Nomination for Mills, Davis, House

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 For HCRS use only received MAR 3 1982 date entered APR 1 1982 historic Davis MillsHouse and/or common Same 2. Location street & number 945 Central Avenue NA not for publication city, town Needham NA vicinity of i congressional district 9th state Massachusetts 3.

Classification code 025 county Norföik code - 021 Category district X building(s) _structure site object Ownership public X private both Public Acquisition in process being considered Status X occupied - unoccupied work in progress Accessible X yes: restricted yes: unrestricted Present Use agriculture commercial educational entertainment government industrial military X museum park private residence religious scientific transportation other: 4. Owner of Property name Dr. Richard E. Toran and Sally A. Toran street & number" 945 Central Avenue T201 city, town Needham N/A vicinity of 5. Location of Legal Description state Massachusetts 02192 courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Norfolk County Registry of Deeds street & number High Street city, town 6.

title Dedham state Representation in Existing Surveys Inventory of the Historic Assets Of the Commonwealth has this property been determined elegible? Massachusetts _ yes X date 1977 federal X _ state county - local depository for survey records Massachusetts Historical Commission city, town Boston state Massachusetts 7. Description Condition X excellent - good fair _ deteriorated ruins unexposed NEEDHAM: Davis-Mills House, 954 Central Street Check one X unaltered -altered Check one X original site moved date Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

The Davis Mills House sits proudly on a three-acre site on a sloping hillside overlooking Needham's old town center, now Townsend Green. Surrounding the house are lawns, fields, and gardens. Iwo unattached buildings -- a barn and a more modern garage -- also stand nearby. The Mills House was built in 1834, and is a good local example of the late Federal style. The wood frame house is 2½ stories high: with a gable roof and five bay facade. Detailing the double cube composition are twin rear wall chimneys, six over six window sash, and a delicate center entrance on the facade. This entry is composed of two slender undecorated pilasters topped with a high, dentillated frieze and projecting cornice, all containing narrow half-height sidelights and a six-panelled door. Extending west (to the rear) from the main block is the original kitchen ell, 2½ stories high with a gable roof.

To this wing was added in 1916 an additional 2½ story ell, which now contains a more modern kitchen and work area. Several unobtrusive changes have been made to these rear wings, among them a bay window, dormer windows, and two secondary entrances. The main block of the house has a parlor on either side of the front door and bedrooms above. One of the most notable interior features is a circular stairway which rises steeply to the second floor. Although somewhat cramped, the use of this motif does add a good deal of style to a "country house," and reflects a sophisticated turn of mind on the part of a country builder. The Mills House has been well preserved by its successive owners and is in excellent physical condition.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Significance Period prehistoric 1400-1499 1500-1599 1600-1699 1700-1799 X 1800-1899 1900- Areas of Significance-Check and justify below - archeology-prehistoric community planning - archeology-historic conservation agriculture economics X architecture education art engineering commerce exploration/settlement communications industry invention _landscape architecture. _ law _ literature -military music - philosophy - politics/government - religion - science _ sculpture social/ humanitarian theater .transportation other (specify) Specific dates 1834 Builder

Statement of significance

/Architect Unknown Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) The Davis Mills House possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, and workmanship and is important in the history of Needham for several reasons. The Architectural quality of its vernacular design, a visually striking site, and identifica- tion with the locally prominent Mills family over several centuries, meet Criteria B and C of the National Register of Historic Places. The Davis Mills House stands on the easterly slope of North Hill and overlooks the original center of the town. The site was originally reserved as ministerial land and required a series of acts passed by the General Court to release this property for sale.

Members of the Mills family were among the earliest in the area, at one time known as "Mills country." Samuel Mills was a landholder as early as 1674, before the purchase of the land from representatives of the Massachusetts tribe in 1680. Later generations served as surveyors of highways, town incorporators, Minutemen, militiamen, and business- men. Davis Collins Mills (1800-1865), who built this house in 1834, was a sixth-generation descendant of the first Samuel Mills, and proved no exception to the family tradition of civic interest. Davis was the ninth member of his family to serve as selectman and also served as an assessor. At the time this building was constructed, Davis's uncle, two brothers, and a sister also lived in the neighborhood. Davis Mills was a victualler, or butcher, and he operated a slaughter house in the orignal barn behind his house.

His two brothers ran glue shops, and he supplied them with the raw material of their trade. The intersection of Central and Great Plain Avenues, near which all of the Mills houses stood, is still known as Dog Corner, a hame acquired in the mid-nineteenth century because of the number of hounds kept by the Mills brothers, all hunting men. Davis Mills bought the site from the First Parish in 1833, with the curious restriction "that he build a house within three years on the premises as large as the one built by Israel Whitney in the neighborhood." Israel Whitney's house, built in 1831, still stands next door, inviting comparison. The unusual delicacy of the doorway and interior circular stairway are perhaps other effects of this competition for attention.

Assessor's records show that the house was built between the spring of 1834 and the spring of 1835, when the completed house was assessed at $725. Davis Mills was married in April of 1834, and moved into the house with his new bride. After the death of Mills in 1865, his son, Davis C. Mills, Jr., continued to occupy the house and carry on the family business on site. The building remained in the Mills family until the death of Davis Mills' widow in 1891. Its excellent state of preservation is a tribute to a succession of sympathetic owners.

