BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FM B - BUILDING LIKSI IEKIUD JUKVEY-JAN 24 190 SSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION BOYLSTON STREET STON, MA 02116 hotos 1:18A facade 92 1:4A 2nd floor, east chamber, north wall FORM NO. 176 112A :24 :21 basement, vertical planking ex- tending through sills and reused Iafters 2nd flo01, east end wall, summer beam detail Ist fi001, west 100mn fireplace wall N tch Map:: Bow Nrcehrankire Ebain - E Putnanhouse Haverhill C =w. :REFERENCE S QUADRANGLE LE Pari5t Z E N 19 / 329-470 / 4715-410 Reading 1:25,000 017 Town NoIth Readine Address21 Bow Street Historic Name Reverend Daniel Putram House Use: Present museum (N.Re Histe Seci Oríginal IASideRCE DESCRIPTION Date 1720 Source Parich Records StyleFirst Doriod/transitional Architect rone Exterior Wall Fabric clapbeard Outbuildings 1o1n bard, 1844 scbocihause.
moved from crise Main Stu site Major Alterations (with dates) entarzed io present size late 18th eariy 19th c., Iear shed cân 1820 chimner rostared 1072 Condition _axcellent Moved -ra Acreage Setting Date n/a 2.3 acres Across from common and meetire house 2t cld town certer, iic side te street ic arez of 18-h and eariyish =houses Recorded by Arne N ErortI Boston University Organization Date February, 1986 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Cammmity: MASSACHUSETTS HISTORI CAL COMMI SSION Office of the Secretary, Boston NORTH READING Form No: 92 Property Name: Rev. Daniel Putnam House Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. SIGNIFICANCE The Reverend Daniel Putnam house retains integrity of location, design, materials and workmanship in its surviving late First Period plank frame and interior finish, making it eligible under Criterion C.
Its plank wall construction represents an unusual Massachusetts Bay framing alternative possibly connected to the availability of sawn lumber in the area. (North Reading had a sawmill operating by 1701.) The survival of an entire room intact, including plaster and paint, furnishes a rare opportunity to study a complete First Period interior. The existence of the original specifications and subseguent modifications BEBEE 21 insight into the ways in which actual building related to a construction bussasng xolated to l Construeeson proposal, and give us information as to what was considered a suitable for a rural town's minister in the early 18th century. The fact presently covered with later 18th-century finish suggests that future investigation may be likely to yield important information on late First Period construction under Criterion D.
EXTERIOR DESCRIPTION The Reverend Daniel Putnam House is a five-bay, 2 1/2 story, central chim- ney structure, two cells deep with a simple Federal/Greek Revival doorway and a 1 1/2 story 1820's shed with a second tall, thin chimney projecting from the right rear. Recent reclapboarding revealed evidence of an origi- nal 3-bay facade, with only one window to each side of the front door. The original core was either a one or two cell 2 1/2 story house of plank frame construction, which was enlarged to its present size in the late 18th or early 19th century. The present rear wall is of stud construction. i century y e proe MAJOR FIRST PERIOD FEATURES The transitional nature of this house original First and Second Period interior finish. Built by the town for its new minister c.
1720, its lower rooms exhibit Second Period paneling beams which may be original to 1720, while the southeast chamber is finished with late First Period decoration. Determining the evolution of the house is complicated by the existence of the minister's settlement agreement in the 1718 parish records, which specifies a building whose dimensions do not match the present structure. The town was to build Mr. Putnam a "house 28 feet long: 19 feet wide: 15 feet stud with a lenter on the back side 10 feet stud, with 3 chimnis from ye ground, and one chamber chimney, with a conveant saller and well, in liue of the 100 pounds, if [Mr. Putnam] find nails and glass" for the house." [1] For this the parish voted to raise L. 100 by taxes.
