Nomination for Old Castle

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev.

10-74) PH0664456 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DATA SHEET FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM RECEIVED MAR 8 1978 DATE ENTERED SEP 1 1978 DB# 78000 466 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS 1 3 4 NAME HISTORIC Jethro Wheeler House AND/OR COMMON The Old Castle (prefered) LOCATION STREET & NUMBER Nof Rackpart on MA 127 Castle Lane (Wheeler Harmae) CITY, TOWN Rockport Me STATE - VICINITY OF CODE _NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6th Massachusetts COUNTY CODE Massachusetts 025 Essex 009 CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY DISTRICT X_BUILDING(S) STRUCTURE SITE _OBJECT OWNERSHIP _PUBLIC X PRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION -IN PROCESS __BEING CONSIDERED STATUS XOCCUPIED _UNOCCUPIED -WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE - YES: RESTRICTED - YES: UNRESTRICTED _NO PRESENT USE AGRICULTURE XMUSEUM .COMMERCIAL -PARK EDUCATIONAL _PRIVATE RESIDENCE _ENTERTAINMENT _RELIGIOUS GOVERNMENT SCIENTIFIC _INDUSTRIAL -TRANSPORTATION _MILITARY _OTHER: OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME Village Improvement Society of Pigeon Cove STREET & NUMBER Castle Lane CITY.

TOWN Rockport STATE - VICINITY OF LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION Massachusetts 01966 COURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF DEEDS,ETC. Essex County Registry of Deeds STREET & NUMBER 32 Federal Street CITY. TOWN STATE Salem Massachusetts 6 REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE Inventory of Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE 1972 DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS FEDERAL XSTATE COUNTYLOCAL Massachusetts Historical Commission CITY. TOWN STATE Boston Massachusetts 7-DESCRIPTION CONDITION EXCELLENT X GOOD FAIR DETERIORATED RUINS _UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE _UNALTERED * ALTERED CHECK ONE XORIGINAL SITE _MOVED DATE_ DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

Ihe Old Castle occupies a high promontory and faces Pigeon Cove across its long lawn. The shingled 2½ story "saltbox" has a center chimney, an asphalt shingled roof and is two bays deep. Fenestration throughout is 6/6. A pronounced second story overhang and simple box cornice, each set upon fenestration lintels, accent the five bay wide facade which faces southeast towards the Atlantic Ocean. The end bays are paired and frame the wider central bay. On the ground floor of this bay is an off-center entry. On the eastern end of the facade is a basement backhead. The second story overhang continues for two bays on the east elevation. The lean-to is a single bay deep. The west elevation has a single bay on all three levels. The slope of the lean-to shed roof is less than the original roof creating the house's unique section. The Old Castle is believed to have been built about 1715.

Chamfered framing, low ceilings and bricks laid in clay suggest the house represents holdovers of 17th century building practices. The two room plan house was extensively restored in 1929 under the direction of ThomasWilliams when it was acquired by the Pigeon Cove Village Improvement Society. The restoration included removing later interior partitions, laying new floors in some rooms, removing and patching plaster and replacing window sashes. The kitchen lean-to is believed to have been built in 1792. A portion removed earlier was rebuilt in 1892.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD -PREHISTORIC _1400-1499 -1500-1599 -1600-1699 X1700-1799 X 1800-1899 x 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 -ENGINEERING _MUSIC *EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT _PHILOSOPHY INDUSTRY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT -INVENTION -RELIGION -SCIENCE -SCULPTURE -SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _THEATER -TRANSPORTATION OTHER (SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES cl715 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT Jethro Wheeler The Old Castle is significant for its architecture and historical associations. The house is believed to have been built after Jethro Wheeler purchased the property from Joshua Norwood in 1712. Six successive generations of Wheelers occupied the house. The farm was subdivided in 1810 but Wheelers owned partial interest in the house until 1893 when it was purchased by Henry L. Story, a prominent Rockport resident. Mrs. Abbie F. Story was the founder of the Pigeon Cove Village Improvement Society in 1889. In 1929, after the death of their parents, the Story children presented the house to the Society. The house has always stood apart as a prominent landmark, particularly from the seaward side. Its name is derived from its appearance to sailors rounding the tip of Cape Ann.

The house is now maintained by the Village Improvement Society as a meeting place and as a museum open to the public during the summer months. The intent of the 1929 restorati)n was not to restore the house to any particular period but to represent various phases of its building history.

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Chamberlain & Williams, The Old Castle, Pigeon Cove:1939 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY 1 Acre UTM REFERENCES A|1,91 1316,618,3,01 ZONE 14,7/2,5/9,6,0) NORTHING LLL VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION *ZONE EASTING NORTHG NORTHING tegcr LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE CODE COUNTY CODE STATE CODE COUNTY CODE FORM PREPARED BY NAME/ TITLE ORGANIZATION Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET & NUMBER 294 Washington Street CITY OR TOWN Boston Robert I. Dixon, President Joseph R.

Orfant, National Register Editor & Pigeon Cove Village Improvement Society December 23, 1977 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 02108 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 Servi STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER SIGNATURE rabek kud Amadon TITLE Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical CommissioDATE 1/3/78 FOR NPS USE ONLY 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY JS IÉOLUDED IN NATIONAL REGISTER AYETOTT MTRSORYAG ATTEST KEEP FORIC BUCAVATION KEUPER DATE 9.1178 DATTII ZATTONAL 2A0TSTE GPO 892-453 propert She Old carthe State mass. Working Number3. 8. 28.2646 TECHNICAL Photos / Maps Heamy restoration 1929" restoration' Essey CONTROL 0k 3.8.28 HISTORIAN Aue.lur 5/1578 ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN Bravkan 4.25.78 ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER anlitectural siçn.

