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. 36 176/7 PHOTO (3x3" or 3x5", black & white) Staple to left side of form Photo number SKETCH MAP Draw map showing property's location in relation to nearest cross streets and other buildings or geographical features. Indicate north. See attached map. Boston South Quadrangle UIM Reference: 19/325290/4688660 Map #: 15 Town Brookline MRA Address 35 Davis Avenue Historic Name Dr. Tappan Eustis Francis House Use: Original Residential Present Same Ownership: Private individual Private organization Public Original owner Dr. Tappan Eustis Francis DESCRIPTION: Date 1878-79 Source Tax list Style Panel Brick/ Queen Anne Architect Probably Wm.
Ralph Emerson - see Historical Significance Exterior wall fabric Brick Outbuildings Garage Major alterations (with dates) Mone on ruora Recorded by Leslie Larkin Organization BHC Date Fall 1980 Moved Mo : Date NA Approx. acreage Less than !, acre Setting This house is set back about from the sidewalk on asmall lot. The original Francis lot included the present house lots of #s 21, 23, 25, 31 and 35 Davis Ave. 36/176/7 (Staple additional sheets here) ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within community) Number 35 Davis Avenue shows the irregular massing, broken roof line and picturesque elements typical of the Queen Anne style. The tall chimneys feature Panel Brick designs, and the slate roof is decorated with bands of imbricated slates.
Other elements are string courses and segmental window arches set with angled bricks, tar-dipped bricks, corbeled brick brackets and terra-cotta or carved brick decorations in the gable peaks. The fanciful bracketed construction at the left hand corner with a steep slate roof and a finial once sheltered a wooden bench (see attached draw- ing) and the Stick Style porch with its intricate balustrade is well preserved. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community) See #25 Davis Avenue for the house Dr. Francis built in 1855. Dr. Tappan Eustis Francis lived and practiced in Brookline for 59 years, having moved to the town in 1850. He first built #25 Davis Avenue (see form for more information on Dr. Francis).
By 1878 the doctor had been in practice in the town for 28 years, and owned, besides the house and barn on Davis Ave., a brick block on Flora St., houses on Walnut and Marion Streets, and various house lots. Obviously he could afford to build a new, more stylish house, and the 1879 tax list shows, for the first time, a new brick house under Francis' name. There is some question The issue shows a sketch of the house and a complete plan of the first floor with the unedifying notation "Additions to Dr. Francis' House: Brookline: Wm. Ralph Emerson: Architect". Both Vincent Scully and Cynthia Zaitzevsky (see Biblio- graphy) in mentioning this house refer to either remodelling or additions by Emerson, and Scully says, in reference to a house in Milton, "The gables and the partial shingle work were perhaps added to an older structure, like the strange shingled canopy and porch added to the Dr.
Francis House at Brookline at this same period". the sketch gives no clue as to what the additions were. There are two reasons to believe that the entire design is by Emerson. Eo beleve This is an assumption on Scully's part, as ne of them is the date of the publication, Feb. 8, 1879, and the fact that the town first taxed Dr. Francis for a "new brick house" that same year. Ihe other is that Francis, as previously stated, owned another house on the same lot (25 Davis Avenue), and that "Dr. Francis' House" in the sketch may refer to that one.
While this does not seem likely, # 35 was certainly BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Scully, Vincent, Ihe Shingle Style and The Stick Style, Yale University Press, New Haven, 1971, P: Tucei, Dougiass Shand, Buitt in Boston Zaitzevsky, Cynthia, The Architecture of William Ralph Emerson, 1833-1917, Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, 1969 Atlases, 1874, 1884 Tax lists, 1878-79 20M-2/80 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commmity : Brookline Form No: 36 176/7 Property Name Dr. T. E. Francis House Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE designed by a skilled architect, and is a fine example of its type. Wm. Ralph Emerson was one of the best known Massachusetts archi- tects of his day.
