BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
ORM B - BUILDING NASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION nifice of the Secretary, State House, Boston In Area no. c'Port FOr: IIO1 1. Town Cambridge Address 158 Auburn Street Name_ Asa Ellis House Present use residential 2. Photo (3x3" or 3x5") Staple to left side of form Photo number 1103-27 - 1822 Present owner Catherine Babalas 3. Description: Date 1805 Source deed records Style Federal Architect unknown Exterior wall fabrie composition sici: Outbuildings (describe)_none Other features five-bay Facace. capped by a low-pitched hip 2oo=. Fanlight over entrance. Altered Yes-minon Date Moved No Date -- 5. Lot size: One acre or less XX Over one acre Approximate trontage_. 50 Ieet Approximate distance of building from street 8 feet 6. Recorded by Robert Rettig OrganizationCambridge Historical Cer- Date_1969 UTM- DSTON SOUTH 19/326620/4692040 $4106-26 7.
Original owner (if known) Asa B1lis Original use residential Subsequent uses (if any) and dates residential 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) 158 Auburn Street is a rare example of a frame Federal style house in Cambridgeport. It is one of the most appealing houses in the Cambridgeport neighbornood with its side entrance facing a flower garden. It still retains the rural village flavor of old Cambridgepont. The house has a typical two-story, two-oom center-hall plan with the hearth centered on the rear wall. Only one of the two original chimneys remains.
The five-bay facade is capped by a lon- pitched hip roof. Over the entrance is a fanlight with simpie wood tracery. 10. Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, early maps, etc.) 2 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES United Stater Department of the Interior National Park Service EVALUATION / RETURN SHEET Ell2s, ASA, Resmure Horase (Cambridge Proporty: multiple ARca) State, County: MA- Meddlecx Federal Agency: Working No.1/-14-80-2862 Fod. Reg. Date:- Date Due: 4-17-82 Action: - ACCEPT - RETURN_ resubmission nomination by person or local government - REJECT - owner objection photos L maps - appeal Substantive Review: - sample - request_appeal NR decision Reviewer's comments: altoughaRare evample o zederae style houeze un Cambridgopat, the property does not seem to have mauntained Recom.
/Criteria Detrun significant integicty to Reviewer arch (es Discipline 4.2.82 lignt 4 continuation sheet rame nouse -Nomination returned for: - technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Cumorship Pubbtc hoqutattion 4. Owner of Property Matus Recocalblo prosom Uao 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Moe thie property bon determined oltgttle? -p0o - N 7. Description Condition .exceltert good tair _ detarioratad _ruins unexposad Ohock ano _ unattered - aitered Chack one _original site mored dete - acortoo tho prosant and ortginel (Il knaum) ptrycieel eppaeranoo summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection 8.
Significance Ported selfle dater od jootlly boler ullder Aretel summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance the to resource context relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10. Geographical Data sage of nominsted property - UNT Vorbel beundery descriptien and juetificatien 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evel I eignificance of thie property within the etete le: _ national -leca ate Metoric Proservetten Officer eignetur dote 13. Other Maps Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to.
Signed Wuaw H.Brackan Date 4/8.82 Phone: 202 272 -3504 Comments for any Item may be continued on an attached sheet FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, State House, Boston XF- -33 In Area no. C'Port Form no. CPT IICI 1. Town Cambridge Address 158 Auburn Street Name Asa Ellis House Present use residential 2. Photo (3x3" or 3x5") Staple to left side of form Photo number 1103-27 Catherine Babalas Present owner 3. Description: Date 1805 Source deed records Style_Federal Architect unknown Exterior wall fabric composition siding Outbuildings (describe)_none Other features five-bay facade capped by a low-pitched hip roof. Fanlight over entrance. Altered_Yes-minor Date Moved No Date 5. Lot size: One acre or less XX Over one acre Approximate frontage 50 feet Approximate distance of building from street 8 feet 6.
Recorded by Robert Rettig OrganizationCambridge Historical Comm Date 1969 UTM - BOSTON SOUTH 19/326620/4692040 1980 NOV 1 Dy 30M-5-77 Asses SOR 106-26 7. Original owner (if known)_ Asa Ellis Original use residential Subsequent uses (if any) and dates residential 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) 158 Auburn Street is a rare example of a frame Federal style house in Cambridgeport. It Is one of the most appealing houses in the Cambridgeport neighborhood with its side entrance facing a flower garden. It still retains the rural village flavor of old Cambridgeport.