The rest of the file

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

Major Bibliographical References Jones, Frederick Old Houses, Needham, MA., Needham, 1953 Clarke, George K. History of Needham, Boston, 1912. Material from files of the Needham Historical Society MERIFIE 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property3 acres Quadrangle name - Natick UMT References * Ligl L3|114/31410/ Zone Easting cuLuL ELULLILLL GLULLILLL Quadrangle scale 1:25,000 1416|814|01010/ Northing LLLL LILILLL 1LLL LLOLLIL Easting Northing DL LILu LLILU LLLLL LILILIL HL LuLud LILLu southwesterly by westerly br landnow oatormertytor John N fasterly and southeasterly by Central Ave. 262 ft Eormerly Day, 430.77 ft., again southwesteriy by "land' now or formerly Institute, 228.60f Ma5 north easteony by salddabton osthente, bda 4e32 page tor now or formerly by Babson Norfolk County Registry of Deeds.

List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries state NA code county code state code county code 11. Form Prepared By name/titlewendy Frontiero, Preservation Planner, w/ Needham Historical Conmission organization Massachusetts Historical Commission date April, 1980 street& number 294 Washington Street telephone (617) 727-8470 city or town Boston state Massachusetts 02108 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 propertyfor inclusion inthe National Register and certify that it has been evaluated State Historic Preservation Officer signature LWeslonska title Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Commission For HCRS use only I hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register Xelure Entered yur National Im the glister aelen Keeper of the National Register date 2/17/82 date 4/,/82 Attest: Chief of Registration date GPO 028 825 FHR-8-300 (11-78) Needham, Davis-Mills House United States Department of the Interior Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number 8 For HCRS use only received MAR 3 1982 date entere APR 1 1982 Page 2 Historic archaeological resources in the form of artifacts and features are likely to exist on the Davis Mills House property.

Archaeological features document changes in the use of land and the configuration of structures, information generally unavailable from written sources. Artifacts can indicate the range of domestic activities which occurred at the site and on occasion, the network of trade which bought goods to the particular status group who occupied the property. NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION / RETURN SHEET United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Property: Mulls, Dairo, Atouse State, County: MA, Federal Agency: Working No. 3/3/82-591 Fed. Reg. Date: 2,1,83 Dato Due: 4-1-82 4-17-82 resubmission Entered in Ac ton: ACCEPT4/1/82 - RETURN_ nomination by person or local governmentNational Register - REJECT_ owner objection photos 3 appeal maps - Substantive Review: - sample - request - appeal - NR decision Reviewer's comments: Recom.

/Criteria - Reviewer Discipline_ Date see continuation sheet -Nomination returned for: _ -technical corrections cited below -substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location X3. Classification gery hmership Xpublte Aoqputattion 4. Owner of Property Matus bccesal prosant Ueo 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys nas thie proporty boon deserminad oliglble? =10a - no 7. Description Condities exceltent good tair . detertorated ruins _ Chock ano _ unaltered aftered Chack one __ original site _ moved date erfibo the proso at and arteinal (if knewm) phyeieel aggoerene summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection 8.

Significance Ported rees el 8 peelfte detes datement el Sigalfeanoo (in and juetily boler hbder Grobd 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 ef nominated property Guadrangto namo UNT Roterences Varbel boundery does and hestilleatien 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluatad algnificance of thle propperty vulehin the etete ie: . national local nate Hletoric Preeervatien Officer signeture dete 13. Other Maps Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to. Signed - Date.

Phone: 202 272 -3504 Comments for anyitem maybe continued on an attached sheet -Y-11 Davis Mills Huuse NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM TRECEIVED PATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORM TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH E NAME HISTORIC Davis Mills House AND/OR COMMON same LOCATION CITY.TOWN Needham _VICINITY OF PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Kenneth Watson NEGATIVE FILED AT 142 Hillcrest Rd., Needham IDENTIFICATION DESCRIEE VIEW. DIRECTION. ETC. IF DISTRICT. GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET East facade coUNTYNorfolk S DATE OF PHOTO 1979 PHO MAR 3 1982 R10-4-19 Davis Mills House Needham, Mass.

South Facade Photo #2 NEEDHAM, MA Davis Mills House South facade Photo by Kenneth Watson Negative filed with photographer, 142 Hillcrest Rd, Needham Photo 2 of 3 MAR 3 1982 R10-11-19 Photo Front NEEDHAM, MA Davis Mills House Front entry Photo by Kenneth Watson 1979 Negative filed with: photographer at 142 Hillerest Rd, Needham Photo 3 of 3 MAR 3 1982 Needham, Mass. KENNETH E. WATSEN 142 HILLCREST RD. NEEDHAM, MA 02192 Davis Mills House Name ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered APRIL 1, 1982 Location Felton, Nathaniel, Houses Peabody Essex County Belcher-Rowe House Milton Norfolk County ) Mills, Davis, House Needham Norfolk County Old South Union Church Weymouth Norfolk County Notified Honorable Edward M. Kennedy Honorable Paul E. Isongas Honorable Nicholas Mavroules Honorable Brian J.

Donnelly Honorable John Joseph Moakley Honorable Gerry E. Studds Mid-Atlantic Regional Office, NPS North Atlantic Regional Office, NPS State Historic Preservation Officer Mrs. Patricia L. Weslowski Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Commission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 For further information, please call the National Register at (202) 272-3504