered fish-scale shingles. The openings on the third floor consist of eight dormers v with arched windows recessed beneath pediments. The fourthfloor is located in the hipped portion of the roof section and has no windows. The house is topped by a large walk-around cupola flanked on two sides by round granite chimneys. The hip roof reaches its apex in a round metal post which comes to a ball-like peak. The round cupola is constructed of wood and contains fourteen narrow rectangular windows. On the interior the first floor is made up of six rooms and an hour glass shaped hall. The round dining room, measuring fourteen feet in diameter, is finished with embossed leather on the walls and ceiling.

The living room, fifteen feet by twenty- five feet, is oval. All of the woodwork was cut and molded by carpenters from Bowers' own mill. The second floor contains living quarters; the third the maid's room, billiard room, and ballroom; the fourth an attic; and the fifth the cupola. In the center of the house is a wooden spiral staircase which leads from the first floor to the cupola. The property of the house is finished off by a five-foot high wooden fence running the length of the back boundary. About twenty feet from the back of the house is a wooden shed. A driveway circumvents the house and the lot is shaded by nine trees.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD _PREHISTORIC _1400-1499 -1500-1599 -1600-1699 -1700-1799 - 1800-1899 -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 LENGINEERING -MUSIC -EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT _PHILOSOPHY INDUTRY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT LINVENTION _RELIGION _SCIENCE _SCULPTURE _SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN -THEATER _TRANSPORTATION _OTHER(SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES 1872 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT The Round House is significant for its unique architectural design and as the home of a well-known local mill owner. Although the architect of this curiosity is unknown, it is known that the builder was Jonathan Bowers. Bowers, owner of a local mill and amusement park, built the Round House for his daughter's wedding reception. The house cost $30,000 and the granite used in its construction was from Bowers' own quarry in Tyngsboro. The interior woodwork was cut and molded by carpenters from his mill. Bowers himself occupied the house until 1879 when he moved to neighboring Willow Dale. The next owner was John G. Rogers, a grain merchant who lived ton tro Roung nouse unc a Nila daitn in 9 in the Round House until his death in 1890. George F. Libbe, a dealer in plumbing, tin and sheet iron products, was the next occupant of the house.

In 1919 Libbe sold the house be used as their headquarters. In 1925 the Round House was sold to Minnie Bowers Jewett, the daughter of the builder Jonathan Bowers and mother of politician Victor Francis Jewett. Between 1925 and 1934 the house was used principally as law offices by Victor Jewett, who was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives between 1912 and 1934. The Round House was abandoned from 1965 until 1971 when it was purchased by the present owners who saw it advertised under the category of "Castles" in a Boston newspaper. The interior of the house is currently being restored to its 1872 appearance. The exterior remains virtually unaltered, and con- tinues to remain one of Lowell's most unique landmarks.

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Unpublished papers of the Bowers family, in possession of family members. City of Iowell Directories, City Library. Bird's Eye View of Iowell (map), 1876. Iowell Historical Society. City Atlas of Iowell, G. M. Hopkins, Philadelphia, 1879. City Sewer Plans, 1880. City Engineer's Office, City Hall, Iowe11. 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY 16,116.65 square feet or .037 acre UTM REFERENCES A1 ,9 310,911,2,0 ZONE EASTING cLil VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION 14,712,319,4,01 NORTHING BLJ ZONE EASTING eLleLe LIlILLL NORTHING 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 Judy D.

Dobbs, National Register Editor and Robert Dugan ORGANIZATION Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET & NUMBER 294 Washington Street CITY OR TOWN Boston DATE December 19, 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 NationalHistoric Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665). 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 Elialuth Rud Amadon TITLE Executive Directox, Massachusee Historical CommissioRATE Dec.

