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 MAY 22 1989 61l AREA FORM NO. 343 (Winchester, Mass. M.R.A.) WIN CHESTER Town Address 6 Mystic Valley Parkway Historic Name Robert Bacon House - Photo (3"x3" or 3"x5*, black and white) Indicate address of property 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 LAKEVIEW ROAD ACE 7: Mg AL Use: Present Original DESCRIPTION dwelling dwelling Date circa 1830 Source architect's sketches, other surviving construction documents style _ Federal/Greek Revival Architect John Kutts of Boston Exterior Wall Fabric clapboard, brick en Outbuildings 2 / NC- Garages 137 JAL FARKWAY ABERIONA RIVER MYSTIC LAKE Major Alterations (with dates) deck balustrade, c.
1900 Condition Excellent Moved no Date Acreage .80 acre 17-0002 Setting Suburban residential along north eastern shore of Upper Mystic Lake, where Aberjona Kiver empties into the Mystic Lake. /"= 200' MYSTIC UTM REFERENCE 19. 323760. 4701020 USES QUADRANGLE LEXINGTON, MASS. SCALE 1:25 000 Recorded by Allen Hill, Carol Ely Organization Winchester Historical Comm -. Date 11/78; 10/87 revised by H. White NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) The Robert Bacon House is important as a rare surviving local example of a high style residence which exemplifies the transition from the Federal to the Greek Revival style. as the work of John Kutts, a well-known Boston builder-architect of the early nineteenth century; the architect's drawings & plans as well as bills and contracts related to the construction survive, providing valuable insights into building practices of the period.
In addition the Bacon house is notable for its association with Robert. Bacon, and therefore meets ARCHITECTURA SIMIFiCNEE besor be mpor tan arehfecturad feätured and eeture in teres of other buildings within the community. The Bacon House (c.1830) is an important and rare local example of the Transitional Federal-Greek Revival mode. It is Winchester's only high-style example of this type, and is further signifcant because it can be attributed to the builder-architect John Kutts of Boston, and because the carpenter's bill and plasterer's contract as well as the architects original drawings survive. John Kutts was a Boston builder-architect, an active contemporary Edward Snaw, Gridley Bryant, Richard Bond and Ammi B. Young. All are listed as architects in the Boston directories oi the time, indicating a prospering profession.
John Kutts is also known as one of the unsuccess- ful competitors in the Girard College. In addition the house on Beacon Hill at 74 Pinckney o competitions for the Albany city hall and for Street is known to have been designed by Kutts, and built by Weeks & HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE. Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. In 1825 most of the Symmes land west of the Aberjona River was sold to Robert Bacon of Boston. The Symmes land was part of the original land grant of over 300 acres made in 1636 to the Reverend Zechariah Symmes of the Charlestown church. With the 1825 sale of the Symmes land went the mill privilege on the Aberjona, which Bacon used for many years in his business of making felt for hats.
It.was also in 1825 that Bacon Street was cut through from Main to Church Streets, the first highway across the old Symmes farm. Robert Bacon came to Winchester (then a part of old Medford) in 1824 from Boston, to establish a felting mill, in the former Symmes mill on the lower Aberjona River. The felt and wadding factory com- plex was in operation until 1951, The Bacon mills were an important early employer in Winchester. The Bacon House was built circa 1830 on high ground overlooking the factory, river, and worker's housing, an ensemble of buildings which came to be known as "Baconville." Robert Bacon controlled several patented improvements in felting machinery, to which he added innovations of his own. In one year the Aberjona mill is said to have formed some 85,000 hat bodies, in addition to producing a quantity of felt for other purposes.
There were two mills beside the lower Aberjona, and both to be owned by Bacon. Both are said to have been burned in 1843. esthe - came BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Chapman, H., History of Winchester, 1936. McIntyre, A.M., Beacon H111, A Walking Tour, 1975, Little, Brown & Co., p.89, 117 RoSSuasherie D19e B0k 02Boston: The Federa1 Period, Hastings House Map of Baconville, Winchester Archival center. Map dated 1909. 8/85 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commmity: Winchester Form No: 343 Property Name: Robert Bacon House Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE continued: Perrin.
