Nomination for Bradford, Capt. Gershom, House

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev.

10-74) PH0504114 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OFTHE INTERIOR DATA SHEET FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE RECEIVED SEP 20 1977 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM DATE ENTERED FEB 8 1978 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS NAME HISTORIC Captain Gershom Bradford House AND/OR COMMON 2 Same LOCATION STREET & NUMBER 931 Tremont Street - NOT FOR PUBLICATION CITY, TOWN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Duxbury - VICINITY OF 11th STATE CODE COUNTY Massachusetts 025 Plymouth CLASSIFICATION CODE 023 CATEGORY BUILDING(S) _STRUCTURE SITE _OBJECT OWNERSHIP _PUBLIC XPRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION IN PROCESS BEING CONSIDERED STATUS XOCCUPIED UNOCCUPIED _WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE XYES: RESTRICTED -YES: UNRESTRICTED -NO PRESENT USE AGRICULTURE XMUSEUM COMMERCIAL xPARK -EDUCATIONAL - PRIVATE RESIDENCE _ENTERTAINMENT -RELIGIOUS _GOVERNMENT SCIENTIFIC -INDUSTRIAL - LTRANSPORTATION _MILITARY _OTHER: 4 OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME The: Duxbury Rural and Historical Society STREET & NUMBER P.O.

Box -176, Snug Harbor Station CITY. TOWN STATE Duxbury - VICINITY OF 5 LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION Massachusetts 02332 COURTHOUSE, REGISTRY OF DEEDS,ETC. Plymouth County Registry of Deeds STREET & NUMBER CITY.TOWN Russell Street Plymouth STATE Massachusetts 02360 REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS* TITLE Inventory of the Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE 1976 _FEDERAL X STATE - COUNTY -LOCAL DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS CITY. TOWN Massachusetts Historical Commission Boston STATI Massachusetts 0210 DESCRIPTION CONDITION _EXCELLENT XGOOD -FAIR DETERIORATED _RUINS CHECK ONE XNALTERED ALTERED CHECK ONE * ORIGINAL SITE MOVED DATE. _UNEXPOSED DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

The Captain Gershom Bradford House is located at 931 Tremont Street in Duxbury. Tremont Street (Route 3A) was one of the earliest roads between Boston and the southern part of the state. The property is comprised of 9-3/4 acres of wel1- landscaped grounds. The land surrounding the house is occupied by modest flower beds and low stone walls. Lilacs, boxtrees, and dogwoods planted by early members of the Bradford family remain. Acreage more distant from the house includes horse chestnut, Silver beech, and spruce trees. The building stands opposite the house of Gamaliel Bradford, Gershom's brother and fellow sea captain. The property is bordered by Harrison Street to the north, a golf course to the east, and large lot residential structures to the south and west. The two story Federal style building was constructed in 1807-1808 by Captain Ger- shom Bradford.

The original house has an L-shaped plan. The main five bay wide by two bay deep ridge roof section has an inside end chimney at each gable peak. The two story hip roof ell extends from the southern end of the rear (east) eleva- tion. It has a tall inside end chimey on its north elevation. A two story, ridge roof addition extends from the rear (east) elevation of the ell. This addition projects southward and replaces a barn which was originally attached to the ell. This deteriorated barn was removed in 1893. The entire structure is sheathed in clapboards painted blue-gray. The north and south elevations of the main section have rough brick beneath the clapboards. Fenestration is 6/6 with slightly projecting lintels and sills framed by louvered shutters. The water table, entablature, and corner boards are plain. The symmetri- cal facade faces west.

The approach to the front door is a walkway of cube-shaped, volcanic stone blocks which were brought from Italy as ballast by Captain Bradford. The entrance is flanked by sidelights and headed by a fanlight. A small flat hood supported by two brackets on a molded cornice shields the door. The north and south elevations each have triangular windows in the gable ends on either side of the inside chimeys. The rear (east) elevation has four asymmetrically placed windows and a vertically paneled door in the southern end by the ell. The ell is three bays deep on its south elevation. It has three asymmetrically placed windows of contrasting scale on its north elevation. The addition extends along the rear elevation of the ell and continues out beyond the south elevation of the main section of the house. The facade of the addition is three bays wide.