29,1975 FOR NPS USE ONLY I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTÝ IS INCLUDED IN THE MATIONAL REGISTER Acttng OIRECTOR, OLICEOL ARCHEOLGOY ANO HISIORIC PRESTIVAYION lot[og KEEPER OFTHE NATIONAL DATE DATE 6/18/22 6.18.71 GPO 892.453 is, fonathan Property Rawd Kaua State middlesex Aso Working Number / 8. 76. 2307 TECHNICAL called fuoly Dobb, 1.26 me mame, HAnland CONTROL Photos pe Maps 417-727-8421_ OK 1.26.76 Great building HISTORIAN teepi v.R.lm 3/31/76 ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN ACCEPT LEBaRG 3.23-76 ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory - Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF Accupi Colz 5-31-76 BRANCH CHIEF Phites shessted -murlerd! National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 8-3-76 Send-back Re-submit Entered United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No. 7 KEEPER zunt 6.18.76 JUN 1 8 1976 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 JAN 8 1976 JUN 1 8 1976 DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH NAME HISTORIC The Castle AND/OR COMMON Round House (preferred) fnurton (omerd La LOCATION CITY. TOWN Lowe1l _VICINITY OF COUNTY Middlesex PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Thomas B. Dowling DATE OF PHOTO 1975 NEGATIVE FILED AT 58 Wannalancit Street, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854 IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW. DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET Looking east, northeast at frontal view of house. Lower section of photograph is driveway wall. STATE MA PHOTONO 145 Lte is 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 JAN 8 1976 JUN 1 8 1976 DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH NAME HISTORIC The Castle AND/OR COMMON Round House (preferred) LOCATION CITY. TOWN VICINITY OF COUNTY Middlesex STATE MA Lowe11 PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Thomas B. Dowling DATE OF PHOTO 1975 NEGATIVE FILED AT 58 Wannalancit Street, Iowell, Massachusetts 01854 IDENTIFICATION PHOTONO 2 af5 DESCRIBE VIEW. DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET Looking northwest at back side of house. Pantry extension is shown center right. Fence is part of the property. l (touse) tare. Pantry etersioi is Shoua penter Mghe. 315 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 JAN 8 1976 JUN 1.8 1975 IDATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH 1 NAME HISTORIC The Castle AND/OR COMMON LOCATION CITY. TOWN Round House (preferred) Lowe 11 _VICINITY OF COUNTY Middlesex STATE MA PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Thomas B. Dowling DATE OF PHOTO 1975 NEGATIVE FILED AT 58 Wannalancit Street, Iowell, Massachusetts 01854 IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET Looking southeasterly at side of the house. Entrance on right side, pantry extension on left. PHOTONO 3 015 Aorse siee, pantey ex lensun em lift Form No. 10-301a (Pev.

10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED JAN 8 1976 JUN 1 8 1976 DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES_ ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH 1 NAME HISTORIC The Castle AND/OR COMMON Round House (preferred) LOCATION CITY. TOWN Lowe11 _VICINITY OF PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Thomas B. Dowling NEGATIVE FILED AT COUNTY Middlesex DATE OF PHOTO 1975 58 Wannalancit Street, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854 IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW. DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET Interior shot of spiral staircase leading to cupola. STATE MA PHOTO NO tase 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 JAN 8 1976 JUN 18 1976 DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH 2 NAME HISTORIC The Castle AND/OR COMMON Round House (preferred) LOCATION CITY. TOWN Lowe11 _VICINITY OF PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Thomas B. Dowling COUNTY Middlesex DATE OF PHOTO 1975 NEGATIVE FILED AT 58 Wannalancit Street, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854 IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET Interior view of the oval living room, first floor. STATE MA PHOTONO 5 4f5 eNtorse/ Ioc. Suterin men f the ove leving room, fuat flom 5a15 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 RECEIVEDJAN B 1976 JUN 1 8 1976 IDATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- ENCLOSE WITH MAP 1 NAME HISTORIC 2 3 4 The Castle AND/OR COMMON Round House (preferred) LOCATION CITY. TOWN Lowe11 MAP REFERENCE SOURCE USGS, Lowe11 Quadrangle SCALE 1:24000 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. PROPERTY BOUNDARIES 2. NORTH ARROW 3. UTM REFERENCES _VICINITY OF COUNTY Middlesex STATE MA DATE 1966 ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS JUN 1 8 1976 Date Entered Name Location Bowers, Jonathan, House (Round House) Lowe11 Middlesex County : Also Notified Hon. Edward M. Kennedy Hon. Edward W. Brooke Hon.

Paul Isongas Regional Director, North Atlantic Region /PR MMott/row 6/24/76 State Historie Preservation Officer Mrs. Elízabeth R. Amadon Executive Director Massachusetts Ilistorical Conmission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 INT: 2950-75 Ask the Globe Q-This question has bugged me for a long time. Why did Abraham Lincoin and Stephen Douglas debate each other across the entire state of Illinois in 1858 when it was actually the state legis- lature which selected US senators and not the citizen- ry? - W.M.B., West Yar- mouth. It is true that, until 1912, US senators were not elected by the general voting public but rather by the state legis- latures. The purpose of the Lincoln-Douglas debates was to convince the voting public to vote for the candidates to the legislature who favored one side or the other. Candi- dates had declared which side they preferred.

