Nomination for Allen, Abel, House

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev. 10-74) PH0500771 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DATA SHEET FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED JUL 12 1977 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM DATE ENTERED JAN 9 1978 2 3 4 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS NAME HISTORIC Abel Allen House AND/OR COMMON same LOCATION STREET & NUMBER 1 Chestnut Street CITY.

TOWN Weston mue STATE Massachusetts VICINITY OF CODE 02.5 NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 4th COUNTY Middlesex CODE 017 CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY DISTRICT XBUILDING(S) _STRUCTURE _SITE _OBJECT OWNERSHIP _PUBLIC _PRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION _IN PROCESS _BEING CONSIDERED STATUS XOCCUPIED _UNOCCUPIED _WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE _YES: RESTRICTED f..1 _YES: UNRESTRICTED XNO PRESENT USE AGRICULTURE -MUSEUM _COMMERCIAL _PARK EDUCATIONAL X PRIVATE RESIDENCE .ENTERTAINMENT _RELIGIOUS GOVERNMENT -SCIENTIFIC LINDUSTRIAL -TRANSPORTATION MILITARY -OTHER: OWNER OF PROPERTY O3 D20202002 NAME Theodore B. Alfond STREET & NUMBER 1 Chestnut Street CITY. TOWN STATE Weston - VICINITY OF LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION Massachusetts, 02193 COURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC. Middlesex County Registry of Deeds STREET & NUMBER 208 Cambridge Street CITY.

TOWN STATE Cambridge REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS Massachusetts, 02141 TITLE Inventory of the Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE 1976 -FEDERAL XSTATE _COUNTY LOCAL DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS Massachusetts Historical Commission CITY. TOWN Boston Massachusetts, 02108 7-DESCRIPTION CONDITION -EXCELLENT _GOOD -FAIR _DETERIORATED _RUINS _UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE _UNALTERED XALTERED CHECK ONE XORIGINAL SITE _MOVED DATE. DESCRIBE THEPRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE The Abel Allen House stands on its original site set back from the corner of Chestnut and Wellesley Streets in Weston. The slightly more than 7 acres of well-landscaped property is largely meadow land with sheltering trees. The brown clapboarded saltbox house, built c. 1696, is considered the oldest house in Weston. It is a two story structure with cedar shingled roof and a center chimney.

The corner boards and water table are plain. Fenestration is 6/6 with 8"x10" lights dating from 1760. Many of the windows are headed by small hoods. The four bay wide asymmetrical facade faces south toward Chestnut Street. The entrance is a six panel-door flanked by fluted pilasters and headed by a four light transom. A molded entablature and triangular pediment crown the entrance. Iwo windows on each story occupy the western side of the facade and one window on each story on the eastern facade. One second story window is placed directly above the door. The west elevation has a narrow door in the northern end. There are two windows to the right of this door. The second story has two asymmetrically placed windows of contrasting scale. There is a small window in the gable. The east elevation has two asymmetrically placed windows of contrasting scale on both the first and second stories.

There is a small window in the gable. A modern two story ell was added to the north elevation at the east end of the Lean-to. It is seven bays deep on the east elevation, four bays deep on the west. A tall chimney rises at the center of the ell. The west elevation has a three sided, hooded bay window on the first story. The east elevation has a slightly off center door. The original c.1696 house consisted of the two southwest rooms, one over one (18'x18'), a massive chimney with smoke chamber, and an entryway and stair on the east. About 1720 a lean-to was added to the north elevation. A large fireplace was incorporated into the existing stack. The north wall of the chamber was relocated to allow headroom in the lean-to. Major alterations were made about 1760. Iwo rooms, one over one (13'x14'), were added to the east.

The 1720 lean-to was removed and replaced by a larger one extending across the north elevation of the house. This contained a kitchen and buttery. At the east end of the new lean-to were added three small rooms of equal size (6'x6'), one over the other; the lowest one was a milk room, with stone floor placed three feet below first floor grade. All three small rooms were connected by a winding stair. The front stair was removed at this time. A shed was added to the north elevation at the eastern end of the lean-to in 1790. It was removed in 1929 and was replaced by an ell. In 1961 the latter was removed, and the present large ell was built. The interior of the house exhibits many interesting features. The smoke room, feather- edged boarding, doors, hardward, niches for kegs in the stone cellar wall, and floor- ing in the southwest chamber all date from the 17th century.

