Nomination for Grafton Inn

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

FHR-8-300 (11-78) United States Department of the Interior Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form See instructions in How to Complete National Register Forms Type all entries - complete applicable sections 1. Name stax hen historic HASSANAMISCO HOUSE For HCRS use only received MAY 1 3 1980 date entered JUN 1 6 1980 and/or common GRAFTON INN (preferred) 2. Location street & number 25 Central Square not for publication city, town Grafton vicinity of state Massachusetts 3.

Classification Category Ownership -district - public X building(s) X private structure both site Public Acquisition object in process being considered code 025 county congressional district Worcester 3rd code 027 Status X occupied -unoccupied -work in progress Accessible X yes: restricted yes: unrestricted no Present Use _agriculture X commercial educational entertainment government industrial military museum park private residence religious scientific transportation -other: 4. Owner of Property name Mr. Paul Roy street & number Eight Sibley Street city, town Grafton vicinity of 5. Location of Legal Description state Massachusetts 01519 courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Worcester Court House street & number 2 Main Street Worcester city, town state Massachusetts 6. Representation in Existing Surveys title Iventory of the Historic Assets of nas this property been determined elegible?

the Commonwealth - yes X no 1979 date federal state county X local depository for survey records Massachusetts Historical Commission city, town 294 Washington Street, Boston state Massachusetts 02108 7. Description Condition _ excellent - good fair _ deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one - unaltered x altered Check one - original site moved date Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

The Grafton Inn (Hassaminisco House) is a rectangular three storey, free standing structure, which dominates the eastern side of the Gratton Common and 15 comprised of two parts. Ihe western section, facing on the common and erected 1805/6 is a Federal structure of considerable design distinction. An ell, equal in size to the original structure completely obliterates the eastern elevation. The major 5 bay facade faces west and, rising above a low granite foundation, is presently augmented by a two storey Italianate style porch, which was added some- time after the fire which in 1863 destroyed the Warren Block and Town Hall and the Baptist Church to the north. At the first storey the proch extends across the full five bays of the facade, while at the second storey it occupies only the center three. At both levels it is supported by chamfered posts with elaborately carved brackets.

The symmetrical and high style western facade is articulated by a projecting central bay, the pediment of which rises above the eaves. This pediment breaks forward from a typically Federal, low hipped roof (now surfaced in asphalt shingle), which rises from all fours sides to a central monitor. Orginally, a parapet, comprised of turned ballusters similar to those (now also missing) which once decorated the central, domed belvedere, originally ornamented the joint of the monitor. The western facade is surfaced in clapboard, while the north and south elevations, incorporating four symmetrically located, chimneys, are executed in brick. eaves of the inn are decorated with mutules, a rope molding and dentiles and are thus identical to those found on many contemporaneous works by Charles Bulfinch, such as the Ihird Harrison Gray Otis House at 45 Beacon Street in Boston, of the same date.

The central pediment is pierced by a lunette window with a swelling sill and radial glazing. Elsewhere the fenestration is grouped in ranges of decreasing height from sill to eaves. The spacing of these windows and their comparatively heavy and simple surrounds lack the elegance of execution which Bulfinch himself had begun to develop by this date. Likewise the grouping and linking of the vertical articulation of the fenestration found in the Boston architect's best known contemporaneous work is lacking. The original fenestration, glazed 6/6 originally, has now been modi fied with later, larger panes of 2/1 glass, although the integrity of the openings themselves remains unaltered on other than the first floor at the entrance.

Here the original door, centrally located under a one storey porch, and probably incorporating a fanlight, has been augmented with two lateral openings containing paired paneled doors which appear to date from the addition of the proch. The central window on the second floor has been enlarged to form an Italianate door, with round arched glazing in etched glass, to allow access to the upper level of the porch. Simple cornerboards are placed at the extremes fo the western elevation where clapboard abuts brick. The southern elevation, which was earlier obscured by adjacent building, once incor- porated an arched door with fanlight, now blocked up, and the northern elevation was essentially identical to it. Here the windows are grouped in three rows to allow for the chimey bases to run the full height of the elevation within the exposed brick walling, now painted white.

These openings, like those on the other elevations, originally had shutters and echo the arrangement of the western facade in terms of vertical placement, although their horizontal spacing differs. The eastern elevation has been entirely ob- scured by the addition of an ell in the Civil War period, which is equal or greater in size than the original Federal structure. In this process openings were introduced the eastern wall of the earlier part.

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 Areas of Significance - Check and justify below _ archeology-prehistoric archeology-historic community planning conservation agriculture economics x _ architecture education art engineering * commerce communications exploration/settlement industry invention landscape architecture. law literature military music philosophy politics/government science sculpture social humanitarian X transportation other (specify) 1805/06 Specific dates Statement of Significance

Statement of significance

(in one paragraph) Builder/Architect Samuel Wood (builder) The Grafton Inn possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials and work- manship and strong associations with the development of Grafton Common. Its primary significance derives from the high quality of its Federal period design. It's cubical for enclosed by a low hipped roof with monitor and octagonal belvedere typify the best of the period. The finest feature is the cornice which incorporates, dentiles, mutules and a rope molding.