It is a small brick house of three-and-a-half stories, built in 1829, and unusual in that there is an agreement filed with the deed noting the type oi construction (to include a brick sidewalk), the prices of wallpapers (some with borders), the black marble fireplace mantelpieces (of the same type used in the Robert Bacon house), and other details. The center entrance has transom and sidelights with leaded glass tracery. The entrance is set within a one-story Doric portico with fluted columns and a deck balustrade (the deck balustrade is probably a later addition). The window placement is symmetrical with à sash configuration of six-over-six. Federal, Greek Revival and later nineteenth centur: detail are preserved on the interior.
HISTORICAL SIGNI ICANCE continued: They were soon r built, but Bacon then leased them to a variety of small industries, inciuding a cotton batting factory run by Caleb Mills; a sash and blind :hop; a print works; and a mahogany sawing mill. CHAIN OF OWNERSHIP: 1. Ann Bacon 1830-1903 2. Edward A. Smith 1904-1919 3. James F. and Caroline Jackson 1924-1944 4. John k. Solony 1947-1977 Staple to Inventoty form at botton (PS Fomm 10-900 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number Page OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 MAY 221989 Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Winchester MRA Middlesex County, MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review Cover lubatanlivo Hovioo 1. Ayer, Albert, House Entered the National Begistes Date/Signature Sor xeeper Bet Srunge 7-5-89 fKeeper NulureByu7/5/54 2.
Ayer, Thomas, House NauLaadi. Legacoc 3. Bacon, Robert, House Entered in the Hatlonal Register 4. Baker, Kenelum, House Entered 10 tha Mat1Q0a1 Regiatar Attest FKeeper KhlseByun 1/s/54 Attest Hreoper Shlrua Bgun 1/765 Attest (Kéeper AeluByen 1/5/89 Entered in the Attest 5. Brackett, Edward A., House National Roglatos Hreoper Auloueßgun 1/5/7 Attest Intered 1n th9 6. Braddock, Edward, House Natlonal Register Hreoper delurer Bypu 1/5/89 Attest 7. Brine, George, House Entered in the National Register fReeper Helrerßyun 1/5/69 Attest Itern? I: 159 8. Carr--Jeeves House 1 tutoue Neem pu 9// Attest 9. Central Street Historic District BatAaxNivo Eorion Keeper 10.
Childs, Webster, House Attest ue fieeper KeleByu +/578, Attest UNITED STATES DEPARIMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Bacon, Robert, House NAME: MULTIPLE Winchester MRA NAME: STATE & COUNTY: MASSACHUSETTS, Middlesex DATE RECEIVED: 5/22/89 DATE OF 16TH DAY: 6/22/89 DATE OF PENDING LIST: 6/06/89 DATE OF 45TH DAY: 7/06/89 DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: REFERENCE NUMBER: 89000611 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: APPEAL: N DATA PROBLEM: N LANDSCAPE: N LESS THAN 50 YEARS: N PERIOD: PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: REQUEST: N SAMPLE: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: COMMENT WAIVER: N VACCEPT _RETURN _REJECT 1/5/84 DATE Dntered in the National Registez ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS: RECOM./CRITERIA REVIEWER DISCIPLINE DATE_ DOCUMENTATION see attached comments Y/N see attached SLR Y/N CLASSIFICATION count resource type STATE/FEDERAL AGENCY CERTIFICATION FUNCTION historic current DESCRIPTION architectural classification materials descriptive text 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 BIBLIOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHICAL DATA acreage UTMS verbal boundary description boundary justification ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION/PRESENTATION sketch maps USGS maps _photographs OTHER COMMENTS Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone presentation Signed Date Robert Bacon House 6 Mystic Valley Parkuc Winchester, Ma.
MRA MHC Inr. +t 343 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000303