Finish work in the south- west chamber dates from 1720. Fireplace walls in the southeast chamber and in the lean-to kitchen date from 1760. Original picket-type interior four panel shutters Form No. 10-300a (Rev. 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED DATE ENTERED JUL 12 1977 JAN 9 1978 CONTINUATION SHEET Abel Allen House ITEM NUMBER 1 PAGE exist in the southeast parlor. Because the stud height was greater in 1760 in the southeast chamber, a plate was superimposed at that time on the existing plate in the southwest chamber to accommodate a continual boxcornice. In consequence, the window sash in the latter bedroom goes up beyond the plate. Although completely renovated in 1961, the saltbox retains its original character.

The major change made at that time was paneling and trim in the 1696 (southwest) living room. The interior detailing was made to conform to the style of 1760. + SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD PREHISTORIC -1400-1499 -1500-1599 X600-1699 X700-1799 -1800-1899 _1900- ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC XAGRICULTURE XARCHITECTURE ART _COMMERCE -COMMUNICATIONS AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW XCOMMUNITY PLANNING _LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE -CONSERVATION XLAW _ECONOMICS _LITERATURE -EDUCATION XMILITARY LENGINEERING -MUSIC -EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT -PHILOSOPHY _INDUSTRY XPOLITICS/GOVERNMENT _INVENTION XRELIGION -SCIENCE SCULPTURE _SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN -THEATER _TRANSPORTATION _OTHER (SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES 1696, 1760, 1961 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Statement of significance

BUILDER/ÁRCHITECT Thomas Rand, Builder, 1760 The Abel Allen House is significant as reputedly being the oldest house in Weston and for its importance in the history of the community. The property was one of the 92 original farms laid out in the "Farmlands" of Watertown (later Weston) in 1642. Lot number 68 of 78 acres was granted to Miles Ives, who in 1684 willed it to his grandson, Abel Allen. The 1696 date of the original house is based on tradi- tion and on the internal evidence gathered during renovation. The house has exceptional architectural significance because the process of its structural history is revealed. The structure grew from a primitive 17th century house into the unusual saltbox that it is today.

It is of further architectural interest due to the 1760 construction which includes the unique three small rooms and stair which were probably designed and executed by the builder/owner Thomas Rand. The original owner of the house, Abel Allen, was one of the nineteen men who gathered in 1710 to sign the covenant and to officially organize the first church in the town that, in 1713, became incorporated as the Town of Weston. Abel Allen's son, David, owned the Allen farms in 1756: the farm "where I now live" of 60 acres and "my homestead" of 70 acres. He was a member of the Train Band in 1757. In 1758, "owning his own gun" , he served in the invasion of Canada under General Jeffrey Amherst. In 1759 he was killed while serving under Capt. Israel Davis in the second attack on Louisbourg. Col.

Elisha Jones, a Tory and the neighbor of the Allens on the west, bought the two Allen farms totaling 134 acres in 1757 and 1758. His property was confiscated by the Commonwealth in 1775, and in 1781 the "Abel Allen farme", 33 acres (no house men- tioned), was sold at auction to Thomas Rand. Thomas Rand was a housewright and patriot. He served the town and county in many He was in the Train Band in 1757 and marched to Lexington on April 19, 1775, in Major Samuel Lamson's Company together with his two sons, Benjamin, aged 21 and Thomas, Jr., aged 17. Benjamin and Thomas, Jr. also served in the Third Middle- sex Regiment at Dorchester Heights, March 4, 1776, and Benjamin "went to Canada"' in 1776. In 1775, son Daniel, aged 19, guarded the beacon on Sanderson Hill, Weston, one of the signals set up in the Commonwealth to warn other towns.

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Baker, Phillip W., Property Report, 1961. Dickson & Lucas, One Town in the American Revolution, Weston, Mass., 1976. Lamson, Col. Daniel, History of Weston, 1913. Weston Town Records; Watertown Town Records. Hill, C.R., Ihe Old House Corner of Wellesley & Chestnut Streets. Middlesex County Registry and Probate Records. 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY approx. 7 acres UTM REFERENCES ALL9 L3/110/117,0/ EASTING 14,6/9,1/4,9,01 NORTHING VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION ZONE EASTING NORTHING 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 Blaine Mallory and Joseph Orfant, National Register Editor. (Frances V.