The Hassanamisco House (now the Grafton Inn) was named after the Indian tribe which first occupied the area, and today still have a reservation in the Brigham Hill Road area of The Inn, on the Grafton Common, was strategically located at the intersection of Route 122 (Worcester to Providence) and an old Indian trail which had been used by white men as early as the 17th century when, Thomas Hooker led his migration following this trail 160 miles southwest from Cambridge to found Hartford, Connecticut in 1636. This central mail coach stop and cross roads was by-passed only a few years after the Inn was erected in 1805/6 due to the building of the Worcester Turnpike from Boston (Route #9). Samue 1 Wood, who built the Inn, was from Hopkinton (Woodville) born in 1761 and moved early in life to Grafton, where he joined many other members of the Wood family, including his brother, Dr.

Joseph Wood, who first employed him on his farm and store. Known for his energy, Samuel Wood built the Grafton Inn in 1805/6 and was its proprietor and the principle hotel keeper of Grafton until his death in 1813. The high style building, and its obvious relationship to the designs of Charles Bulfinch and Asher Benjamin 1s supported historically by known connections of Samuel Wood to Boston. Rope moulding similar to those in the Inn were made in Grafton in 1815 in the cabinet shop of Ezekiel Brigham. The Inn was owned by Samuel Wood from 1805/6 to 1813. It passed then to his son Hon. Samuel Wood (b. 1793) the only one of his four children to reach adulthood. Hon. Samuel Wood had four daughters and married Sarah Bruce (d. 1817), then Hannah P. Adams. Born in Grafton, he spent almost all his life there and was one of the most outstanding men in the area.

He held all the town offices (clerk, selectman, etc.) continuing to the state house of representatives under Governor Griggs as rep- resentative from the Worcester District. Lowell Baker acquired the Inn in 1826 and ran it until his death in 1857 when it passed to his son Lowell Baker, Jr. In the late 1860's the Inn was operated by Colonel Cogswell, while Lowell Baker was residing in Worcester. In 1879 A.J. Kerby acquired the Inn, which was then called The Kirby House. He still owned it in 1094 when the pictorial map of Grafton was made. During the 20th century the building, now known as the Grafton Inn was operated as such until the 1940's. Present plans are to restore building and return it to use as an Inn.

The rest of the file

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

Major Bibliographical References Pierce, Frederick C., History of Grafton (Grafton: Author, 1879). Nason, Rev. Elias, N.A., Gazetteer of Massachusetts (Boston: B.B. Russell, 1874). Barber, J.W., Sandroft, I., Peabody, E., Massachusetts Towns :An 1810 View (Barre, Barre Pub1. 1963). 10. Geographical Data HIIM NOT VERIFIED Acreage of nominated property 23,250 sq. ft.

ACREAGE NOT VERTFIED Quadrangle name Grafton Quadrangle scale 1:25000 UMT References *L12l 121718/31010 1416 /715 /91610 Zone Easting Northing cLL E Zone =astinc DL LIL ILLL GLULLILL LILILLL Verbal boundary description and justification Westerly (front) facing Grafton Common: 100.25 Northerly: 197.32' LliL Northing LLLLL LILLL Li Southerly: 249' along Upton Street Please refer to the attached: Grafton Assessor's Maps plot #74 Easterly: 85.53' List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries state code county code state code county code 11. Form Prepared By Margaret H. Floyd Consultant name/title Candace Jenkins, National Register Coordinator organization Massachusetts Historical Commission date February 1980 street & number 294 Washington Street telephone 727-8470 city or town Boston state Massachusetts 12.

State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the 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 Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service.

title State Historic Preservation Officer signature Executive Director Massachusetts Historical Commission For HCRS use only I hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register Bma FoKeeper of the National Register Attest: Tatuck Andus Chief of Ragistration FotumLWeslnoski date 4/30/80 date 1/1/80 date 6//2/80 GPO 028 835 FHR-8-300A (11/78) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM FOR HCRS USE ONLY RECEIVED MAY 1 3 1960 DATE ENTERED CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER PAGE #9 Major Bibliographical References (cont.) Anderson, Forbush, Interview (Grafton, 17 November, 1979). Woodford, Map of Grafton (1855).

Property Gralton son State Ma - Warcester Working Number 5-13-80 1323 reln080000675 CONTROL TECHNICAL, Photos- Maps 2 Built in 1805-6 this building is eligible for architective as a high quality HISTORIAN exampleg Zederal style achitectue. Built at a strategic intersection the tuilding thrwedas an inn feam 1805 until the 1940A. a civil was era ell neauly doubles tatuek Anduus its size. Importantelements of the dun aie its richty detailed cornuce, fantight, belveder 6/12/80 andan intricate 2 story Ltalianate stale porch. ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF BRANCH CHIEF KEEPER National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 2.3,8| Send-back Re-submit Entered JUN | 6 1980 United States Department of the Interior - Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service GRAFTON WS I JUN |6 1980 Grafton Inn 25 Central Square worester co.

