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FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 Sketch Map: Draw map showing property s iocation in relation to nearest cross streets and/or geographical features. Indicate all buildings between inventoried property and nearest intersection(s). Indicate north see attached assessors' map UTM REFERENCE 19/383160/4611840 USGS QUADRANGLE Cotuit, MA SCALE 1:25,000 Barnstable, MA MRA AREA MMA 45 FORM NO. ~ wn Barnstable (Marstons Mills) Idress 1874 South County Road storic Name Merrill Estate e: Present dwelling Original SCRIPTION dwelling te c1750-1775 urce owner, style yle Georgian cape chitect _unknown Exterior Wall Fabric_shingle Outbuildings_barn, small woodshed Major Alterations (with dates) front wing, c1825-1850 Condition good Moved no Date Acreage 3.0 98/8-1 Setting residential street leading from Rte.
28 to Osterville Center Recorded by Candace Jenkins Organization BArnstable Historical Comm. Date 1986 NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) The Merrill Estate possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workman- ship, feeling and association. It is significant for its associations with Barnstable's early agricultural history as well as its later summer resort history. It is also impor- tant as a well preserved Georgian style farmhouse with a substantial Greek Revival style addition. The property thus meets criteria A and C of the National Register of Historic Places. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the community. The Merrill Estate is a l and 1/2 story, full five bay Cape cottage enclosed by a gable roof with massive center chimney.
In the mid-19th century, a l and 1/2 story Greek Revival style wing was added to the front of the house. This section is distinguished by windows with projecting lintels and 2/2 sash, and a porch along its eastern flank. A two bay English style barn sits behind the house, testifying to its early agricultural history. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. Due to a fire in the County Courthouse in 1827, the early deeds to this property have been destroyed. The earliest remaining deed refers to a conveyance made in 1821 from ,Russell Lovell to William Sturgis. It is believed that Lovell and Sturgis were early sea captains.
Captain Lovell of Osterville was commander of the schooner FOREST CITY (twhich left for New York on April 3, 1863 with hay for the Union Army in South Carolina and was lost with all hands. Captain Sturgis is best remembered for leaving his boy- hood home to the town of Barnstable along with $15,000 in trust for a public library (Area BV/WB). In 1834, William Sturgis sold this homestead to Harvey Scudder and Theophilus L. Adams, when the first summer people started coming to the Cape. Harvey Scudder and his brother Erastus, along with J.H. Churchill, H.W. Chapin and F.A. Crocker, formed the Osterville Land Co. and acquired most of the beachfront property that is now Wianno (Area OVC). Harvey sold his half of this property to Theophilus Adams in 1841, and Adams in turn sold to Charles Gifford in 1859, retaining a life estate. In 1889, Elizabeth Gifford sold the homestead to Ann E.
Merrill of Melrose. The property has remained in the Merrill family to this day. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Barnstable County Registry of Deeds and Probate. Barnstable County Atlases. 1858, 1880, 1907. Trayser, Donald G. Barnstable, Three Centuries of a Cape Cod Town. 1939. 8/85 82000268 WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Merrill Estate (Barnstable MRA) Barnstable County MASS A CHUSETTS Subetantive Reviee resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Reviewer's comments: -sample Jrequest Jappeal pee seneral revie comments for mRA. Nomination returned for: technical corrections cited below A substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3.
Classification Category Ownership Public Acquisition Status Accessible 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