Marshall, Weston Historical Commission) ORGANIZATION DATE Massachusetts Historical Commission June 29, 1977 STREET & NUMBER TELEPHONE 294 Washington Street CITY OR TOWN Boston, * 617-727-8470 STATE Mass. 02108 12 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION 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 Eli chith Rud Amaden TITLE Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical CommissiorDATE FOR NPS USE ONLY 2/6/17 1 HEREBY GEATIFY THAT TH PROPEATY IS INCLYDED IN THE NATIONAE HEGISTER DATE DIRECTOR, OFFICE OFARCHEOL NO HISTOHER ATTEST: DATE 1.9.18 RAGISTER 1-6.78 KEEPEROF THE NATIONAL-REGISTER GPO 892.453 Form No. 10-300a (Rev. 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED JUL 12 1977 JAN 9 1978 DATE ENTERED CONTINUATION SHEET Abe1 Allen House ITEM NUMBER 8 PAGE 1 Thomas Rand served the town for many years as housewright repairing and building town buildings. For 8 years he was "Surveyor of Bords and Shingles." He worked on the Great Bridge at Watertown.

He designed the porches for the meetinghouse, remodeled in 1800, and in that year at the age of 75, he built its tower to house a bell - bell number 44, cast by Paul Revere. For the Massachusetts Board of War, Rand trimmed, sorted and boxed "bollets", and he and another Weston man Banrd built a magazine in Sudbury. He also served in many town offices, as Selectman for the five crucial years, 1773-1777, and on committees "to hire men" for the war and "to make an Estimation of what every person has done in the Service of the war since ye 19th of April 1775." Rand was on an, important committee of nine men, in 1778, to consider the new state constitution.

They "voted disapprobation" because "Negroes, Indians and Molatoes" were not to be permitted to vote; because "so many worthy members" were out of state; and because the proposed constitution was not connected with "declara- tory Bill of Rights." Thomas Rand was a delegate to the convention held at Concord in 1779. In order to curb the runaway inflation, the convention was to "regulate the price of Sundery articles." Rand acted as accountant to the war treasurer's accounts. There continued to be "pressing Demands upon the Treasurer for monies." Rand loaned the town money as did many other citizens. A committee of three, including Rand, was formed in 1786 to borrow money and to negotiate or settle demands against the town.

At the time of Rand's death in 1804, aged 81, his homestead consisted of more than 112 acres and included "mansion house" , housc*, d 8, , barns, sheds, cider mill-house and mill, chaise and wood house, hogpen, carpenter shop and buildings adjoining, and a stable north of the meetinghouse. Benjamin Rand (1754-1840), first son of Thomas Rand. (Harvard 1808, LLD), later owned the house and was the editor of several Massachusetts Law Reports. Other Rand descendants occupied the house until 1903. Property Allen, Abel, Wause State Mass. Working Number 7.12.22.1126 TECHNICAL Photos Maps / No VBD - amy other ctrctmes on Tacru? CALL-OK, shet (10/) 1961 alditim not intruune. Middlesep CONTROL 2.14.22 LHISTORIAN 12/5/77 Jutouner ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN But 1o ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory Review no olher bldgs-farly mmabams subcuban( renal aea.

12/30/71 BRANCH CHIEF Hung 1-6-78 KEEPER National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 3.2.>8 Send-back Re-submit Entered United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No. 7 1-9.78 JAN 9 1978 IN T:2106- 74 Middleses Co. Abel Allen House Weston, Massachusetts 1977 JAN 9 1978 Frances V. Marshall Weston Historical Commission 10 Cresent Street, Weston, MA 02193 #1 04 Looking toward south facade and west elevation. JUL 12 1977 acades 5 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGIS Abel Allen House Weston, Massachusetts Middlesex JAN g 1977 Frances V. Marshall 10 Cresent Street, Weston, MA #2 04 Looking toward south facade and ea elevation. JUL 12 19 FERTYY UF TTHE: "NATOON B2 T1 Middle. Abel Allen House Weston, Massachusetts 1977 Frances V. Marshall 10 Cresent Street, Weston, MA O #374 Iooking toward east elevation and north elevation of ell.

JUL 12 1977 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL NEG) Abel Allen House Weston, Massachusetts 1977 Middlesex JUL 12 19 Frances V. Marshall 10 Cresent Street, Weston, MA 021 #4074 looking toward north and west eleva of ell, north and west elevation main house. JAN 9 PROPERTY OF THE NATONAL WASO-166 (August 1971) U. S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DATE 12/29/7 TIME OF CALL TELEPHONE REPORT 1. CALL - FROM (Name) 2. ADDRESS (Tel. No. if needed) In Orfant 617-727-8470 3. SUBJECT, PROJECT NO., ETC. Ahel Allen Honse, Werton Mess. (milleux Comty) 4. DETAILS OF DISCUSSION P - tie are concerned about acreage and the pectifration for I acress, if only one bldg. an propenly What in wlebonshir developmentifor have inchuded this amount zoning in Weston, Prodes Q-What is nature landscaping?

