Nomination for James, Capt. Benjamin, House

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

NPS Form 10-900 (3-82) 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 27 1983 date entered historic Captain Benjamin James House and/or common Same 2. Location street & number 301 Driftway N/A not for publication city, town Scituate N/A vicinity of state Massachusetts 3. Classification Category Ownership district - public X building(s) x private structure both site Public Acquisition object in process N/Abeing considered code 025 county Plymouth code 023 Status X occupied unoccupied .work in progress Accessible X yes: restricted L-- yes: unrestricted .

no Present Use agriculture commercial educational entertainment government industrial military museum - park X private residence religious scientific transportation other: 4. Owner of Property name Mr. Paul Quinn street & number 301 Driftway P.O. Box 126 Scituate city, town N/A vicinity of 5. Location of Legal Description state Massachusetts 02066 courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Plymouth County Registry of Deeds street & number Russell Street city, town Plymouth state Massachusetts 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Inventory of the Historic Assets title of the Commonwealth #354 has this property been determined eligible? - yes X no date February, 1983 _federal X state - county - - local depository for survey records Massachusetts Historical Commission city, town Boston state Massachusetts 7.

Description Captain Benjamin James House, Scituate, MA Condition _ excellent 90odSTOO- fair _ deteriorated . ruins .unexposed 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 early eighteenth century Captain Benjamin James House faces south towards the tidal flats of First Herring Brook and the North River. gentle knoll which rises northward from the tidal flats. To the south and east are i tot ae 1o ine soune ant can t . undeveloped marshlands along the waterway which provide a dramatic panorama from the James House. The house is situated approximately 130 feet south of the Driftway, a heavily travelled two- lane route, and is reached by an unpaved drive. Until the mid-nineteenth century, the Driftway passed to the south of the James House so that its facade was visible from the road. Today, with the Driftway rerouted, its rear elevation faces the street. To the north of the Driftway, located at the edge of a landfull site is an undeveloped wooded hillside which is the last remnants of the Colman Hills, a major toogaphical feature of Scituate.

To the west of the property line approximately 60 feet is a small two-story house, built for the present owner!s children, which is not considered to contribute to the historic character of the James House. It is unobtrusive in design and situated at a lower gradé to preclude intrusion upon the major views of the James House from the tidal flats and the Driftway. The nominated property consists of one acre of land and the early 18th century farmhouse. At present there are no original outbuildings on the site, although at one time a barn was located in the northern section of the property where the Driftway now stands. The land surrounding the house is planted with grass and occasional flowering trees. Mature foundation plantings along the front and side elevations donsists of low evergreen shrubs. To the rear of the house is a new brick patio framed by a low brick wall and picket fence.

Lying to the east are tidal flats and undeveloped land, much of which is a protected conservation area.....North of the property, development has occurred along the Driftway, primarily to the west, where there are several relatively recent retail and commercial structures. Standing on a granite foundation, the Captain Benjamin James House is a center chimney dwel1- 25 sthat 1 fr Eranite foundat 1on ing that is L-shaped in plan. Its form is comprised of the original five-bay center entny 2½ story, rectangular block and a rear 1½ story lean-to addition built later in the 18th century- Other more recent additions include a small rectangular one-story shed placed to the rear of the east elevation in the 1960s and a full basement built in 1967.

The main portion of the dwelling has a simple ridge roof which extends in a lean-to form to the one-story height of the rear ell along the east elevation. A gabled end has been added to the north section of this ell and extends for half its length. The side shed also has a ridge roof which follows the lean-to form of the ell and is aligned with the plan of Lean-co Boten de. the adjacent ell roof. Sheathed in cedar shingles, the house is simply trimmed with plain cornerboards and a similarly detailed cornice. Fenestration was originally 12/12 sash, except for the gable windows which were 8/12. All have been replaced with 1/1 double hung sash with interior muntin strips which follow the original 12/12 or 8/12 Sconfiguration. The south elevation and principal facade is five bays wide with the entrance in the center bay.

This entry is deeply set framed by a wide flat aschitrave and topped by a dentil course. NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) 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 For NPS use only received date enterad Continuation sheet Captain Benjamin James House Item number 7 1 Page The door consists of wide weathered boards set on iron strap hinges and is probably original to the structure. The east and west elevations which form the sides of the building are both quite similar in their configuration except that the eastern face is deeper due to the ell which is attached to it. Both, however, are two bays deep with a smaller single window centered in the gable. The north elevation of the main block is two bays wide with two double-hung windows at both the first and second stories.

