BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 294 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108 --- Area Form no. 35-51 PHOTO (3x3" oI 3x5", black & white) Staple to left side of form Photo number Roll 5 frames 9-11 -- SKETCH MAP Draw map showing property's location in relation to nearest cross streets and other buildings or geographical features. Indicate north. N SOUTH MAIN STREET Town Uxbridge Address 147 South Main Street Historic Name Bazaleel Taft, Jr. House andhawoft Use: Original residence Present_ residence Ownership: 82 Private individual Private organization Public Original ownerBazaleel Taft, Jr. DESCRIPTION: Date 1807 Source H.G.
Taft Biography Style Federalist Architect Unknown Exterior wall fabric clapboard Outbuildings one-storey brick law office (see separate Form B-#35-51) Major alterations (with dates) 6/6 sash anc Doric porch added (19th century) QUAKER HIGHWAY Recorded by B.R.Pfeiffer Organization Uxbridge Historical Commission Date May 1981 Moved no Date N/A Approx. acreage less than 1/4 Setting located on major north-south route; area west largely undeveloped fields and woods; east-residential development. UTM: Quad BL 19 282910 4660320 (Staple additional sheets here) Form #35-51 ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within community) The Bazaleel Taft, Jr. House is an outstanding local example of Federalist period architecture.
The house is a two-storey timber-frame building consist- ing of a rectangular plan main section with twin interior chimneys and a north ell. Both sections of the house rest on foundations of hammered granite and are enclosed by pitched roofs. The facade (east) is symmetrical, having at its center a fine Federalist style doorway consisting of a six-panel door (sunken panels) surmounted by a semi-circular transom and framed by fluted pilasters. SEE CONTINUATION SHEET HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community) In addition to its high-quality Federalist architecture, the Bazaleel Taft Jr. House possesses historical associations with four generations of the Taft family. The house was built in 1807 by the Hon. Bazaleel Taft (see form #33-53) for his son Bazaleel, Jr.
(1780-1846), who had graduated from Harvard College in 1804 or 1805 and who had been admitted to the bar around 1807. Having established himself as a lawyer in Uxbridge, the younger Taft succeeded in many of the political posts previously held by his father. Bazaleel, Jr. served as a state senator, member of the state Executive Council and representative to the General Court; in addition, he was active in the establishment of the public Lunatic Asylum at Worcester in the 1830's. Taft was also active in founding the Blackstone National Bank of which he was pres- ident from 1829 until 1846. Upon the death of Bazaleel Taft, Jr., the house passed to his son Henry Gordon Taft (1832-1903), who operated a farm, owned a hardware business and. served nearly continuously as a County Commissionerfrom 1876 until 1903. Following the death of H.G.Taft, the house became the property of George S.
Taft (b. 1859), a lawyer who served as the private secretary of U.S. Senator George Hoar (1883-1887), and as a District Attorney (1883-early twentieth century) - The Bazaleel Taft, Jr. House possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship and feeling, as well as historical associations with Bazaleel Taft, Jr., a local attorney and member of one of Uxbridge's most prominent families during the nineteenth century. The Bazaleel Taft, Jr. House meets criteria A, B and C of the NRHP. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Proceedings at the Meeting of the Taft Family at Uxbridge, MA, August 12, 1874. Uxbridge: Spencer Bros., 1874 PP 44-48 Blackstone Bank 1925: 24 Old Home Week Souvenir 1908: no page number (biographies of Geo. S.
& H.G.Taft) Chapin 1881: 50-52, 112-115, 172 20M-2/80 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commnity : Form No: Uxbridge -35-51 Property Name: B. Taft Jr. House Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE These pilasters support a broken cornice decorated with triglyphs and a pediment with dentilled mouldings. Window frames project from the facade and a cornice decorated with channels extends the length of the facade. An asymmetrical garden facade (south) contains a second entry consisting of a six-panel door surmounted by a transom and framed by fluted pilasters sup- porting a pediment. Original sash remains in the gables (9/6) and on the north wing (12/12).
Other decorative trim consists of a Doric porch and a cornice with channelling on the east elevation of the north wing. A view of the house in its present condition appears at the border of the 1855 Map of Uxbridge. Located on the same lot as this house, is the Bazaleel Taft Law Office (Form #35-51)- OWNER Frederick M. and Elmberta Palmer South Main St. Uxbridge, MA 01569 Staple to Inventory form at bottom FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 294 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108 -- Area Form no. 35-51 PHOTO (3x3" or 3x5" , black & white) Staple to left side of form Photo number Rol1 5 frame --- 12 SKETCH MAP Draw map showing property's location in relation to nearest cross streets and other buildings or geographical features. Indicate north.
N OFFICE SOuTH MAIN STREET Town Uxbridge Address 147 South Main Street Historic Name Bazaleel Taft Law Office Use: Original law office Present_ vacant(?) Ownership: X2 Private individual Private organization Public Original owner_ Bazaleel Taft, Jr. DESCRIPTION: Date ca. 1807 Source secondary sources Style Federalist Architect_ unknown Exterior wall fabric brick-common bond Outbuildings located on same lot as B. Taft Jr. House (Form #35-51) Major alterations (with dates) none QUAKER HIGHWAY Recorded by_ B.R.Pfeiffer Organization Uxbridge Historical Commission Date May 1981 Moved no Date N/A Approx. acreage less than 1/4 Setting_located on major north-south route; largely undeveloped fields and woods; east, residential development.
