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FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 JAN 0 2 1990 66 AREA B FORM NO. 20 Town Swansea, Mass. MRA SWANSEA Address 412 Old Warren Road Historic Name Benjamin Cole 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 geographical features. Indicate all buildings buildings between inventoried property and nearest intersection(s). Indicate north (see attached map) Use: Present residence Original residence/farmstead DESCRIPTION Date 1701 Source Wright, Hist. of Swansea Style Georgian/Federal Architect unknown Exterior Wall Fabric clapboard Outbuildings barn (ca. 1890), garage (ca. 1950), misc. small sheds Major Alterations (with dates) probable remodeling (18th cent.), rear ell (ca.
1850) Condition excellent Moved no Date Acreage approximately 4 acres Setting Rural residential setting west of Luther's Corner; house occupies a knoll in a clearing; road moderately travelled UTM REFERENCE 19 314350 4623320 USGS QUADRANGLE Fal1 River MA-RI 1967/1979 SCALE 1:25000 Recorded by R.M. Doodson/K. F1ynn/K. Broomer Organization Swansea Historical Conmission Date 1978/February 1986/November 1989 NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) The Cole House, 412 Old Warren Road, meets Criterion Aas an intact farmstead reflecting the early agricultural settlement of Old Swansea and Criterion C as a well-preserved example of an 18th-century Georgian/Federal vernacular farmhouse. Retaining integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, and association, the Cole House is significant on the local level.
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the community. The oldest documented house in Swansea (1701), the Cole House is a 2½-story, gabled and clapboarded structure noted for its massive brick center chimney. This farmhouse, likely remodelled in the Federal period, has a symmetrical, five-bay, center-entry facade, a double-pile plan, and a 1½-story gabled rear ell with a secondary entry on the north side. The center entry, built out with a hipped roof enclosure marked by wide corner pilasters, contains a vertical board door with iron strap hinges set in a plain surround. Cornerboards and sill boards finish both main block and ell. Other detailing included dripboards on windows of the main block, 2/2 sash on the facade, and 9/6 sash on the sides. The rear ell, added ca.
1850, displays a square eave window over the entrance on the north side and a single double-hung window in the gable end of the west side. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. The Coles of Swansea are descendants of James Cole of Plymouth, the first Cole to come to America. His grandson, Benjamin Cole (1678-1748), who was born in Swansea, married in 1701 The house has a long association with agriculture in Swansea, owned first by the Coles and later by the Wilbur family, who operated the farm from the early 19th century until well into the 20th century.
Oriented east on a colonial road through O1d Swansea connecting Luther's Corner/Swansea Center with the present Warren, Rhode Island, the Cole house is a fine example of the dispersed, self-sufficient farmsteads that characterized Swansea settlement in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Dairy farming was the farm's focus, supplemented by market gardening in the late 19th/early 20th centuries. Architecturally, the house is significant as the earliest extant house in Swansea. There are indications of remodeling later in the 18th century, including the treatment of the main doorway, as well as the double range of rooms arranged under a wide gable roof rather than in a lean-to format. The former is not commonly seen in center-chimney houses of southeastern Massachusetts until the 1730s and 1740s [MHC, 134]. BIBLIOGRAPHYand/or REFERENCES Bristol County records, Taunton, Mass.
and Registry of Deeds, Fall River, Mass. Assessors records, Swansea Town Hall, and 1849 map of Swansea, Swansea Public Library. Cole Geneaology, E. B. Cole, 1635. Wright, o. o. History of Swansea, 1917. Mass. Hist. Comm. State Survey Team, Historic and Archaeological Resources of -SE Mass., 1982. 8/85 'or 100000 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number Page. Swansea MRA Bristol County, MASSACHUSETTS Sevier Cover 1. Anthony, David M., House OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Date Listed 2. Anthony, Harold H., House 3. Bark Street School Entered 1n the accept Beray Suage 02-16-91 Nat1onal Raglstegkéeper ThenmDyen 2/16/90 Attest Entered in the Natlonad dostates HRéeper Aeloue Ajun 2/66150 Entered in the Hational Hogleter Attest Hkéeper dluneSyun 9/60/90 Attest 4.
Barneyville Historic District Entered 1n the Nat1ona1 Regleter /eeper DelmuByu 2/10/50 Attest 5. Bend of the Lane intered 1a the Nationai Jegistes fkeeperKilunByud 2/16190 Attest 6. Brown, John, IV, House intered in tat National Begistes Reeper Aelanßyen 2/16150 7. Buffington, DEacon,John, Housetered in the Hationad Regiater Attest LKeeper SelveBge 31640 8. Church of Christ, Swansea intered in the National Registes Attest /Keeper AelunsBgun 2/16/80 9. Cole, Benjamin, House Attest Akeeper Entered in the National Register TeauByan 216150 Attest 10/ Colony Historic District Albetsatita Rarior jakeepert - Betgo Sunge 02-16-50 Attest UNITED STATES DEPARTMENI OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE IATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACE EVALUATION/RETURN SHEE!
REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Cole, Benjamin, House NAME: MULTIPLE Swansea MRA NAME: STATE & COUNTY: MASSACHUSETTS, Bristol DATE RECEIVED: 1/02/90 DATE OF 16TH DAY: 2/02/90 DATE OF PENDING LIST: 1/19/90 DATE OF 45TH DAY: 2/16/90 DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: REFERENCE NUMBER: 90000066 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: REAUEE: BAEIEROBIEN N BER DAPP N MAREOMA DAPPROVED: M REQUEST: N SAMPLE: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: COMMENT WAIVER: N VACCEPT RETURN REJECT H16150 Entered in tha DATE National Rogister ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS: * see conment on reverce regarding puiad of significance RECOM.
/CRITERIA A +C DISCPEINS Arcttual Sistory 2/16/92 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