These openings flank the central chimney bay of the south elevation. The rear ell adjoins the main block directly east of the windows on the north elevation. The western face of this addition has an entrance in the southern bay with a small 4/4 window off-centered above it. Its north gabled end has an off-centered set of four casement windows set within a single frame. Of recent date, these windows have diamond-patterned interior muntin strips. A chimney smaller than that on the main block of the house is located on the east side of this extension. The east shed addition has two 1/1 double-hung windows with 12/12 muntin strips in its south elevation and one window of the same size in its east elevation. Above this opening is a small 4/4 sash lite and to its north is the wide-board door mounted with iron strap hinges. The north elevation has no openings.

The interior plan is that of a traditional center chimney house. The entrance hall has a tight stairway in front of the chimney which leads to a full second story. To the left, right and rear of the entrance and chimney are the three major rooms. A second stair was added in the east rear portion of the main block. The chimney has three fireplaces on each story. The rear room's large fireplace includes a domed beehive oven. The rear ell also has a double fireplace with a large cooking hearth, since this place served initially as a summer kitahen. Several interior partitions have been removed or relocated in recent years. The raised field paneling and fireplacemantels from the front fooms lave been removed to install insulation materials and are in storage for eventual replacement. Alterations to the building exterior have been minimal.

The roof has been replaced and is in need of replacement again. The windows were replaced by new double-hung 1/1 wood sash with interior 12/12 muntin strips. From a distance, the visual impact of this change is minimal. The one-story shed addition (c 1970) is compatible in design and proportions with the historic structure and does not intrude upon its major facade elements.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Significance Captain Benjamin James House, Scituate, MA Period - prehistoric 1400-1499 1500-1599 X 1600-1699 1700-1799 1800-1899 1900- Areas of SignificanceCheck and justify below * archeology-prehistoric - community planning X archeology-historic conservation agriculture economics X architecture education art engineering commerce x exploration/settlement communications - industry _ invention landscape architecture__ religion law - literature _ military music philosophy politics/government - science sculpture X social/ humanitarian theater transportation other (specify) Specific dates eariy-t8th century Builder

Statement of significance

/Architect unknown Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) The Captain Benjamin James House possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, and workmanship and has associations with the 17th century development of Scituate and with the town's efforts to eliminate the dreaded smallpox disease in the 18th century. The house is a fine example of the community's early architecture and thus meets criteria A and c of the National Register of Historic Places. The early history of Scituate dates from c 1626 when a group of Englishmen commonly referred to today as the "Men of Kent" established a settlement here.

The natural protection of the four cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean made it relatively safe from attack, and the North River provided access to the extensive pine andooak forests of the interior; thus, here was a safe and convenient location to start a shipbuilding industry and establish a center for coastal trade. The homes of the earliest settlers were primarily on Kent Street, the Main north/ south axis west of thewaterfront. By 1639, the colony had become the most populous in the area, with development extending around the central hills and west to Greenbush and southward to the North River. The original Driftway was laid out in the 1620s as the east/west route which connected Kent Street to Greenbush, where several early mills were located.

The land on which the Captain Benjamin James House was built was part of the parcel originally granted to John Hanmer, one of the Men of Kent. Hanmer's land lying to the southwest of Kent Street was the most remote from the original Kent Street settlement. Not until after King Philips War in 1675 did the areas beyond the original settlement became safe for development. Expansion along the North River which lay to the south was then quick to occur and houses began to be built which were larger and more permanent than earlier structures. The proximity of John Hanmer's property to the tidal flats of First Herring Brook and the The marsh hay was prized as forage for cattle and livestock since the hilly, stony soils of the interior were difficult to farm.

In its siting and location, this site reflects the location of early agricultural development in Scituate and the importance of thetidal driftway to the livelihood and sustenance of the early community. The vernacular character of this farmhouse illustrates the simple lifestyle of its early inhabitants and the limited economy of the early settlement. It is thus not surprising that shipbuilding and fishing soon surpassed agriculture as the town's major industries, given the difficulties that the geography and topography presented for farming. The land on which the house sitss was passed from John Hanmer to John Otis of Hingham in 1653. Local historical accounts date the building to 1691, however, an analysis of architectural features combined with an understanding that rural houses were gnerally conservative in design, suggest an early 18th century date.

About 1734, title to the house passed to Captain Benjamin James (1711-1788) . James was a descendant of John James of 9.

