Nomination for Newell Farm

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 PH0666 FOR NPS USE ONLY 7 SHE5 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM RECEIVED APR 3 1978 DATE ENTERED JUL 21 1978 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS NAME HISTORIC Newell Farm AND/OR COMMON Newell Farm 2 LOCATION STREET & NUMBER 243 Main Street CITOWN West Newbury .NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6th Massachusetts STATE Massachusetts 3 CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY -DISTRICT XBUILDING(S) STRUCTURE _SITE -OBJECT OWNERSHIP _PUBLIC XPRIVATE -BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION -IN PROCESS -BEING CONSIDERED - VICINITY OF CODE 025 STATUS X OCCUPIED -UNOCCUPIED _WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE - YES: RESTRICTED -YES: UNRESTRICTED x NO COUNTY Essex - CODE 009 PRESENT USE X AGRICULTURE -MUSEUM _COMMERCIAL -PARK _EDUCATIONAL X PRIVATE RESIDENCE _ENTERTAINMENT -RELIGIOUS _GOVERNMENT -SCIENTIFIC _INDUSTRIAL -TRANSPORTATION _MILITARY _OTHER: OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME Judith Potter Smith & Newell Potter Price STREET & NUMBER 243 Main Street CITY.

TOW West Newbury STATE Massachusetts 01985 5 VICINITY OF LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE, REGISTRY OF DEEDS; ETC. Essex County Registry of Deeds STREET & NUMBER 32 Federal Street CITY. TOWN Salem STATE Massachusetts 6 REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE Inventory of Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE 1973 FEDERAL XSTATE COUNTYLOCAL DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS CITY, TOWN Massachusetts Historical Commission Boston STATE Massachusetts 7-DESCRIPTION CONDITION X EXCELLENT _GOOD -FAIR _DETERIORATED RUINS UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE LUNALTERED XALTERED DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

CHECK ONE XORIGINAL SITE MOVED DATE. Newe1l Farm is located on Main Street in West Newbury, set back 200' from the street at the end of a carriage drive circle edged by spruce trees. The nominated area around the house comprises 3 lightly wooded acres, while the rest of the 60 acre property is mostly farmland which stretches eastward to the rear of the house. The present farmhouse was built by Colonel Moses Newell in 1846. The main body - of the house is a five bay, brick, 2½ story house with a center entrance. The ridge roof has gable ends to the sides, four interior end chimneys, and a Greek Revival entablature composed of a slightly projecting four course architrave, above which is a four course frieze and a two course cornice of alternating projecting brick dentil-like headers.

The doorway has rectangular footings and lintel while the windows are treated with inverted triangular lintels and rectangular sills of sandstone. The front entrance has a six light transom and four pane sidelights. The original wooden front steps, weakened by termites, have been replaced by 1½ ton granite steps which were once footings from the cellar of an old house across the street from Newell Farm which was demolished in 1941. The north elevation is three bays deep with two shuttered windows in the gable. The south elevation of the main block is five bays wide on the first story, four bays on the second story, and has two shuttered windows in the gable. The narrow center entry is decorated with a transom and narrow lintel. To the rear of the main block is a narrower, two story extension two bays deep with a doorway in the westernmost bay.

Projecting south from the extension stands a two story kitchen ell. In the northeast angle where the main block and rear extension meet, a one story brick rectangular block has been added. The fenestration of the building is a regular 6/6 sash except for the first two windows on the north elevation which flank a fireplace and extend nearly to the floor level in what was originally the ballroom. These two are 6/9 sash. Except for the center second story bay, all of the windows in the north, south and west elevations have outside shutters. Ihe original 6/6 sash window in the west wall of the kitchen ell has been replaced in this century by an Anderson bay picture window. The interior contains 25 rooms plus main halls running east-west and side halls north- south on both floors.

All the windows in the main block have wooden interior shutters with six or eight panels and with various types of hinges made by J. CLark & Son, an English firm which began business in about 1795 and is still in existence. Of the. nine fireplaces, three are similar in style and of marble, five are of wood and soap- stone or brick, and one is brick with a wood mantel. A large clapboarded barn of the 19th century and a 50 year-old shingled, three door garage stand about 100' south of the house across the circular drive.

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 MLAW _ECONOMICS -LITERATURE _EDUCATION _MILITARY ENGINEERING MUSIC EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT PHILOSOPHY _INDUSTRY X POLITICS/GOVERNMENT -INVENTION -RELIGION SCIENCE -SCULPTURE -SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _THEATER -TRANSPORTATION _OTHER (SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES 1846 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT Col. Moses Newell Newell Farm is significant architecturally as a fine Greek Revival/Federal style house built from salvaged materials. Historically, the property is significant for the roles its owners have played in local and state politics and business, and because the pro- perty has remained under continuous family ownership since 1761. Newell Farm is outstanding architecturally for the area because of its unusual size and materials. Most of the other significant houses in the region are of clapboard and far smaller in size than this stately brick house. Moreover, Col. Moses Newell, the original owner, is reported to have built this house with salvage materials from buildings demolished in 1845 to make room for the addition to the State House in Boston. Moses Newel1 sent his loads of butchered meat from the farm to Charlestown Navy Yard on a regular basis.

Returning by way of Beacon Hill, he would bring back loads of building materials. house at Newell Farm. Evidence to support this concept includes an article in the Haverhill Gazette of May 18, 1933, in which L.W. Smith wrote about the farm: "I heard my uncle (Cyrus K. Ordway, partner of Moses Newell) say to some friends that Col. Newell bought the marble caps over the windows in his house also the ones under the window sills, the blinds, windows, and folding shutters, marble mantels and much of the fine woodwork of the house from one of the fine old houses of Boston that was being torn down to make room for a new building..."1 There are three extra sandstone lintels that match those of the house, one of which was found buried to the rear of the building.