UTM: Quad BL 19 282900 4660360 (Staple additional sheets here) Form #35-51 ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within community) The Taft Law Office is a unique local example of Federalist commercial architecture. Unaltered from its original appearance, the building is a one-storey brick structure, built on a foundation of hammered granite and covered by a hip roof. The facade (south elevation) is symmetrical, consisting of a center entry with a six-pane door (raised panels) flanked by two windows (12/12). The street elevation (east) also contains two windows (12/12). Extending around the building is a moulded cornice.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community) In addition to being one of only two commercial buildings of the Federal Period extant in Uxbridge (the other is Rogerson's Block-form #47-B), the Taft, Law Office possesses historical associations to Bazaleel Taft, Jr., one of Uxbridge's most prominent citizens of the early nineteenth century. Born in 1780, Taft graduated from Harvard College in 1804 or 1805, after which he studied law and was admitted to the bar prior to 1807. Around 1807, Taft re- turned to Uxbridge, moved into the house built for him by his father, the Hon. Bazaleel Taft (form #35-51) his death in 1846.
In addition to his law practice, Taft was active in local politics, succeeding his father to several public offices including state senator, representative to the General Court and membership on the state's Executive Council. The younger Taft also promoted the establishment of a publi Lunatic Asylum at Worcester and served as president of Uxbridge's Blackstone National Bank from 1829 until 1846. After Taft's death, his law office passed into the ownership of his son, H.G.Taft, and subsequently, his grandson, George S. Taft (see Bazaleel Taft Jr. House-form #33-51). The Taft Law Office possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship and feeling, as well as historical associations with Bazaleel Taft, Jr., a local attorney and member of one of Uxbridge's most prominent families of the nineteenth century.
The Law Office also remains as a unique local example of an early commercial building. The Law Office meets criteria A, B and C of the NRHP. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Proceedings at the Meeting of the Taft Family at Uxbridge, MA, August 12, 1874 Uxbridge: Spencer Bros., 1874 pp. 44-48 Blackstone Bank 1925: 24 Old Home Week Souvenir 1908: no page number (biographies of Geo. S & H.G.Taft) Chapin 1881: 50-52, 112-115, 172 OWNER: Frederick M. and Elmberta Palmer South Main St. 20M-2/80 Uxbridge, MA 01569 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 Item number OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 For NPS use only recelved F/eales date entered Page 5 fs Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Uxbridge Multiple Resource Area Nomination/Type of Review 41.
Whipple, A., House Entered in the National Register 42. Williams, N., House Entered in the Nations1 Regieter 43. Taft, Aaron, House Intered In the National. Register 24\44. Taft, Bazaleel, Jr., House and Law Office Substantive Review 45. Taft, Hon. Bazaleel, House Entered in the National Begieter Satsred In thia 46. Taft Brothers Block Mabionel Begteter 47. Taft, George, House Entered 1n taa Nationel Regieter 48. Taft, Moses, House Intered in the Nat1ona1 Register 49. Taft, Samuel, House buc-rcu in Lue National Begiater 31 50.
Taft, Zadock, House Entered in the National Register fKeeper Attest fkeeper Attest fkeeper Attest tol Keeper Attest Tkeeper Attest Keeper Attest tKeeper Attest fKeeper Attest fReeper Attest beeper Attest Date/Signature delreaByun 10/z/83 SlnuaByen 10/218: AlasuByur 102/83 accept latuchAndrus 10/7/83 AulreByu 10/2/83 AheresByun 02/53 AelrsByur0/2/83 AelarsByen 10/7/83 delmnaBya 10/1/83 DeloreaByen 10/2/83 WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Taft, Bazaleel, Jr., House and Law Office (Uxbridge MRA) Worcester County MASSA CHUSETTS Substantive Review Working No. AUG 2 6 1983 Fed. Reg.
Date: 2-5-85 Date Due:_ 9/27/83-10/10/83 Action: LACCEPT 10/2/83 resubmission -RETURN nomination by person or local government REJECT- owner objection appeal Federal Agency: Subrtantive Review: Wsamalc J request -appeal -NR decision Reviewer's comments: The Bazaleel Taft, o. House and Law Office are locally eigrufeent usounces far Recom./Criteria Aecept AB,C Reviewer _ their archifectane Discipline_ Bushag Hotoriar i 10/10/83 l au social lifes00 continuation sheet Nomination returned for: _technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Category Ownership Public Acquisition Status Accessible Present Use 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Has this property been determined eligible? yes no 7.
Description Condition excellent good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one unaltered altered Check one original site moved date Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection 8. Significance Period Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Specific dates Builder/Architect Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) 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 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 185.217 170. °6' /36.23 327.23- 36A. 322. 24° 1.25A. 53 52 355.15° 185.09 170.06 235.5 0. S34. 49 108. 22 130 0. 215.S 128' T0° 34° 848.57° 572.37- 51-A 4.45 Ac. 560.62° 42.00 95.77. 210.45 132.32° 360.29° 50.30A 1701.35° HIXON Uxbridge Multiple Resource Area Bazaleel Taft, Jr. House & Law Office 147 South Main Street Map #35 Lot #51 Uxbridge Assessors 1" = 200' 1983 5/ 402.48° 519,90° 385 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000299