Richard White 1979 Architectural Conservation Trust 45 School Street, Boston Photo #1 of 3 north and west elevations facing southeast MAY 1 3 1980 HiKEN L, Recie hap ACT Grafton Inn 25 Central Square JUN / 6 1980 Grafton, Mass Worxester Co- C. Pearlman Architectural Conservation Trust 45 School Street, Boston Photo #2 of 3 Porch detail MAY 1 3 1980 Grafton Inn 25 Central Square JUN | 6 1980 Graiton, Mass. vorcester co. C. Pearlman 1979 Architectural Conservation Trust 45 Schoo1 Street, Boston Photo #3 of 3 cornice detail MAY 1 3 1980 40,00k 7 000 e5 5 12140 267 82' 36,269 a 49 48 140. 50 10,2300 134.3 90.12 28,000 46 B113 45 40872) 44 20792 70 4° 03.35 22100 129.01* ,or oz/ 138.

62 85:00, 73-29 2 2982 10.4 24955 PAK A 10Ac/P 11005 40.65 2511 10.5% 223.30 SARTELL STREET RD 88 094 BLVD 30 3600 100 9883 g) 68 802.9761 5,70 *69011625 (3153|5 668 14880 8580 9 28000 83.75 270 l0110 52 2 AC MILLBURY 135.15 STREET 113 .03 136 121 5$ 122 79332 10" 123 12880 120 al. 1800 00 10.40 18496 57420,; TOWN COMMON 124 -12 TIO 733 (40.3 WEST 11020214280 42 8660 18921 12542 90 92° 100 40 130'8580 199 39 3/ 10075 13027 19990 128 10.15 37.53 124.4 F 114 112 S8 416 1034910191 15006 82.0 136952 STREET 87.083611 945 185° 24 12367 5 9722310200 92 09 22 59.33 25000 122.76 195 124 A 39680 238 264 22704 2826 9734 26320 90.12 H17 1229689° 35030 STREET 32 2. 8 AC 130' 150 428 41500 126* 10204 129 43) 73.28 146.09 108-75 (5184 146.361 289 3: 686 26 42142 o.16 222 397.59 147.18 385.341 211.70 376.02 363 360.57.

181.79 33 3.72 AC 326.06' 209.94/ 336 130 624° 495.09 51.7,64 531.15 Grafton 25 Inn Central Square Grafton, Mass. 303 ROUTE 126.4/) 75.57 160 COLRAST INO ROSTON BEPITISEIFO 15190 35325 90r10073 "90 23250 UPTON 75 HIAC 36270 E 14500 2 1A0 98 3510/8928 g 5597 205 172.60 20984 18910 9900-65 19690 165 1SAC LO AC 267.63 410.64 2.6 A0. 8 31668 370 TAE 99. 70 29179 240 100 7200 240° J01 HIAC 102 7990 256.14 285 647 863.97 10%c 1.S AC 257 264.97 134.3 4 5AC 33325 2423 212. 83 LIAC 16 2620 230 107 A 2.3AC 465 1S-21080 220 300% 38.3* 200 13g: 12500 me 4240 111. 10 149.38 130.58 260.15 230.75 3.2 AC 26520 262 121.99 -30.09 THA ToT 6T.67 1.89 Ac.

LS AC 315 30050 GRAFTON GRAFTON INN 16.32 STREET RAILRÓAO 105 18.7AC RECEIVED MAY 1 3 1960 NATIONAL REGISTER 305.00 74 mnn S>0 MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Office of the Secretary of State 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 617-727-8470 MICHAEL JOSEPH CONNOLLY Secretary of State April 29, 1980 RITE RECEIVED MAY 1 3 1980 NATIONAL REGISTER Ms. Carol Shull, Acting Keeper Registration Branch Heritage, Conservation & Recreation Service 440 G Street NW Washington, D.C. 20243 Dear Ms. Shull: Enclosed you will find the following nomination forms: Boston: R.H.

Stearns Building (local) Boston: All Saints Church (national) Boston: Charles Playhouse (national) Cambridge: Sarah Foster Colburn House (state) Grafton: Grafton Inn (state) A11 have been voted eligible by the State Review Board and have been signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer. Sincerely, Christine Boulding chistie Bousing Survey Director CB: dr Name Colburn, Sarah Foster, House Charles Playhouse All Saint's Church Stearns, R. H., Building Grafton Inn ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered JUN 16 1030 Location Cambridge Middlesex County Boston Suffolk County Boston Suffolk County Boston Suffolk County Grafton Worcester County Also Notified Honorable Edward M. Kennedy Honorable Paul Isongas Honorable Thomas P. 0'Neil1, Jr. Honorable Brian J. Donnally Honorable John J. Moakley Honorable Joseph D. Early State Historic Preservation Officer Mrs.

Patricia L. Weslowski Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Commission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 NR Byers/mjd 6/27/80 For further information, please call the National Register at (202)343-6401.