Also, two of the windows on the south elevation are slightly smaller than the rest, possibly to fit interior wooden shutters which were smaller than those in other rooms. The Newell family has been important in West Newbury history since the 18th century when Samuel Newel1 moved there from Roxbury and settled on the land which is now Newell Farm. His grandson, Joseph Newell, who later owned the farm, was a Sergeant of the Minutemen during the Revolutionary War and fought on April 19, 1775. He also served on a committee to build the Rocks Village Bridge across the Merrimack to East Haverhill in 1795 (NR 12/8/76, Rocks Village Historic District, Haverhill). He was also a pro- minent businessman in the county and served in the Great and General Court and as a Selectman in Newbury. Joseph Newel1's son, Col.

Moses Newell, who built the present house, was active as a selectman and moderator for the town of West Newbury between 1822 and 1857. He served terms as a Representative to the General Court in 1826 and 1841 in addition to running the large farm. 1 Haverhi11 Gazette, "My Recollections", L.W. Smith, 1933

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Currier; History of Newbury. Coffin; History of Newbury. Colby; History of Essex County. Town Records, Newbury and West Newbury. Davis, William T; History of Essex County. 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY _ UTM REFERENCES 3acres AL19/ BB61669 EZB9790 EASTING NORTHING BLI ZONE VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION EASTING LLILu NORTHING 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 Joseph R. Orfant & Margo Webber, & ORGANIZATION Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET & NUMBER 294 Washington Street CITY OR TOWN Boston Newell Potter Price DATE 22 February 1978 TELEPHONE 617-727-8470 STATE Massachusetts STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE EVALUATED SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE!

NATIONAL_ STATE _ LOCAL As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665), 1 hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and orocedures set forth by the National Park Service. STATE HTSTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER SIGNAGI TatuaLweglask 3/23p8 TITLE Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Commissiongate Acting FOR NPS USE ONLY I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DIRECT ATTEST. KEEPER OFTHE NATIONAL-REGISTER DATE HETLHEOE DATE 2.21:28 62978 GPO 892.453 Form No. 10-300a (Kev.

10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED APR 3 1978 DATE ENTERED JUL 2 1 1978 CONTINUATION SHeet Newell Farm ITEM NUMBER 8 PAGE 1 Over the years, Newell Farm has continued to be used for agricultural purposes. At one point the farm spread over 350 acres although now the property covers only 60 acres, most of which is leased as a nursery. The Newel1 family has retained ownership of the property for six consecutive generations to the present day. Newell Farm continues to stand as a reminder of the Newell family's prominent role in local politics and business through the years and is an interesting example of a fine Greek Revival house built from the salvage materials of historic buildings of an earlier period. Form No. 10-300a (Kev.

10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED APR 3 DATE ENTERED 1978 21 1976 CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER Property Sketch Map Taken from the West Newbury Town Assesors Map 1977 Newel1 Farm West Newbury, MA. (Mass. Route 113) PAGE Main Street 375' Scale 1"=50" House 285' 410' Bairn Gaxage 362}' Newel1 Farm West Newbury, MA. 1976 Bryant Libby Newell Farm 243 Main Street West Newbury, MA. 01985 Essex Covoty JUL 21 1978 APR 3 1978 Photo #1 al Looking southeast towards the house facade PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REG ENTRIES IN.THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered "JUL 21 1978 Name Half Way House First Parish Church Capron House Newel1 Farm D8*78001406 Locke, Capt.

Benjamin, House Hawthorne Class Studio Thayer Public Library Location Chatham Barnstable County Duxbury vicinity Plymouth County Attleboro Bristol Couty West Newbury Essex County Arlington Middlesex County Provincetown Barnstable County Braintree Norfolk County Also Notified Honorable Edward W. Brooke Honorable Edward M. Kennedy Honorable Gerry E. Studds Honorable Margaret M. Heckler Honorable Michael J. Harrington Honorable Thomas P. 0'Neill, JI. Honorable James A. Burke State Historic Preservation Officer Mrs. Patricia L.

Weslowsk1 Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Commission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 NR Byers/bjr 7/25/78 PH0666262 NATIONAL REGISTER DATA SHEET DNAME as it appears on federal register: OTHER NAMES: 3 date of entry county code: Newel1 Farm 'JUL 21 1978 -09 5 LOCATION street & number city / town vicinity of state county (G)NPS REGION: 243 Main St. Essex West Newbury NA MA 7 OWNER XPRIVATE COSTATE MUNICIPAL OCOUNTY OMULTiPLE -FEDERAL(agency name) 8ADMINISTRATOR: EXISTING SURVEYS CHABS CHAER | ONHL 10) FUNDED? OYES -NO CONGRESS. DISTRICT 6th (12) SOURCE of NOMINATION * STATE -SHPO staff ed form?

DISTRIETE RIE LANDMARKZ ACREAEE SHPO staff EYES E YES LOCAL -PRIVATE ORGANIZATION ICONDITION -deteriorated Oaltered Doriginal site 17)features: * LSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-1 @OSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-2 Dexcellent 2OSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT - 3 Oruins Ounaltered Omoved O ONOT INTACT-O Ogood Dunexposed 9O NOT INTACT-O -reconstructed Ounknown EOUNKNOWN-4 SO UNKNOWN-5 QONOT INTACT - O Dfair Ounexcavated Dexcavated 5OUNKNOWN-6 2O NOT APPLICABLE-7 WO NOT APPLICABLE-8 MO NOT APPLICABLE - 9 18 ACCESS OYES-Restricted [YES -Unrestricted - No Access - Unknown 19 ADAPTIVE USE CYES ONO SAVED? DYES IS PROPERTY A HISTORIC DISTRICT?

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

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