BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
- FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, State House, Boston - - - - - In Area no. NW CAMB. Form no. NWC IIC9 1. Town Cambridge Address _336 Rindge Avenue Name Wyeth Brickyard Superintendent's House Present use residential 2. Photo (3x3" or 3x5") Staple to left side of form Photo number 10 - 3%A - P3 RINDGE® AV. 154.362. 218. RINDGE APTS Present owner Duguay & Robillard Market Inc. 3. Description: Date c1848 Source_ deed records Style Greek Revival/Italianate Architect unknown Exterior wall fabric_brick Outbuildings (describe) Other features worker's cottage of brick five bays, granite sills and lintels, corbel gables, original sidelight en- trance. Altered _NO Date --- Moved No Date . 5. Lot size: One acre or less XX Over one acre Approximate frontage 70 feet Approximate distance of building from street 28 feet 6.
Recorded by Arthur Krim Organization Cambridge Historical Comm. Date 1972 UTM-LEXINGTON 19/324060/46955460 OM-5-77 ASSESSOR # 268B -15 7. Original owner (if known) Nathaniel I. Wyeth Original use residential Subsequent uses (if any) and dates same 8. Themes (check as many as applicable) Aboriginal Agricultural Architectural The Arts Commerce Communication Community development XX Conservation Education Exploration/ settlement Industry Military Political Recreation Religion Science/ invention Social/ humanitarian Transportation 9. Historical significance (include explanation of themes checked above) The Wyeth Brickyard Superintendent's House is a well- preserved relic of the North Cambridge brick industry.
The glacial clay beneath the Great Swamp near Alewife Brook had been used to make bricks since the colonial period, but the need for manufactured brick in the rapidly growing cities of mid-nineteenth century New England prompted industrial development of the claylands. An industrial complex of brick- yards, drying kilns and clay pits existed in this part of Northwest Cambridge. The clay was exhausted by the, mid-twen- tieth century, at which time the brickyards were abandoned and the clay pits flooded or filled. Nathaniel Wyeth, a local entpreneur, was a key figure in the establishment of the brick industry in Northwest Cambridge. He helped finance the railroad extension in 1840, NOV * 4 1980 so that ice could be transported from Fresh Pond to the markets in Charlestown.
In the 1840s Wyeth opened his own brickyard and it was for this operation that the superintendent's house at 336 Rindge Avenue was built in 1848. The Wyeth house is an excellent example of its type. The structure has been excellently preserved and retains its original sidelight entrance, granite window sills and lintels and corbelled brickwork in the gables. Much of the interior is intact. The house has value both as a fine example of its genre and as a sytbol of the importance of the brickmaking industry in the history of Cambridge. 10. Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, early maps, etc.) The house was voted eligible for the National Register in 1976. --. ....
NPS Form 10-900-a (7-81) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory- -Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number For NPS use only received date entered Page /6 411 Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Cambridge Multiple Resource Area Nomination/Type of Review 151. Day, Anna, House 152. Kingsley, Chester, House Stee 153. Watson, Abraham, House 154. Wyeth Brickyard Superintendent's House Substantive Review ^155. Greek Revival Cottage Suneu *156. Vst. James Episcopal Churchasii *157. Kidder-Sargent-McCrehan House 158. Henderson Carriage Repository -159. Soule, Lawrence, House 160.
Wyeth-Smith House Subeeativo Ieviow /Keeper Attest VIra, Fetlar r Keeper Attest Ta marlcna Keeper Attest Keeper Attest / Keeper Attest Keeper Attest Keeper Attest Keeper Attest Subetentive Review Keeper Attest / Keeper Attest Date/Signature Weliam A. Brainam 4.13:82 WeuamH.Drackam 4.13.82 Wiekam t Araczam 43.82 Wuliam HBraikom 4.13.82 Wielam Ht. Brackam 4.13.82 Dopen luarDragel 6 083 Weliam H Bravnam 4.13.82 Wilkam H. Bravkam 4.13.82 WieuanH.Brarham 4.13.82 WellamH.Brackam4.13.82 NATIONAL Review REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES United States Department of the Interior National Park Service EVALUATION / RETURN SHEET Wyeth Brickyard Superintendents Property: Horile (Cambridge Multiple Resouce ARea) Working No. 11-14-80-2862 State, County: MA. Ruddlesex Fed. Reg. Date:.
Federal Agency: Date Due:- 4-17-8,2 Action: L resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal - RETURN - REJECT - photos L maps - Substantive Review: /sample - request - appeal - NR decision Reviewer's comments: rocally sighificant (or architecture and for assoucation uith ance important cambridge brick making industry. Recom. /Criteria Acept - A, C Reviewer Patuide Andus Discipline Historian Date 3/23/82 - see continuation sheet -Nomination returned for: _ technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Catogory Oumership Public Acquisitien 4. Owner of Property Matus Accessibie Present Use 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys has thia property been determined oligibte? - - 7. Description Conditien excellent good tair deteriorated - ruins .
unexposed Chock ene . unaitered aitered Check one - original site moved date norlbe the procent and eriginal (Il knewn) plyaicel apposrenco summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection 8. Significance orted of S4 peclfie detes san el Staniticanco (in eno paragras and justify baler wllder/Arehhteet summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas Checked relating significance to the resource context relationship of integrity to significance justification of excepticn other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10. Geographical Data loreage of nominated property Quedrangle name UMT Reterences Vorbel boundery doacrhatien and justhtcatien 11. Form Prepared By 12.
State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of thie property within the atate is: national state local Historic Preeervation Officer aignature dare 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 1110-36A NOV 1 4 1980 043 C Cambridae MRA, Ma hr eTh Br, yard supcrintendents becse 336 Rindge Ave. 1110-35A Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000275