1- Nit ag ot trash lnd; cnlhrnted raned landscupng" which receives ronthe care; Q-How much land remenns of original lyte fomm? A- This panel. Q - Other structures n site? A- None They sait they wre bing camefild to tong io comnate mly whered ameunb of land. NAME OF PERSON PLACING/RECEIVING CALL te Townn TITLE Mn OFFICE NR 1/12/78 Mott/js 880 ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered JAN g 1978 Name Location Hasty Pudding Club Union Trust Company Allen,Nathantel Toplifl, Homestead Allen, Abel, House Cambridge Middlesex County Springfield Hampdea County Newton Middlesex County Weston Middlesex County Also Notified Hon. Edward W. Brooke Hon. Edward M. Kennedy Hon. Thomas P. 0'Neill, Jr. Hon. Bdward P. Boland Ion. Robert F. Drinan Regional Director, North Atlantic Region State Historie Preservation Officer Mra. Elizabeth R.

Amadon Executive Director, Massachusetts Ilistorical Conniasion 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusette 02108 PH0500771 NATIONAL REGISTER DATA SHEET ONAME as it appears on federal register: 2 OTHER NAMES: JAN"g° 1978: county code: Allen, Abel, House 17 6 LOCATION street & number city/ town vicinity of state county 6)NPS REGION: 1 Chestnut St. Weston MA Middlesex NA OWNER XPRIVATE LOSTATE LMUNICIPAL -COUNTY CMULTiPLE CFEDERAL(agency name) BADMINISTRATOR: 9) EXISTING SURVEYS CHABS CHAER CNHL 10) FUNDED? CYES ONO 1)CONGRESS. DISTRICT 4th (12)SOURCE OF NOMINATION *STATE CFEDERAL if state who prepared form? TORIG DISTRICTT MAL HISTORIC LAMOMARK?

AGREAGE DYES / DLOCAL -PRIVATE ORGANIZATION BCONDITION O deteriorated Daltered Ooriginal site 17) features: CSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-1 2 OSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT - 3 Druins Omoved QONOT INTACT-O C NOT INTACT-O Ogood Dunexposed Dunaltered R SUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-2 Jexcellent QONOT INTACT - O Oreconstructed Cunknown WUNKNOWN-4 DUNKNOWN-5 5O UNKNOWN-6 Ofair Ounexcavated Dexcavated ZO NOT APPLICABLE -7 DO NOT APPLICABLE-8 ZONOT APPLICABLE - 9 BACCESS OYES-Restricted DYES - Unrestricted - No Access - Unknown 19) ADAPTIVE USE OYES OONO SAVED? OYES IS PROPERTY A HISTORIC DISTRICT?

OyesOno 21 AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE : CENGINEERING-11 - LANDSCAPE ARCH.-15 -POLITICS/ GOVT." 21 -RECREATION -28 CLAIMS: explain CARCHEOLOGY - prehistoric-2| -COMMERCE-6 CENTERTAINMENT-26| - LAW - 16 "first'D C RELIGION-22 - SETTLEMENT-29| CARCHEOLOGY -historic-1 - COMMUNICATIONS- 7 -EXPLORATION -12 - LITERATURE -17 - SCIENCE- 23 CURBAN PLANNING-31 'oldest' O -AGRICULTURE-3 - CONSERVATION - 8 -HEALTH - 27 C MILITARY - 18 - SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN-24 D OTHER (SPECIFY) C ARCHITECTURE-4 - ECONOMICS-9 C INDUSTRY - 13| - MUSIC - 19| C SOCIAL / CULTURAL-30 - ART-5 - EDUCATION-10 C INVENTION - 14 - PHILOSOPHY - 20 'only' D - TRANSPORTATION - 25 2) functions WHEN HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT: CURRENTLY: architectural style(s): @dates of initial construction: major alterations : historic events: 2 ETHNIC GROUP ASSOCIATION @architect: master builder: 2 engineer : Dlandscape architect / garden designer: S) interior decorator: artist: Sartisan: Sbuilder/contractor: BNAMES give role & date PERSONAL: EVENTS: INSTITUTIONAL: ONATIONAL REGISTER WRITE-UP reviewers initiois date.

C ADDITIONAL SPACE NEEDED, NUMBER & PUT ON REVERSE D