BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
AREA FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON, STREET, BOSTON, MA 02116 FORM NO. 322 Town North Adams MRA Address_568 West Main Street Historic Name_Wells House PHOTO: (3x3" or 3x5", black & white) staple to left side of form Photo gumber 'SKEICH MAP Show property's location in relation to nearest cross streets and/or geographical features. Indicate all buildings between iavestoried property and nearest iatersection. Indicate north. Use: Present residence Original residence DESCRIPTION: Date ca. 1840 Source Deeds Style Greek Revival Architect_Unknown Exterior wall fabricclaphoard Outbuildingsnone Major alterations (with dates)_ none Moved_No Date N/A Approx. acreage less than one acre Recorded by Betsy Friedberg Setting_The house sets on a knoll in Organization_Mass.
Historical Commission the center of the mill community of Date July, 1985 Braytonville, overlooking W. Main St., Williamstown Quadrangle now a major roadway. To the south of thepropertyis an early twentieth UTM Reference: 18/652780/4728800 (Staple additional sheets ceetshesuurban deveLopment. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the conmmity.) The house is architecturally significant as a rare surviving local example of a Greek Revival farmhouse with distinctive architectural features. The building is five bays wide, 2} stories in height, with a central entrance, reflecting a traditional plan. Particularly unusual arethe attenuated Doric pilasters deineating each bay of the north, east and west elevations.
These pilasters, which support a frieze beneath the cornice of the roof, have entasis carved in their profiles. The main entrance is ornamented with four pilasters, sidelights and transom. Also, each gable end has a full pediment. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the commmnity.) The Wells House, located on the road to Williamstown (now Route 2), was built by Orson Wells, who came to North Adams in 1815, and built an acid-producing factory (no longer extant) near the present building. Acid was critical to the tanning and woolen industry, and Wells and his son, Daniel, were also involved in the textile manufacturing enterprises that grew up in the adjoining industrial conmunity of Braytonville. As late as 1894, Daniel Wells owned 160 acres around this house, one of the oldest in the area.
The house itself remained in the Wells family until 1968. Surrounding buildings, most of 20th century construction, testify to the increased development in the area located ? miles west of North Adams' core. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES (name of publication, author, date and publisher) Owner's Deed information (interview 1/10/83) History of North Adams, MA 1749-1889, W. F. Spear, No. Adams, 1885 Atlas of the Towns of Adams, No. Adams, and Williamstown, D. L. Miller, NY, 1894 Criteria for Evaluation The Wells House, a distinguished example of Greek Revival styling, retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials, feeling, workmanship, and association with North Adams' early industrial and agricultural past. The building thus fulfills Criteria A and C of the National Register of Historic Places.
10M - 7/82 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 Expires No. 1024-0018 10-31-87 Page 2yz Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name North Adams MRA State Bershire County, MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review 11. Hathaway Tenement 12. Johnson School 13. Johnson Manufacturing Company 14. Norad Mill 15. Sherman, William B., Farm 16. Sykes House 17. Wells House 18. Phelps House 19. 20. Habered in tag National Register Entered in the Notional Register Date/Signatúre feeper AuluByuo 1/25/05 Attest f Keeper AelmBya 10/25/85 Attest fKeeper Entered Ix National Hoglsben AhluuByun 10/25/80 Entered in the National Register Attest foKeeper Attest /Keeper OeenurBgan N/21.
Entered in the National Register AuluuByu10/2% intared in tha ational Regietex Attest & Reeper AlmeBga210/25/5 Attest &Keeper AiluBzan10/2s/05 Zntered in the National Register Attest 5. Remon Keeper Attest Keeper Attest Keeper Attest 8 5003393 WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Wells House (North Adams MRA) Bershire County Borks MASSACHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: -sample Reviewer's comments: Jrequest SEP 121985 Working No._ Fed. Reg. Date:c2 Date Due: 10/10/85 Tabered 1 Action: -ACCEPT Iathonal Regist RETURN _REJECT_ Federal Agency: - 82 -appeal -NR decision Recom./Criteria Reviewer Discipline.
Date 0/21/85 25 -85 _ 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? yes no 7. Description Condition excellent good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one unaltered Jaltered 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 Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) Builder/Architect 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 title date 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 Wells House 568 West Main St. North Adams, Mass. Northeast view. Photo by R.Reed, 1981. Negative at NAHC Wells House 568 West Main Street North Adams, Mass. North Adams MRA -STATE RD. AjA STREE 202.7 202.27 60 2002 N N 13751 134.43 0/2 13985 60 20.05 100.00 TCH ROAD 70 70 945 135 133.4 9240 70 Wells House 568 West Main Street North Adams MRA NortRcAdams Assessors' Map, ca.,1245, 75 70 116.5 110. 91 227.5 milanest 2/4 152.33 65.87 731.67 65.8 0 - - 80.6 8535 -N 95 95:93 Wells Nouse 100 76. 60 173.38 97.78 63.2 29 5016 28 64. WEST MAN ST