As it turned out, the Lincoln candi-. dates received more total votes than the Douglas can- didates, but the state was di- vided into districts in such a way that Douglas men won a majority of the seats in the legislature. As a result, Doug- las was reelected to the US Senate by a vote of 54-46. Q-1 hear that there's a completely round house in Lowell. When was it built?. Are there any other round houses in this state?-F.O., Somerville. A-The Round House or Castle in Lowell was built in 1872 by local industrialist and eccentric Jonathan Bowers. Bowers, owner of a local amusement park and mill, had the interior woodwork cut and molded by car- penters from his mill and the granite used in its construc- tion came from his own quar- ry in Tyngsboro.

The Massachusetts His- torical Commission reports that the Round House was The Castle in Lowell Boston Sunday Globe "New England" Magazine 12/26/76 NR: Lowell, Jonathan Bowers House accepted into the National Register of Historic Places on : June 18, 1976. The present owners bought the house in 1971 and are currently re- storing the interior to its 1872 appearance. The exterior re- mains virtually unaltered. The three floors of the Round House have 11-foot and the fourth floor attic is nine feet high, topped with a cupola. The ceiling of the cu- pola is painted with several constellations and Halley's Comet. There is at least one other round building in Mas- sachusetts. It is a barn and is at Hancock Shaker Village on : Rte. 20 in the town ofHan- cock,five miles west of Pitts- field.

Teddy Roosevelt Q-/ was once told that Teddy Roosevelt was some- how responsible for giving Maxwell House coffee Its name. Can you explain?- G.K., Waltham. A-Teddy Roosevelt was not responsible for giving Maxweil House Its name, but he is responsible for coining Its slogan, "Good to the last In 1874, Jack Cheek, a Kentucky traveling salesman, developed a new blend of: coffee and was selling It to the Maxwell House hotel in Nashville. The popularity of the coffee at the hotel's res- taurant led to Its brand : name. Years later, Roosevelt tasted the coffee while stay- Ing in Kentucky. When asked If-he'd like a second cup he responded, "Will I have another? Delighted! It's good to the last drop." Send questions to: Ask the Globe, Boston Globe, Boston, Mass. 02107, or call: 929-2990. SPECIAL SAVINGS! THE SARONG Look and feel better through your busiest days with Sarong's new fashion bra!

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DISTRICT 5 The Castle -sec vieinity of ate MA county Middlesex ADMINISTRATOR 66-18-76 REGION Noth Atlantic county code 017 SOURCE of NOMINATION AL REGIST DITION Xexcellent Ogood Ofair D deteriorat Oruins Ounexposed Ounexcavated ACCESS YES-Restricted AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE CARCHEOLOGY -prehistoric-2l -COMMERCE-6 ARCHEOLOGY-historic-1 - COMMUNICATIONS - 7 AGRICULTURE-3 - CONSERVATION - 8 XARCHITECTURE- - ECONOMICS - 9 -ART-5 C EDUCATION-10 tered Xoriginal site Xunaltered Omoved Oreconstructed Ounknown Oexcavated X No Acces Unknown ENGINEERING-1 CENTERTAINMENT -26 CEXPLORATION -12 -HEALTH-27 C INDUSTRY - 13 - INVENTION - 14 ILANDSCAPE ARCH.- LAW- 16 - LITERATURE -17 C MILITARY- 18 - MUSIC - 19 - PHILOSOPHY-20 )features: INTACI NTACT-O XUNKNOWN-4 30 APPLICABLE-7 SAVED / X SUBSTANT NOT INTACT -O NKNOWN-5 SO NOT APPLICABLE-8 PROPERTY A CLAIMS first'O -2 XUBSTANTIALLY INTACT - 3 EONOT INTACT SOUNKNOWN-6 -NOT APPLICABLE - 8 HISTORIC DISTRICT?

Oyes X explain CRECREATION -28 - RELIGION- 22 CSETTLEMENT-29 SCIENCE- 23 CURBAN PLANNING-31 J SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN-24 J OTNER (SPECIFY) - SOCIAL / CULTURAL-30 - TRANSPORTATION - 25 dates of initial construction major alterations: 1872 historic eventse 'oldest' O 'only' D 2) functions WHEN HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT: private residence CURRENTLY: arch itectural style(s) econd empire nlandscape architect/ garden desipner: ETHNIC GROUP ASSOCIATION @architeet gmaster builder: engineer: () interior doeorator: artist: artisan: builder/contractor: NAMES give role & date PERSOMAL: Built by Jonathan Bowvers, 1872. EVENTS: INSTITUTIONAL: ner high basement, ONAT ECISTEE WRITE-UP Dressed granite, 2%½ stories plus attic, round; mansard root with dormers, z'senter cupola, tound interios chimneye wf corbeled capd and roundrare enlaei Bovers, well-knowmn Ircal till noner.

lreviewers initials Mautha dare 1/13 78 TIF ADDITIONAL SPACE NEEDED, NUMBER& PUT ON REVERSEE