BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM B - BUILDING FIRST DURVEY SAN 2 4 1990 MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 Photos 26:15 detail, summer beam right hand room 26:16 left-hand chamber ceiling 2/8 FORM NO. 24 Town Gloucester 009 Address 179 Washington St. Historic Name Whittemore House 26:17 exterior (south and east facades) Sketch Map: Use: Present Residence Original Residence DESCRIPTION Date ca.
1700 Source Stvlistic analysis Style First Period w/ Federal vernäc- ular exterior Architect Unknown Exterior Wall FabricClapboards Outbuildings Garage GROVE + GROVE CEMETER WASHINGTON Z E N UTM REFERENCE 19 / 362-670 / 4719-610 USGS QUADRANGLE SCALE Gloucester 1:25,000 Major Alterations (with dates) Lean-to raised, date unknown; wing to right added, date unknown Condition Good Moved No Date _ N/ A Acreage less than one acre Setting Adjacent to cemetery, on stree street of mixed residential and retail usage; wood frame structures of mixed pre-World War I date Recorded by Organization Anne Grady Boston University Date June 1986 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Commmity: Form No: MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION GLOUCESTER 24 Office of the Secretary, Boston Property Name: Whittemore House Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below.
SIGNIFICANCE The Whittemore House has integrity of location, design, materials and workmanship, and embodies distinctive characteristics of form construction under Criterion C. The addition of a second cell within the First Period is representative of a larger number of First Period Houses, while the decorative embellishment of the two portions of the frame allows study of evolutionary patterns of framing decoration among Gloucester carpenters. Examination of the parts of the frame now concealed would be likely to yield important information about framing practices among Gloucester joiners. (Criterion D). EXTERIOR DESCRIPTION The Whittemore House is a five bay wide, 2 story house of asymetrical plan with steep roof pitch and a two story lean-to. There is a wing of undetermined construction date to the right rear.
The clapboarded exterior is finished with simple 19th century trim of plain window The central chimney has been removed. At the core of the house are an original single cell structure (left hand rooms and chimney bay) and the rooms added in the First Period to the right of the chimney. MAJOR FIRST PERIOD FEATURES Evidence of First Period framing is seen in each of the four front rooms. In the right hand room, there is an approximately 1 foot wide longitudinal summer beam with 1 1/4" flat chamfers and lamb's tongue stops. Joists are c. 24" on centers. There are flat chamfers on all three outer wall girts, the chimney girt. In the left hand room, there is a longitudinal summer beam with broad quarter-round chamfers. Stops of undetermined shape are present on the summer beam.
In the right hand chamber; the rear chimney post, the only framing member exposed, has a flat chamfer and triangular stop. An early description of the house indicated that there are raised sills, now enclosed in the walls of the downstairs rooms. [1] In the left hand chamber, there is an exposed summer tie beam with 1 1/4" flat chamfers and lamb's tongue stops. Joists, some of which are slightly chamfered, are 21" on centers. At the front and rear walls, the ceiling is plastered on an angle, a variation of finish seen in First Period houses where tie beams are not set flush with the plates. Roof framing is of principal rafters and common purlins, but no collar beams. The cellar is only under the left-hand room.
-1- Staple to Inventory form at botton INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Community: GLOUCESTER Form No: 24 Property Name: Whittemore House Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. HISTORICAL INFORMATION The house is important for its association with Fitz Hugh Lane (1804-1865), noted painter of marine subjects. Lane's first studio was in the left-hand (west) room of the Whittemore house when the house was owned by his brother. [2] REFERENCES 1. Edward H. Lane, "Washinton Street As It Appeared 75 Years Ago," Gloucester Daily Times, January 20, 1917. 2. Early Recollections of Artist Fitz Hugh Lane, Gloucester Daily Times, March 23, 1916.
-2- Staple to Inventory form at bottom Nps Form 100000 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number Page OMB Approvel No. 1024-0018 1/24/90 Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name First Period Buildings of Eastern Massachusetts TR State Nomination/Type of Review Date/Signature HReeper RlasuBgun 3/9/96 81. White--Preston House Entered in thu Hational Begister Attest 82. Whittemore House Entered in the National Begister Vkeeper AulauaBgen 3/9/90 Attest 83. Woodberry--Quarrels House Entered In the Ikéeper dlemßga 3/9/80 National Register Attest Entered in the 84. Woodbury, Peter, House Leatorad toststar Keeper AilwsuByan 3/8/90 Attest Entered in the 85. Bacon, Stephen, House Hationad Registes CKeéper Kulareßya 3/9/90 Entered in the 86. Bickford, John, House Fational Registor 87.
Brewer, Moses, House Entered in the Hational Regiater Entered in the National Register Attest Keeper Aelarebgun 3/9/90 Attest Lkeeper Alurestsyen 3/9/92 Attest 88. Brown--Stow House Reeper 0 Sularestyen 3/9/50 89. Browne, Abraham, House 90.
Buck, Ephraim, House Attest intered in the latlonad Boglstes (Reeper Alelmußgu 3/9/90 Attest Entered 1n the Mational Register tkeeper Alelvresibyen 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 Whittemore House NAME: MULTIPLE First Period buildings of Eastern Massachusetts TR NAME: STATE & COUNTY: MASSACHUSETTS, Essex 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: 90000218 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: OPPERL: N PATA PROBLEM: N CANDSCAPE: N LESS THAN 50 YEARS: N PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: REQUEST: N SAMPLE: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: N COMMENT WAIVER: N LACCEPT RETURN REJECT ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS: 3/9/40 DATE Entered in the National Registes RECOM.
/CRITERIA REVIEWER DISCIPLINE DATE DOCUMENTATION see attached comments Y/N see attached SLR Y/N CLASSIFICAIION 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 _USGS maps photographs sketch maps OTHER COMMENTS Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone -presentation Signed Date 179 Washington Stree Iloucest Exterior (south+ Eas 1985 Ast Percel Ruldings of TE.
May 7. Gloucesten, Whettmoce twuse 174 Washrgtn Stree left-hand chanber ce 1985 Iot Percd Buldilysa TE, Ma., MR 1985 Ist Poid Buldigs dF. Ma, TR 26:15 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000281