Excellent information on his architectural designs and his career can be found in the books listed under Bibliography- Brookline houses designed by Emerson include #s 51 and 65 Upland Road, both built in 1891, and # 300 South Street, now part of a private hospital and considerably altered. 35 Davis Avenue meets NR criteria C, being an early example of the Queen Anne style as interpreted by William Ralph Emerson, one of the best known Massachusetts architects of his day. Staple to Inventory form at bottom 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 Expires 10-31-87 For NPS uee anh recaived 9-4-823 date antered Page Multiple Resource Area Thematie Group Name State Brookline MRA MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review 21.
Elliot, General Simon, House 22. Emmett Cottage 23. Fernwood 24. Fire Station #7 25. Fisher Hill Historic District 26. Francis, Dr. Tappan Eustis, House 27. Fuller, Peter, Building 28. Goddard, John, House 29. Graffam Development Historic District 30. Green Hill Historic District OKeeper Entered in the Vattonel Begiaber Attest Entered inthe National Begister Attest tKeeper Entered in the National Register Eteredin the National Register Attest & Keeper Attest Entered 1n baa (Keeper Nattonal Regiater Attest b Keeper Entareé tina Iotelomel . iegiate"Attest (Keeper Entered in the National Register Irbered Im tae Hational Register Attest fKeeper Attest Entered 1n the National Register (Keeper Attest OKeeper Enbeced Im , t5e Nestenel Register Attest Date/Signature HeenBye10)71 DelousByen M/a1os NelresBya (01218) AeloueByen0/218. dulrSgan0)118. 1h212.
LlreBye1nte, MelmnaSyun 10/2165 AebreByea10/2185 delmBgan 1d2165 85003267 WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Francis, Dr. Tappan Eustis, House (Brookline MRA) Norfolk County MASSACHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: sample Reviewer's comments: Lrequest En tered in 2etdiene: SEP 4 1985 Working No._ Fed. Reg. Date: 2/3/8% Date Due: 3/8 18/19/8 Action: ACCEPT -10 12-5 *gister -RETURN 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 dleaod eloon 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? yes 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 J moved date 8. Significance Period Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Specific dates Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) Builder/Architect summary paragraph completeness ciarity 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 NOV 1980 Prestige Prints by Berkey NOV 1980 Prestige Prints Frunus, dr. Tappan Eustis, Huxe 35 Daris Brooklene (Ma)URA AMERICAN ARCHITECT AND BUILDING NEWS HEB. 8, 1879. Nº163. ADDITIONS: TO: DB : FRANCIS': MOUSE: BROOKLINE : WM:RALPH : EMERSON : : ARCHT: THE HBLOTYPE PRINTINO CO. 220 DEVONSHIRE ST. BOSTON.
SOMERSE 30074 LOW ELL RD A D STAN -DESS - AYGROUND STREET RHAM NUT FODBD STREET .8 e8 PHI E30 HALL RD. HIGH HIC - 23 35 DavIs AVe. (36/1767) Dr. Tappan EusTis trancis touse Brookline (Ma) MRA RTown d Brookune mas anlao scale '½"= 200t OREENOUCHCIR. OAO EMERSON SY .:*- EMERSON GARDEN BOYLSTON PLAYGROUND S 88 20 HAWTHOR NE ROAD GLEN PIERCE PLAYGROUND SOLDIER MOMUMENT 0O CE 04 HousA ARY THAYER 0,98 Wash AVENUE NA: SHIN S 000 PLYGRD REET PARKWAY DNOT NA BROOK PLAYGROUNO 3 CHURCH HERLTH"CENTER PERCE MARY'S ASSUMPTION .00 TATION DROOKLINE VIUADZ LSTA #AREL AVENUE POND 030 -M KENT ST. LM/PLAYGRD. R EET PEARL STREET BRO WATER WDRKS J/AREC BROOKLINE ROAD PIVER STREET RIVERWA HUNTINGTO