HAER Inventory- Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF acent Ilowil 8/30/28 BRANCH CHIEF National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 10-3-18 Send-back Re-submit United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No. 7 KEEPER 9/1h8 Entered SEP 1978 INT:2106- 74 The Old Castle Rockport! MA. 1977 Robert I. Dixon 50 Granite St. Rockport, MA. Essex Cointy SEP 1 1978 MAR 8 1978 01966 Photo #1g' Looking north towards the facade (south elev.) 5 Funt and west sid elintim and quounto 1 allatl. Nijhtning tiltinp nt ouo. EROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL RECIS PAUL GUZZI Serretary of the Commonuralth March 1, 1978 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office of the Secretary Massachusetts Historical Commission 294 Washinglon Itree Boston, Massachuselts 02108 (617) 727-8470 ATEI IPILLE RECEIVED MAR 8 1978 NATIONAL' REGISTER TELTO Mr.

Charles Herrington, Registrar Registration Branch Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation National Park Service Washington, D.C. 20240 Dear Charles: Enclosed please find 3 National Register nomination forms: 1. Natick, Jenison House Rockport, The Old Castle 3. Salem, Chestnut Street Addition Al1 of the above have been voted eligible by the State Review Board and signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer, Elizabeth Reed Amadon. Sincerely yours, Potu: RWeslusk Patricia L. Weslowski Survey Director Massachusetts Historical Commission PLW/ed enc. ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered SEP 1 1978 Name Old Castle (Wheeler House) Location Rockport vicinity Essex County Also Notified Honorable Edward W. Brooke Honorable Edward M. Kennedy Honorable Michael J. Harrington State Historic Preservation Officer Mrs. Patricia L.

Weslowski Executive Director Massachusetts Historical Comnission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 NR Byers/bjr 9/6/78 PH0664456 NATIONAL REGISTER DATA SHEET ONAME as it appears on federal register: 3)date of entry: 4 county code: 01d Castle (Wheeler House) 6 LOCATION street & number city / town N of Rockport on MA 127, Castle Lane Wheeler, Jethro, House vicinity state Rockport MA SEP 1 1978 09 )NPS REGION: NA 7 OWNER XPRIVATE OSTATE MUNICIPAL OCOUNTY CMULTIPLE FEDERAL (agency name). 9 EXISTING SURVEYS CHABS CHAER OONHL 10 FUNDED? [YES ONO 1CONGRESS.

DISTRICT 6th (12)SOURCE of NOMINATION IATIONAL REGISTER MISTORID BISTRIETT MATIBMAL HISTORIE LANDI ACREAGE CTES MAME CONDITION -deteriorated Dexcellent Oruins -good Dunexposed Dfair Ounexeavated BACCESS OYES-Restricted DYES -Unrestricted @AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE : CARCHEOLOGY- prehistoric-2 -COMMERCE-6 -ARCHEOLOGY-historic-1 - COMMUNICATIONS-7 - AGRICULTURE -3 - CONSERVATION - 8 - ARCHITECTURE-4 - ECONOMICS-9 - ART-5 - EDUCATION-10 2functions WHEN HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT: CURRENTLY: architectural style(s): Daltered Doriginal site 17 features: Dunaltered Omoved Dreconstructed Ounknown Oexcavated - No Access CENGINEERING-11 *OSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-1 QONOT INTACT-O WCUNKNOWN-4 20 NOT APPLICABLE -7 (19) ADAPTIVE USE DYES OONO SAVED?

DYES - POLITICS / GOVT.* 21 -RECREATION-28 CRELIGION-22 -SETTLEMENT-29 - SCIENCE- 23 -URBAN PLANWING-31 - SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN-24 J OTHER (SPECIFY) - SOCIAL / CULTURAL-30 - TRANSPORTATION-25 county Essex 8ADMINISTRATOR: *STATE -FEDERAL SHPO red form? staff -LOCAL -PRIVATE ORGANIZATION SUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-2 2OSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT -3 2O NOT INTACT-O OONOT INTACT -O OUNKNOWN -5 SO UNKNOWN-6 BO NOT APPLICABLE-8 ZO NOT APPLICABLE - 9 PROPERTY A HISTORIC DISTRICT?

Dyes Ono )CLAIMS: explain 'first'O -ENTERTAINMENT-26 CEXPLORATION -12 CO HEALTH - 27 C INDUSTRY- 13 C INVENTION -14 -Unknown - LANDSCAPE ARCH.- 15 - LAW- 16 - LITERATURE -17 - MILITARY - 18 CO MUSIC- 19 - PHILOSOPHY - 20 'oldest' O 'only' D )dates of initial construction: major alterations : historic events: ETHNIC GROUP ASSOCIATION architect: master builder: engineer: landscape architeet / garden designer: S) interior decorator: artist: artisan: @builder/contractor: NAMES give role & date PERSONAL: EVENTS: INSTITUTIONAL: NATIONAL REGISTER WRITE-UP reviewers initials _date. IIF ADDITIONAL SPACE NEEDED, NUMBER & PUT ON REVERSEB