Nomination for Choate, Rufus, House

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

NPS Form 10-900 (7-81) OMB NO.1024-0018 EXP. 10/31/84 United States Department of the Interior National Park 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 For NPS use only received OCT 14 1982 date entered historic The Rufus) Choate House same and/or common 2. Location street & number 14 Lynde Street N/A not for publication city, town Salem N/A vicinity of conaressional district state Massachusetts 3.

Classification Category Ownership -district - public X building(s) X private structure both site - object Puplic Acquisition in process being considered code 025 county Essex code 009 Status X occupied unoccupied work in progress Accessible - yes: restricted - yes: unrestricted no Present Use - agriculture _ commercial educational entertainment government industrial _ military museum park private residence religious scientific transportation other: 4. Owner of Property name Rufus Choate Associates street & number c/o Kenneth E. Lindauer, 14 Lynde Street city, town Salem N/A vicinity of 5. Location of Legal Description state Massachusetts courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. street & number South Essex District Registry of Deeds 32 Federal Street city, town Salem state 6.

Representation in Existing Surveys Inventory of the Historic Assets title of the Commonwealth #26/432 has this property been determined eligible? Massachusetts _yesX no date 1979 .federalX state _ county _ local depository for survey records Massachusetts Historical Commission city, town Boston state Massachusetts 7. Description Rufus Choate House, Salem, MA Condition excellent _ good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one _ unaltered X altered Check one X original site - moved date _ N/A Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

The Rufus Choate House is a Federal period structure in downtown Salem, Massachusetts. The bullding faces south on Lynde Street, a block from one of Salem's main thoroughfares, Washington Street. Its small urban lot is contained within a small-scale neighborhood of residential structures, which now house a variety of uses. Built in 1787, the Choate House is three stories high with a hip roof, clapboard siding, a granite foundation, and twin interior chimneys. The main block of the house is one story deep with a center entrance; a gabled 3-story ell at the rear of the building is also original. Continuing northward from this ell are two 1-story additions, the story addition containing one room on each floor.

Because of the numerous ells and additions, fenestration is irregular on the side and Prior to the recent restoration, sash generally contained 2/2 lights; these have been replaced with new 6/6 sash. The symmetrical facade of the Choate House Bioa%, repe raito cea Facade or ie carate souesd is five bays long; its center entrance is surmounted by a bracketed canopy and rectangular bay window. Separating the property from the street is a cast iron fence erected in 1853. The house apparently remained intact until its ownership by the Northend family (1871- 1935). In the last quarter of the 19th century, several changes were made.

The original front steps were replaced with the present granite stairs, and the old door- way (appearance unknown) was replaced with a new double doorway, hood, and bay window At that period, if not before, 2/2 sash was installed throughout the house, and the 2-story, flat roofed addition was constructed. The original one-story woodshed behind the original ell was extended northerly at various times. During the second quarter of this century, the house was re-sided with asphalt shingles. During the restoration of 1980-81, which was certified by the National Park Service for tax act purposes, the Choate House was re-clapboarded, 6/6 sash was installed on all windows, and shutters were re-introduced to the facade.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Significance Rufus Choate House, Salem, MA Period - prehistoric 1400-1499 1500-1599 1600-1699 X 1700-1799 X 1800-1899 1900 Areas of SignificanceCheck and justify below - archeology-prehistoric - community planning archeology-historic conservation agriculture economics & architecture education art engineering commerce exploration/settlement communications industry invention X - landscape architecture -law literature - military - music - philosophy - politics/government religion science sculpture social/ humanitarian theater .transportation -other (specify) Specific dates 1787 Statement of Significance

Statement of significance

(in one paragraph) Builder/Architect N/A The Rufus Choate House retains integrity of design, location, and setting. The property is significant for its association with a prominent statesman and as a representation of Federal period development in Salem; it meets criteria B and C of the National Register. The Choate House was constructed in 1787 for Ebenezer Beckford, a prominent Salem merchant. More significantly, between 1825 and 1834, the building was occupied by Rufus Choate (1799-1859), a lawyer, orator, and politician. During his residency in Salem, Choate served in the Massachusetts legislature and in the United States Congress. Choate left Salem for Boston in 1834 and subsequently Attorney General, and founder and President of the Massachusetts Bar Association.

Choate's eloquence and intelligence were well known in his time, not only through his %e to have follened in the fores teps of bantel acbster In 1873 the Choate House was bought by William Drummer Northend, a celebrated criminal lawyer in New England. Author of The 0ld Bay Colony, Northend was also known as one of the most accurate historical writers of the period His daughter Mary Northend, who lived at the Choate House most of her life, maintained an' extensive collection of photo- graphic negatives (more than 16,000) of historic houses, and published many articles on colonial buildings. During much of the zuth century, the choate House was used as a boarding house for men. Substantial renovation has recenty been completed, converting the building to use as law offices. Architecturally, the Choate House provides an excellent representation of the Federal period in Salem.

Its simple but elegant design typifies middle class housing during of great prosperity and development in Salem.

The rest of the file

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

Major Bibliographical References see continuation sheet 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property 4,800+ square feet Quadrangle name Salem, Mass. UMT References AL1,9| 1314.4/21010 Zone Easting 1417/019/31110 Northing 1ILL EL GULLLLILILLI Verbal boundary description and justification Quadrangle scale 1:25,000 BLILiL Zone Easting LliLu Northing -L LIL JLLILL See attached map. List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries state N/A code county code state N/A code county code 11. Form Prepared By Wendy Frontiero, Preservation Planner, with Elaine B. Finbury and name/title Kenneth E. Linduaer, Rufus Choate Associates organization Massachusetts Historical Commission date May 17, 1982 street & number 294 Washington Street telephone (617) 727-8470 city or town Boston state Massachusetts 12.