It has an entrance framed by shutters on its northern end. The rear (east) elevation of the addition has an off center entrance and a wooden deck with railing. The windows on the addition's elevations are smaller than those of the main house. Theyare asymmetrically placed and shutterless. The interior of the house retains hand wrought moldings in the parlor and center hall. Floors and woodwork are painted, the latter in the same lead gray as the original. Wallpaper is original in two of the four front rooms. Much original Bradford furni- ture remains. All of the furnishings are of the period and grade used by the family. The cellar contains a large brick cistern. The interior of the ell has been slightly modified. A small kitchen and bath were added. The ell is occupied year round as a security measure. The house is owned by the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society, Inc.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD PREHISTORIC -1400-1499 -1500-1599 .1600-1699 .1700-1799 X1800-1899 _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 -ENGINEERING _MUSIC _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT _PHILOSOPHY XINDUSTRY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT _INVENTION -RELIGION _SCIENCE _SCULPTURE .SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _THEATER _TRANSPORTATION XOTHER (SPECIFY) seafaring BUILDER/ARCHITECT Captain Gershom Bradford SPECIFIC DATES 1807-1808 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Statement of significance

The Captain Gershom Bradford House is significant for the simple quality of its early 19th century Federal design and for its association with the Bradford family, who retained ownership of the house from 1807 to 1968. oft desiguse fron Gershom Bradford was born in 1774. He was the grandson of a Representative to the General Court and the son of a Revolutionary Was colonel. Gershom went to sea at age 17 and sailed under his older brothers Gamaliel and Daniel, both of whom were shipmasters. He became a mate in 1796 and a master some four years later. The three brothers built houses at about the same time. Gamaliel's home (National Register nomination) is directly across the road from Gershom's; Daniel's is a third of a mile away: Jerusha Bradford, their sister, married Ezra Weston II, Duxbury's leading shipbuilder and owner of the King Caesar House (National Register nomination).

Gershom sailed as mate with Captain Gamaliel on the ship Mary in 1799 and helped resist the attack of a French privateer. A similar encounter on the ship "Industry" occurred the following year. While manning a stern gun, Gershom learned that Gamaliel had been seriously wounded. He assumed command, and after a 2½ hour battle, drove off the adversary. Gershom then brought the vessel safely into Lisbon under a jury rig. Captain Gershom was fully qualified to handle any vessel, but preferred smaller ships and shorter voyages. He conmanded at least ten vessels before retiring in 1826, after 35 years at sea. Bradford died in 1844. The Captain Gershom Bradford House is important to the heritage of the town of Duxbury. The house belonged to Captain Gershom and his descendants for a period of 161 years. It was entrusted to the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society, Inc.

In 1900 by two Bradtord brothers, the present Gershom and the late Edward, both of whom lived in the house. The building represents the life style and interest of a success ful shipbuilder and his family. The Captain's library retains fine books of his day. Historic paintings and pictures adorn the walls. The Captain lived during most of Duxbury's period of peak shipbuilding (1825-1850) and was ar active member in its initial growth.

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY UTM REFERENCES 9 3/4 acres A|19| 13/6,011,9,0 ZONE EASTING 14,61505/1,5.0/ NORTHING LliL VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION 0 h10igr 0 Cres C BL,J ZONE VORTHING LLILTiL 3TE mO.1 I0 YE0 DroC 23T:3L0082201 LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE CODE COUNTY CODE STATE CODE COUNTY CODE 11 FORM PREPARED BY Blaine Mallory and Joseph Orfant, National Register Editor (Frederick T.

Potter, Duxbuzy Historical CommissiogTE September 6, 1977 Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET & NUMBER 15617-925-8470 CITY OR TOWN 294 Washington Street Massachusetts 02108 EST7IC Boston 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 Plisbut Rul TITLE Executive Director, Mass.

Historical Commission Amadn DATE 9/12/72 FOR NPS USE ONLY I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DIRECTOR,OFFICE OLARCHEOL ATTEST: DATE NICPRESERVATIONKEMPOR OE THE HAPIONAL-REGISIIE DATE 2228 PSCLNS GPO 892.453 Properey Bradforl, Caftson Gerchon, Stamee Working Numbera. 19.22.1460 TECHNICAL Photos. Appeane een the 93qtzes tooded area around hance is includet Maps Plymouth 9. OntanfONTBOL OK- 9.21.77 HISTORIAN asceptetin HISTORIAN Aveao seem justified-landscajøed ARCHITECTURAL sporta gronmas. accept Brackam 11.4.72 ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory - Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF Accept Leboviih 2/1/78 BRANCH CHIEF Zuriist 2778 KEEPER National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 4.4.78 Send-back Re-submit Entered United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No.