The house has a typical two-story, two-room center-hall plan, with the hearth centered on the rear wall. Only one of the two original chimeys remains. The five-bay facade is capped by a low- pitched hip roof. Over the entrance is a fanlight with simple wood tracery. 10. Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, early maps, etc.) INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commnity : Cambridge Form No: CPT II.C.1 Property Name: Asa Ellis House Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued belaw. The Asa Ellis House is one of a handful of Federal-style buildings surviving from the first period of development in Cambridgeport. Cam- bridgeport developed along the turnpikes built to link the West Boston Bridge of 1793 with Old Cambridge and the towns to the west.
The resulting real estate boom ended with the Embargo of 1807-1809, and very little new construction then took place until the 1830s. This house and others also nominated (172 Harvard Street, Old Cambridgeport N.R.D.; 107, 108, and 114 Auburn Street, Salem-Watson Streets N.R.D.) represent the relatively modest type of housing constructed in this period, when Cambridgeport was a new settlement on previously vacant land. The original clapboards remain under the asphalt siding, and while the windows have been changed from 6 + 6 to 2 + 2, this was an almost invariable alteration carried out during the nineteenth century. This house can easily be restored to its original condition and is no less significant for its present state. The Asa Ellis House possesses integrity of location, design, and setting as well as integrity of materials beneath its present asphalt siding.
It meets criterion A for its associations with the development of Cambridgeport and criterion C as a rare representative of Federal period domestic construction. Staple to Inventory form at bottom 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 5 1:1 Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Cambridge Multiple Resource Area MA Nomination/Type of Review "41. Rubber Boston Woven BSe CWNER Company OBJECTION / Keeper Attest "42. Davenport Car Works v Keeper «43. Ellis, Asa, House Attest Keeper Attest 4A. Milentje, Ernst, House Subatantive Eeview Keeper Attest Kennedy, The / Keeper Attest 46. Lamson, Rufus, House Keeper Attest " 47. Mason, Josiah, Jr., House Keeper Attest - 48.
Newman, Andrew, House Keeper Attest 49. Odd Fellows Hall SubafantIva Review Keeper Attest 50. President's House DOE/OWNER OBJECTION * Keeper Attest Date/Signature Retuun 41.19.82 Retuu 4.1382 11/20/83 Retuy 4113.82 Wilian A.Brarham 4.138: Welian/t.Bracham 4.13:82 WeeuamH.Bracham4.138i Wueiam H.Bravham 413.82 Retene. 1.13.82 YATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Jeitad Statos Dopartmaul el sho lateria Yational Part Service Substantive Review E11ts, Asa, House (Cumbuusse MRA) Middlesex County MASSACHUSETIS EYALUATION / RETURN SHEE resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objoction appeal Substantive Roview: Reviower's comments: INTERTY ADORESSED Working 4.u4.0. , 256.2 Fad. Reg. Date: Dato Due: Action: - ACCEPT 6/30 /83 - RETURN - REJECT- Fodoral Agoncy:- -sample -requestappeal LNR decision -Nomination returned for: Rocom. /Criteria AFC Roviower. MALDASUAL Discipline.
1-1t. Date- 6:30.83 _soo continuation sheet technical corrections cited below .substantive reasons discussad bolow 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Matte 4. Owner of Property Prasant vas 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys s tale property toon da 7. Description ruino unortered artogtaud (il kessoranar) peluyato summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates nock en 8. Significance pertad poos ol 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. Geographical Data po el nomtnatad proporty. POROPON UITT RederenasI Varbel boandery coscrtacten nd juocopleath 11. Form Prepared By 12.
State Historic Preservation Officer Certification Taa onatuarad stgnoñiaence ol ohla proparty entnun the srato ta: tonal _ -- toca: ate Hlatorte Preservetton OMicer aignature 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 1103-27 NOV 1 4 198 1980 Ellis, Asa, Harse 084 C Caubridse MRA, Ma 158 Auburn St. 1103-27 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000275