BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 Photo (3"x3" or 3"x5", black and white) Indicate address of roperty on back of photo. Staple to left side of form. Sketch Map: Draw map showing property's location in relation to nearest cross streets and/or geographical features. Indicate all buildings between inventoried property and nearest intersection(s). Indicate north (SEE ATTACHED MAP) UTM REFERENCE 19.316200.4688300 USGS QUADRANGLE_NEWTON, MASS. SCALE 1:25,000 AREA 85 FORM NO. W 10 Newton, Mass. M.R.A.
Town Newton (Waban) Address 1615 Beacon Street Hfstoric Name Staples-Crafts-Wiswall Farm Use: Present dwelling Original dwelling DESCRIPTION Date mid-eighteenth century Source Genealogical data Style Georgian/Federal/ Victorian Architect unknown Exterior Wall Fabric _aluminum-c,1970s Outbu1ldings garage Major Alterations (with dates) 1768-rear ell added; 1824-Federal re-styling; 1858-Victorianized,1986-rear addit. Condition & rear ell demolished. Good Moved no Date lessthan Acreage 31,055 sq. ft. one acue Setting Along main thoroughfare at commercial center of village Recorded by Deborah Shea Organization NewtonHistorical Comm. Date 5/81; rev.
by H.White 3/86 NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) The Staples-Crafts-Wiswall farmstead is an important visual link to Waban's eighteenth century agricultural beginnings and has associations with the Staples, Crafts and Wiswall families who were among the area's earliest inhabitants. Therefore the Staples-Crafts- Wiswall Farm meets Criteria A and B of the National Register of Historic Places. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms other buildings within the community. .of The present house at 1615 Beacon Street was erected on the site of the late seventeenth century house of Deacon John Staples. Though greatly altered, it does incorporate the foundation, structural members and hardware of the Staples dwelling.
Moses Craft, who was raised by Deacon Staples and his wife, is believed to have rebuilt the staples house, replacing it with a more fashionable one, during the mid-eighteenth century. Crafts added an ell in 1769 which he sold to his son, Joseph. In 1824, the house was owned by William Wiswall, a cousin of the Craft family. Wiswall is believed responsible for the Federal style remode11jn88f8 thiswart sod eng tarmstead to David Kinmouth, a Boston merchant. Desiring a stylish summer estate Kinmouth extensively remodelled HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. Deacon John Staples (1658?-1740) was Newton's first school master. In 1688 he came to Newton and had builta house on this site estate reached from Beacon Street eastward as far as Chestnut Street.
Deacon Staples was a politically active citizen and held a number of public offices. ork and troaburer. by 1700. His vast 93-acre For many years he was the Town Clerk and Treasurer, and in 1700 he was appointed Newton's first schoolmaster, for which he was paid 5 shillings per session. As Staples and his wife were childless, the couple raised several boys. from other families. One, Moses Craft, eventually inherited the farmhouse. was rebuilt by Moses Craft during the mid-eighteenth century and an ell added in 1768. The ell was sold by Moses to his son Joseph, who had agreed to remain and operate the farm. Joseph was the father of 15 children. He and his wife continued to live on the farm long after they were able to maintain it, and parcels were occasionally sold in order to meet expenses. Joseph Crafts died in 1821 at the age of 85, leaving no will and considerable debts owed.
Ihe Judge of Probate ordered the property to be auctioned, and Joseph's son, Moses Crafts II, made the winning bid of $5.50 for the house, barn, and a large tract of land. In 1824 Moses Craft II sold the property to his cousin William Wiswall II. Wiswall gave the house a Federal period remodelling. He was a prosperous BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Newtont2, Pp.17-18rchitecture: Newton Highlands & Haban, Historic Newton, Inc. Jackson Homestead files. Francis Jackson, History of the Early Settlement of Newton 1639-1800, Boston, 1854 Vital Records to 1850, Newton, Mass. Maps: Jackson Map, 1848, 1855. 8/85 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Page two of three Commmity: Newton (Waban) Newton, Mass: MRA Form No: W 10 Property Name: Staples-Trafts-Wisvall Farm Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below.
Architectural Significance: the house, giving it its present appearance. The gable ends clipped, and jerkin-head gables were added to the dormers. Several ay windows were added and the porches were extended. The I-plan f the house was savared off bv the addition of a new oval dinin room to the northeast corner, with an arched bedroom above. Staple to Inventory form at bottom INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET rage Wllee ua vmLuu ayewton, MMass. Commmity : Form No: Newton (Waban) W 10 MRA MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Property Name: Staples-Crafts-Wiswall Farm Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. Historical Significance: farmer until 1858, when he was unable to maintain the Iarm any longer, selling it to David Kinmouth, a wealthy Boston drygoods merchant.
at that time the property was sold to another Boston merchant, Edward Wyman. Staple to Inventory form at bottom NPS Form 10-900-8 (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number °.1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 For NPS use onty recelved 7/23/86 date entered Page Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Newton- MRA Middlesex County, MA Nomination/Type of Review 111. Souther, John, House 112. Staples--Crafts--Wiswall Farm 113. Stone, Ebenezer, House CL/. 114. Stone, Joseph L., House 115. Strong's Block 116. Thaxter, Celia, House 117. Thayer House 118. Ward, Ephraim, House 119. Wheat, Samuel, House 120. Woodward, John, House Date/Signature Entered in the National Register theeper loubgun 94416 Attest Interai 1n the Jationa, Regigt eeper MelomBgu 814186 Attest.
etersine Atire leview IECTIO ,|Keeper aite aluila Audur 9/4154 Entere! in the Nationci Logiater Attest DebuBgun 811166 Attest Entared in üha Matlonal Rogister/Reeper Aeloueßzun actra Na "tore) Attest fKeeper AuloreByen 214106 in 11: National Rogister Attest fKeeper SelureByen 914186 Intiorgü Hatiore1 150 Attest fReeper AeloreaByen 9/4/86 Entered the dational Register Attest fReeper rloresAyen 9/4/86 Mati istoR. Attest fiseeper Delorßyun 9/4/86 Attest 86001884 WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Staples--Crafts--Wiswall Farm (Newton MRA) Middlesex County MASSACHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Reviewer's comments: sample Jrequest JUL 2 3 1986 Working No. Fed. Reg.
Date 2/3/87 Date Due: _ 8121186 - 9/6/86 Action: - - VACCEPT-- 9-4-86 Intered in the __RETURN Hational Register REJECT. Federal Agency: - Lappeal LJ 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? yes no 7. Description Condition excellent good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one J 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 J 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 paragraphyr 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:- GPO 918-450 Comments for any item may be continued on an attached sheet Staples-- Crafts -- Wiskell Ferm - Newton, Mass. MRA 1615 Beacon St, Waban MR-A-2 (30) Staples -- Crafts-.hiswall Form Newton, Mass: MRA 1615 Beacon St, Waban - MR-A-2 (31) - :TION -OCK 13 9310 5 3 40 MA IN CITY OF NEWTON 13 WINDSOR SECTION 53 BLOCK 32 3 ROAD KINMONTH STREET ROAD M. B. T.A. BEACON 1A SEVER EASEMENT ITUATE COCHITUATE SECTIC BLOCI Clty of Newton Assessor's Maps. Sheet /0/ Metric Series. 1979 Scale: UTM grid line interval = 100 meters (328 feet) Newton, ass. M.R.A. 1615 Beacon street, ilaban staples-irafts-iiswall House 53-32-7 -