State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: national state X 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 Oricer signature Valerii Ann Talmage title Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Commission date

31,1982 For NPS use only 1 hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register Entered In tha Xelon National Regiater *Keeper of the National Register date 11/12/82 Attest: Chief of Registration date FHR-8-300 (11-78) United States Department of the Interior Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Continuation sheet Rufus Choate House Salem, MA Item number For HCRS use only received date entered Bibliography Page 1 Title and Probate records of owners of record of 14 Lynde Street from Ebenezer and Hannah Beckford 1785 to 1971. Title records, Essex Registry of Deeds, Salem, MAssachusetts. Probate and Inventory records, Essex Registry of Probate, Salem, Massachusetts. Essex Institute Historical Collections, Salem, Massachusetts.

Henessey, Edward F., Address By Chief Justice Henessey, Boston Bar Journal, June 9, 1980 Martin, Edward Sandford, The Life of Joseph Hodges Choate, Charles Scribners, New York, November 1920. Independent Research Reports: Joyce Cook, Historic Salem Robert Booth, Professional House Researcher, Amesbury, MA 4075> 423 424 6 P4 75 569 494 4,183 $ 493° 8,748 492 5,753 PL STREET 489 10,714 WITCH HOUSF =0° Ko-SS.s 2193 470° 3.260 5,120 468 7+80 467 527 RTE SUMMER 19 58 413 1.96 AC. 409 2979 506 17000-5 4LL 02785 38 69 65 420 9.57÷ ESSEX PROBATE CO. COURT 422 L3,051 425 3/28 421 79 426 4,388 28-30 L 127 441 30300 WESLEY METHODIST CHURCH 427 4,530 Y 412 37,6 85-S F E.

R DEsR A L 19 59 57 419 418 3,441 4,425 428 1,320 59 E 25 90 S S6/ 420- S TREET 150-S 46 32-5 415 253 1414 4,060 429 5,82 8 60-5 43/ 432 430 8,795 3,425 433 5,7033 45-5 / 48-5 6 33: N 440 6,061 S 16 65 TREE T 14 10-12 15 PARI 162-6 SING 434 3,197 Il EWALL 15,870 25 77-S 2,064 25-5|20-550-5 304 302 300 442 5 846 4470 138 299 29 SALEM Y. M. C. A. 438 3/5/5 130-S 284 ESSEX 289-297 65-S 240-5 co 287 301- 307 65 458 6,509 CROMBIE 380 - S 437 2444 48 275-281 62 447 7545 CITY PARKING 435 40,157 436 3,925 45-S 70- S 266 266 S 267.2 :275 E 263-269 64 55 1192 -459 4,101 456 13,240 60-S PARKING 455 15/21 445 6,630 BAR TON 230 - S 446 7,824 160- 1460 4,418 EXEMPT 448 20406 SQUARE PARKING 46l 13,000 X - -- REV. BY REV. BY 454 5,/59 X 2072139 449 REV. BY SALEM, MASS. RUFUS CHOATE HOUSE From Assessor's Map Salem, Mass. 1980 Scale 1" = 100' S.E.D.

1980 AVIS 1979 AVIS 1978 HATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES ed States Dee aul of shoe latertes I Part Servic EVALUATION / RETURN SHEI Choate, Rufus, House Essex County MASSA CHUSETTS - resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Roviow: Roviower's comments: Working No. .10/14/82-2845 Fed. Reg. Date: 2. Dato Due: 4/1/82 11/28/82 Action: -ACCEPT 11/12/32 Entered in the - RETURN National Registez_ REJECT Foderal Agoncy:- - sample - request _ appeal - NR decision -Nomination returned for: Rocom. /Criteria - Reviower. Disciplino- Date _Bo0 continuation sheet - technical corrections cited below substantive reasons discussad bolow 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Prosons Uoo 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Représentation in Existing Surveys - - 7.

Description porteo doo prosond lad ertatmed (1l kumeraan pinpaiadl -m90052090 summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection 8. Significance noso ol Tlonta summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance to the resource context relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other 9. Major Bibliographical References_ 10. Goographical Data el somratnd prossenty. - Vart Rederenes ertad bouadery e 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification el onto proparty culorum cno crata la: - Patlone -- oca: Tte Heetarte Preservatten Ofeer signature - 13.

Other Maps Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Signed - Date - Phone: 202 272-3504 Comments for any Item may be continued on an attached sheet Rufus Choate House Salem, Mass. by Kenneth E. Lindauer, 1982 negatives with photographer 14 Lynde Street, Salem, Mass. View of main facade. Photo 1 of 1 anm S>1I 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 August 31, 1982 Mr. Jerry Rogers Keeper National Park Service Mid-Atlantic Regional Office 600 Arch Street Room 9310 Philadelphia, PA 19106 Dear Mr. Rogers: Enclosed are several National Register forms: Salem: Rufus Choate House (Iocal) new submission - This has been voted eligible by the State Review Board; the owner supports nomination.

Boyalston: Deacon Cyprian Keyes House/Barlin Acres (1ocal) resubmission - additional photos have been included. Concord: Wheeler-Merriam House (local) resubmission - We have added a boundary justification. Ipswich-Turner Hill (state) - resubmission - photos and descriptions of out- buildings have been added as well as a boundary justification. Please let me know if you have any questions. Sincerely, Candace Jenkins Registration Director Massachusetts Historical Conmission -9 Enclosures CJ/pg OCT 14 1982> NATIONAL REGISTER -10,