The rest of the file

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

Major Bibliographical References Daughters of the American Revolution, Chief Justice Cushing Chapter, Old Scituate; DAR, Scituate, 1921. Deane, Samuel, History of Scituate, MA: James Loring, Boston, 1831. Merritt, Joseph Foster, Old Time Anecdotes of the North River and South Shore; Rockland 10. Geographical Data 1 acre Acreage of nominated property Quadrangle nameScituate, MA Quadrangle scale 1:25,000 UT M References A1,9 315,610,4,0 Zone Easting 14,6|70|690 Northing LALL Northing CLI E D F Zone Easting LLLL Verbal boundary description and justification Ihe boundary corresponds to the attached Assessor's Map of Scituate, Sheet #53, Parcel 53-3-1.

The boundaries include Lot A, the house and surrounding open land which together comprise 42,310 square feet (a small portion of the original 18th century lot.) To the north List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries state code N/A county code state code county code 11. Form Prepared By name/title Kathryn Kubie, Preservation Planner with Margo B. Webber organization Massachusetts Historical Commission date September 1983 street & number 294 Washington Street telephone (617) 727-8470 Boston city or town state Massachusetts 02108 12.

State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: _ national _ state X local As the designated StateHistoric 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 bryhe National Park Service. State Historic Preservation Officer signature PatunsLiveslouski 10/14/83 State Historic Preservation Officer title Massachusetts Historical Commission date For NPS use only I hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register XubresBye Entered in the National Register yKeeper of the National Register Attest: Chief of Registration date 11/29/83 date NPS Form10-900-a (3-82) 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 For NPS use only received date entered Continuation sheet Captain Benjamin James House Item number 8 1 Page Dedham who came to Scituate in 1640. A captain in the local militia, James lived here with his bride Marcy until later building the James "mansion" on what was then Stockbridge's Road in Greenbush, at which time the older house was abandoned. The Scituate farm at that time was a 100-acre parcel and was owned jointly by Captain James and Benjamin Stockbridge. Little is known about Captain James other than his occupation and abandonment of this house. Though perhaps not a leading citizen of Scituate during his lifetime, his farm illustrates the typical way of life of the average settler and farmer in the first two centuries of Scituate's development.

The property's isolated location along the Driftway resulted in its role as a smallpox hospital during the epidemic of 1791-93. Deserted by the James family, the house was selected by the town as the site of a hospital for innoculation against the dreaded disease which occurred every 20 to 30 years in the Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth colonies. Smal1pox was commonly referred to as the "pestilence" and the house came to be known as the "Pest House." Scituate acted innovatively by initiating a controversial immunization method of innoculating healthy people with pus taken from carriers of the disease. Despite the best efforts of the town's doctors, several families were infected and twelve people died. Compared to other communities and to the town's population of 2,862 at that time, the town's innoculation program was considered an enlightened and successful course of action.

The hospital continued in use for two years instead of the originally intended two months. Charred timbers remain as evidence of the charring by fire used to sterilize the house after its use as a hospital. The selectmen reportedly were indignant at having to restore the house to usable condition and then having to return it to the James heirs in far better condition than they had found it. The house passed through the James famly and to the South Scituate Savings Bank by the mid-19th century. In 1880 it was acquired by Phillip Gillis as a 17-acre parcel. The land was farmed and saltmarsh hay continued to be reaped for forage. The house has remained in the ownership of the Gillis family to the present day. The Captain Benjamin James House is a typical vernacular First Period farmhouse and one of the oldest remaining buildings in Scituate.

It derives its design from the English vernacular tradition as characterized by its rectangular plan, massive center bhimney, exposed wood and masonry structural system and use of local building materials--oak timbers and cedar shingles. The building retains an extensive amount of original fabric, both in the main block and rear ell. The main alterations to the house are replacement of the original windows, new door and window locations on the rear ell and the temporary removal of panelling, mantels and chair rails from the interior for the purposes of re-wiring and insulating the structure. The house is typical of vernacular late 17th century construction in Scituate and the surrounding communities. Its importance lies in its retention of original architectural and structural detail and its relationship to the surrounding landscape of the tidal driftway. NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) 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 For NPS use only received date entered Continuation sheet Captain Benjamin James House Item number 8 2 Page No subsurface archaeological testing has been conducted on the property and no references to wells, trash pits or privies have been located as part of this study. The land near the relatively undisturbed. Prehistøric Artifacts have reportedly been found to the east and south of the property. It may be considered that portions of the site not pre- viously disturbed for parking or construction of the adjacent house might have the potential to yield archaeological information about prehistoric settlements in Scituate.

NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Continuation sheet Captain Benjamin James House Item number 9. Major Bibliographical References OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 For NPS use only received date entered 9 & 10 1 Page Standard Publishing Company, Rockland, 1928. Pratt, Harvey Hunter, The Early Planters of Scituate; Scituate Historical Society, Scituate, 1929. Quinn, Paul, "A Short History of Scituate's 'Pest House,' 1972. 10. Verbal Boundary Description and Justification it is bounded by the Driftway, one of the earliest roads in the town and today a heavily- travelled route. To the east and south, just beyond a narrow road at the property's edge, is an area of undeveloped marshland adjoining the Simm's Boatyard along First Herring Brook.

West of the property is a recently constructed two-story residence. The boundary is justified as a logical means of preserving the historic house and open space immediately surrounding it. Thus, the dramatic southeasterly view of the house set upon a knoll overlooking the tidal draft will be maintained. WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Ja m es, Capt. Benja min, House Plymouth County MASSA CHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Reviewer's comments: sample J request Working No. 0CT 2T 1983 Fed. Reg.

Date: 5-85 Date Due: 1/21/83 /11/83 Action: ACCEPT 11/29/83 Entered in the _RETURN National Register _REJECT_ Federal Agency: appeal NR decision Recom./Criteria Reviewer Discipline Date _ see continuation sheet Nomination returned for: _technical corrections cited below substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Category Ownership Public Acquisition 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Has this property been determined eligible? ves no 7. Description Condition excellent good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one unaltered altered Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection Status Accessible Present Use Check one original site moved date 8.

Significance Period Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Specific dates Builder/Architect Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) summary paragraph completeness clarity EBCI TS 730 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 Acreage of nominated property Quadrangle name_ UTM References Verbal boundary description and justification 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: national state _local State Historic Preservation Officer signature date title 13.

Other Maps Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to _ Signed - Date - - Phone: Comments for any item may be continued on an attached sheet Captain Benjamin James House 301 Driftway Scituate, MA Photo by: Margo Webber, March, 1983 Neg. filed: 136 Ridge Ave., Newton Photo 1 of 2 View looking northwest towards facade and east elevation. Captain Benjamin James House 301 Driftway Scituate, MA Photo by: Margo Webber, March, 1983 Neg. filed: 136 Ridge Ave., Newton Photo 2 of 2 View looking northeast towards facade and west elevation. 000000000000 OCATRHISTONE 00000000000 THE June 1, 1983 0000000000000 00000000000000000 Massachusetts Historical Comnission 294 Washington Street Boston, MA Dear Ms.

Jenkins: The Scituate Historical Society is very pleased to approve the application for the Captain Benjamin James House built in 1691 and located at 301 Driftway in Scituate to be put on the National Register of Historic Places. It 1s nost important that this house be protected by this designation because it is one of the oldest houses in Scituate. It also has a very interesting place in the history of Scituate. The application is very complete in its description and describes in detail the historic features oi the house and the intent of the new owner to restore the house to its original appoarenee as near as possible. This is partieularly important to the future of this house and if the application is approved it should protect this historie property in the future. We sineerely hope this application will receive your approval.

sincerely, Kachluno Laidluw Kathleen Laidlaw President 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 October 19, 1983 Ms. Carol Shull, Chief National Register of Historic Places National Park Service Department of the Interior 18th & C Streets, NW Washington, D.C. 20240 Dear Ms.

Shull: Enclosed you will find the following nomination forms: Edgartown - Edgartown Village Historic District (state) Framingham - Moses Ellis House (local) Great Barrington - Monument Mills (local) Peabody - John Southwick House (local) Scituate - Captain Benjamin James House (local) Stockbridge - Villa Virginia (local) Westfield - United States Whip Company Complex (national) Al1 have been voted eligible by the State Review Board and have been signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer. Owners were notified of pending State Review Board consideration 30-75 days before the meeting and were afforded the opportunity to comment. Comments received to date are attached to the nomination forms.

Also included are the forms for Border City Mills (Fall River Multiple Resource Area) which had been returned to us for boundary justification and for Woodbridge Street Historic District, South Hadley, returned for technical corrections. Sincerely, Candace Jentins Candace Jenkins Preservation Planning Director Massachusetts Historical Commission EC BUVE ULI 27 1983 CJ/hi Enclosures