Although the present house is approximately 40 feet wide and 28 feet deep, the southeast cell with chimney bay measures 24 by 17 feet, relatively close to the original specifications. As visible First Period finish is found in the southeast chamber, this may indicate an original one cell 2 1/2 1 Staple to Inventory form at bottom INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Conmnity: MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION NORTH READING Office of the Secretary, Boston Form No: 92 Property Name: Rev. Danie1 Putnam House Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. story plan. Nevertheless, such a plan would not provide the number of rooms and hearths specified in the settlement, which seems to indicate a two-room plan. The parish seems to have realized this, for it voted on Aug.
26, 1719 to allow the minister's housebuilding committee to "alter the fashion of the house, chimneys, and cellar as the committee and Mr. Putnam agree," provided that they not exceed the original cost. present southwest end has identical plank framing visible in the cellar, it is likely that either the house was actually constructed as a plan, or the original one-cell house was enlarged shortly after, as is indicated by the presence of early Second Period paneling in these rooms. (The house ultimately did not cost L.
100 to build, as the parish in 1723 was determining what to do with the surplus building funds.) The second floor southeast chamber exhibits complete First Period finish, including the original whitewash and plaster, recently uncovered during The transverse summer beam has a beveled chamfer with lamb's-tongue stops, the butt-cog joists have narrow flat, (beveled,) no stops, and summer, joists, and attic floorboards are whitewashed. The plates, posts, and end tie beams have beveled chamfers; the chimney girt is quirk-beaded. The fireplace wall retains vertical half-lap sheathing with two small square raised field panels (partially restored) over the fireplace. The original north wall with its surviving plaster is exposed; the laths are nailed directly onto the plank wall, with a whitewashed rising brace in the northeast corner.
The rear first floor kitchen has one quirk-beaded post; it is impossible to tell if this is part of an original lean-to or a reused member. Iwentieth-century fire damage makes it impossible to tell if the rest of framing members were chamfered. The kitchen has wide horizontal sheathing with deep feathers. chimney stack was removed in 1880 and restored in 1972 following the original outline. Eveidence was found of a coved fireplace front in the kitchen; this has been restored in brick. The rear second floor contains slightly jowled posts and one transverse beam which has been either hacked away or given a very crude beveled chamfer and taper stop. All other visible framing members are unfinished. The original, partially rotted feet of the north plank wall (now the north inner wall of the southwest room) protrude down through the ceiling of the 1799 basement below.
cellar section under the rear of the house is roofed using reused rafters with purlin trenches, probably used here when the second floor was raised in the 1820's. Stringer marks in the whitewash on the front of the chimney foundation indicate that the cellar stairs were originally located under the front lobby stairway; they are now in the northwest corner of the house. Staple to Inventory form at botton INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Cammunity : NORTH READING Form No: 92 Property Name: Rev. Daniel Putnam House Indicate each item on inventory forn which is being continued below. LATER SIGNIFICANT FEATURES Due to the transitional date of the house and its undetermined evolution, it is difficult to tell whether the Second Period finish in most of the rooms is original or later additions covering original finish.
simple, deep and widely feathered raised field panels and vertical sheathing on the fireplace walls in the southwest room and chamber could conceivably have been produced by a rural town for one of its most prominent citizens in 1720. The beams in these rooms are plainly boxed. The finish in the southeast room, which is much more elaborate, probably was put in after 1750 and may cover the original transitional finish. The fireplace wall in this room is covered with many field panels and has a simple molded fireplace surround. A molded cornice runs along the tops of the beam boxes on all four walls and the summer beam. The three outer walls are covered to the dado with field paneling. The deep windows have folding shutters and field panels on sides, sill, and soffit. No interior finish seems to postdate ca. 1820, which seems to be when the house reached its present form.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION The house was built by Reading's North Parish as a condition of Rev. Daniel Putnam's settlement as the first settled minister in the North Parish. Putnam was minister in old Reading (now Reading, North Reading, and Wakefield) for 39 years (1720-1759), longer than any other minister except his successor, Rev. Eliab Stone. The house was occupied by Putnam's descendants until 1962. Prominent owners include Deacon Daniel Putnam, physician and selectman, and Deacon Henry Putnam, selectman, state representative, and Revolutionary war veteran. The widow of state representative and War of 1812 veteran Capt. Joshua Putnam, Nancy (Graves) Putnam, used part of the house for teaching boarding students and day pupils after her husband's death. NOTES 1. North Parish Records, December 29, 1718.