7 28178 FEB 8 1978 INT:2106-74 Captain Gershom Bradford House Duxbury, Massachusetts 1zmouth co. F.T. Potter SEP 2 0 1977 FEB 8 Duxbury Historical Commission Town Offices, Duxbury 02332 Looking northeast toward west facade and south elevation. 1978 hru Sraifod snue remny st, Durbun, Dees. Fent (sri), S. W. Eluateno z SU BERSTE ERTY DF THE NAT MIALL Duxbury, Massachusetts 1977 Plymouth Lo. F.T. Potter SEP. 2, 09977 Duxbury Historical Conmission Town Offices, Duxbury 02332 #212 Looking southwest toward east (rear) elevation and ell FER LOPERTY 1978 ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered FEB 8 Name Hudson House Fard, Joshua, House Bradford, Capt. Gershom, Rouse 1978 Location Oxford vicinity Horcester County Salen Essex County Duxbury vicinity Plymouth County Also Notified Hon. Edward W. Brooke Edward M. Kennedy Hon. Edward P. Boland Hon. Michael J.

Marrington Hon. Gerry E. Studds Reglonal Director, North Atlantic Region 880 Mott/js 2/22/78 State Hietorie Preeorvation Officer Mrs. Elizabeth B. Amadon Esecutive Director, Massschusetts llistorical Conmission 294 Washington Strect Boston, Massachuaetta 02108 PH0504114 NATIONAL REGISTER DATA SHEET DNAME as it appears on federal register: OTHER NAMES: 3) date of entry: ) county code: Bradford, Capt. Gershom, House 1978 23 5 LOCATION street & number city / town vicinity of state NPS EGION: 931 Tremont St. 7)/ wot Oustan county MA Plymouth NA OWNER XPRIVATE STATE - MUNICIPAL DCOUNTY DMILTFLE DFEDERAL (apency name) Duxbury 8ADMINISTRATOR: EXISTING SURVEYS FUNDED? OYES -NO LCONGRESS. DISTRICT A4th 12)SOURCE of NOMINATION *STATE CFEDERAL if state who prepared form?

ALBEL LYES DHO -LOCAL -PRIVATE ORGANIZATION 18 CONDITION - deteriorated Oaltered Doriginal site 17) features: -OSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-1 «OSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-2 Dunaltered C2CSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT - 3 Dexcellent Oruins Omoved - ONOT INTACT-O 2O NOT INTACT-O Ogood Ounexposed Ounknown Ofair Dreconstructed Ounexcavated SOUNKNOWN-4 OONOT INTACT - O wOUNKNOWN-5 5OUNKNOWN-6 Oexcavated 20 NOT APPLICABLE-7 J NOT APPLICABLE-8 ZOONOT APPLICABLE - 9 IACCESSOYES-Restricted DYES-Unrestricted - No Access - Unknown ADAPTIVE USE DYES OONO SAVED? DYES IS PROPERTY A HISTORIC DISTRICT?

DyesOno " AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE : DENGINEERING -11 - LANDSCAPE ARCH.-15 - POLITICS / GOVT." 21 -RECREATION -28 CLAIMS: explain -ARCHEOLOGY - prehistoric-2 -COMMERCE-6 'first'O DENTERTAINMENT-26 - LAW - 16 C RELIGION- 22 -SETTLEMENT-29 - ARCHEOLOGY- historic-1 - COMMUNICATIONS-7 CEXPLORATION -12 - LITERATURE - 17 - SCIENCE- 23 -URBAN PLANNING-31 'oldest' O -AGRICULTURE-3 - CONSERVATION - 8 C HEALTH-27 - MILITARY- 18 - SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN-24 DOTHER (SPECIFY) - ARCHITECTURE-4 - ECONOMICS-9 - INDUSTRY- 13 - MUSIC - 19 - SOCIAL / CULTURAL- 30 - ART-5 - EDUCATION-10 - INVENTION - 14 - PHILOSOPHY-20 - TRANSPORTATION -25 'only' D 23) funetions WHEN HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT: CURRENTLY: architectural style(s): dates of initial construction: major alterations : historic events: ETHNIC GROUP ASSOCIATION architeet: master builder: engineer: landscape architect / garden designer: I) interior decorator: artist: Gartisan: builder/contractor: 3NAMES give role & date PERSONAL: EVENTS: INSTITUTIONAL: NATIONAL REGISTER WRITE-UP reviewers initials_ .date- IIF ADDITIONAL SPACE NEEDED, NUMBER & PUT ON REVERSE