REFERENCES Eaton, Lilley, Genealogical History of the Town of Reading Boston: Graves, Mary H. Early Ministers of the North Precinct (1907)- LePage, Samue1 M. A History of North Reading Middlesex Registry of Deeds and Probate, research by Barbara o'Brien, NRHC. Parish Records. 1874. 3 Staple to Inventory form at bottom NPS Form 10-000-e (806) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number Page OMB Approvel No. 1024-0018 :/24/80 Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Same First Period Bul1dings of Bastern Massachusetts TR Nomination/Type of Review X1101: Jaquith, Abraham, House Intered in tbe 102. Mason, John, House Entered in tbe Matlonal Reglater Keeper_ delau Byui 3/2/90 Attest 103. Meet ing House of the sanondedarishe in Woburn Natlonal Begister keeper Aluabsyen 3/940 Attest >c4104.
Noyes--Parris Houseuustantiro Rarzen furKeeper_ Bete Saurge 3/4/10 Attest 105. Page, Christopher, Hougstered 1n tha Natlonal Regiater Jéeper AleluuesByun 3/9/20 Attest 106. Putnam, Rev. Daniel, Housintered in the fraeper AlelouaByen 34/40 National Register Attest SUM107. Robbins, George, House wubstantize Beskey Mrupor, Bithf Savoge 3/7/10 sut108. 109. Tenney Homestead Spaulding, Zeb, House mibstaderre Bovn -Entered in the Hational Registe: Sor xapor fitfof Saase 319/10 fxeeper AelansAgex 319450 Attest 110. Upham, Phineas, House Eatered in the #ational Heeister UKeeper @Aeluußguas 3/9/90 Attest UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Putnam, Rev.
Daniel, House NAME: MULTIPLE First Period Buildings of Eastern Massachusetts TR NAME: STATE & COUNTY: MASSACHUSETTS, Middlesex DATE RECEIVED: 1/24/90 DATE OF 16TH DAY: 2/23/90 DATE OF PENDING LIST: 2/07/90 DATE OF 45TH DAY: 3/10/90 DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: REFERENCE NUMBER: 90000176 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: OPPERIN PA PROBLEM N DNDCADE N DESS THAN 50 YEARS: N PDIL: PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: REQUEST: N SAMPLE: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: N COMMENT WAIVER: N LACCEPT RETURN REJECT 3/9/94 DATE Entered in the Hational Begister 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 verbal boundary description UTMS boundary justification ACCOMPANY ING DOCUMENTATION/PRESENTATION sketch maps _USGS maps photographs OTHER COMMENTS Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone _presentation Signed Date Reu.
DAnIEe Pitnam HousE 80:18A 21 Boco St. No. READNG, MA EXTERIOT Ist Pared Buldings of E. Ma, MR 1585 Rev Daniel Pitnam Htouse 27 Bou St. No. Readung, MA 2np floor E. chanber N.wale Ist Perad Buldiys ef FE. Ma., TR : 1985 80:4A Reu. Deniel Putnam House 2) Boo 5t. No. Reading, MA Iot Perid Buddhy PE. Ma, TR 1stfloor, w.room pireplace wase 1985 Rev. DAnEl Pitnam House 80:12A 2-Bow St Ns. Readng, MA Ist fered Buldingso E. May TR basement: plank eerdence + rie-ued saften 1985 Rer Danies Putnam House 2 Boro st. No. Reading, MA 2ND loor E. room summebeam Ist porid Burldig of Fe Ma, TR 79:24 1985 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000281