BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM B - BUILDING LIKDI IEKIUD DUKVEY MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 Photos 15:20 attic 15:24 detail, southeast corner, right- hand corner 15:25 chimney girt in lobby; note chamfers in front and rear edges 15:28 exterior view Town Address Historic Name JAN 2 4 1990 264 FORM NO. 13 Wenham 009 75 Arbor Street John Perkins House iketch Map: Ypetins dir ty - Junper st. TM REFERENCE :GS QUADRANGLE "ALE E N 19 / 345-090 / 4719-410 Salem 1:25,000 Use: Present Residence Original Residence DESCRIPTION Date ca. 1710-1720 Source Visual analysis First Period core/Colonial Revivi Style exterior ArchitectUnknown Exterior Wall Fabric Clapboards/shingles Outbuildings_ Small barn - late 19th c. small shed Major Alterations (with dates) 2-story porch with overhang removed, 1- story entrance porch added mid 20th c.
Condition Good Moved No Acreage Date :6.76 acres N/ A Setting Semi-rural on secondary route to Hamilton, landscaped property with orchard and open field - 20th c. residertial surrounds Recorded by Organization Date June 1986 Anne Grady Boston University INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Canmmity: WENHAM John Perkins Property Name: House Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. SIGNIFICANCE The James Perkins House retains integrity of location, design, materials and workmanship in its late First Period frame which embodies distinctive characteristics of form and construction eligible under Criterion C.
The frame is representative of a larger number of frames dating from the early 18th century in exhibiting the meager decoration and smaller framing stock characteristic of that transitional period. The enlargement of the house by the addition of a second cell and lean-to both with chamfered frames is illustrative of typical patterns of growth in First Period buildings. The use of a transverse summer beam and different room depth dimensions in the new part are atypical solutions, however, perhaps resulting from the availability of timbers from an earlier structure. also may incorporate rare surviving evidence of a two story porch concealed in the front wall (Criterion D).
EXTERIOR DESCRIPTION The John Perkins House is a five bay wide clapboarded structure with rear additions consisting of a lean-to spanning the left-hand three bays, a gable roofed ell to the right and rear of the building and another ell to the left rear. The front, right-hand portion is the original single cell house, but the left-hand rooms and lean-to were added within a generation. The exterior is characterized by simple Revival trim including an open pedimented porch with square posts and simply-framed sash windows. The single chimney which pierces the ridge of the roof is an 1880's replacement of the original one. MAJOR FIRST PERIOD FEATURES First Period features in the form of exposed chamfered framing are visible in the left-hand room, the lobby, the lean-to and the right-hand chamber. In the original right-hand room, c. 15 square feet, there is a boxed longitudinal summer beam.
The left-hand addition, however, displays an exposed 7" wide transverse summer beam with flat chamfers. rear girt of this room is two feet closer to the front of the house than the rear girt in the original part. re tnal pare t0 The In the lobby, the exposed chimney girts, one of which is original and the other a replica, display flat chamfers on the rear edge and on the front edge normally concealed in the front wall. A late 19th century photograph shows the house with a two story enclosed porch with overhanging second story. That porch has been removed and replaced by a shallower one story extension with open porch in front of it.
The presence of the chamfer on the front edge of the summer 1 Form No: 13 Staple to Inventory form at botton INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Conmmity : WENHAM Form No: 13 Property Name: House John Perkins Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. beam, however: suggests that that edge of the beam was intended to be exposed from the beginning as inside the house. Possibly the porch shown in the 19th century photograph is an original feature of the house. The center rear room of the house in the right-hand most part of the lean-to had a kitchen fireplace until the chimney was rebuilt in 1880. In this room the beams and joists are exposed and all except the inner face of the chimney girt and the beam showing in the west wall have plain bevelled chamfers without stops.
Upstairs, only the right-hand chamber displays exposed framing. The summer tie beam is a very narrow timber perhaps 5" wide. All beams in the room, the flared posts, plate and tie beams, have a small flat chamfer. On the summer beam and the front plate the chamfers taper to a very simple stop. In the attic, roof framing is composed of principal rafters, 3 common purlins per slope and a ridge purlin. The original right-hand portion of the roof is divided into three bays, and like the summer tie beam in the chamber below the framing members are quite slim. Although the framing system is the same, it is clear that the added left-hand two bays were built in a separate building campaign. The cellar is under just the right-hand room. LATER SIGNIFICANT FEATURES A 19th century barn is in keeping with the historical character of the property.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION The property, which remains in the hands of the Perkins family, was a large farm until the turn of the 20th century. REnHAENGOwn Records, Vol. 1 (Wenham: Wenham Historical Society, 1930) supplement:2,3. 2 Staple to Inventory form at botton NPS Form 10-800-e (8-06) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number Page. OMB Approvel No. 1024-0018 1/24140 Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State First Period Buildings of Eastern Massachusetts TR Nomination/Type of Review SM61. Newman--Fiske--Dødge House 62. Noyes, James, House 5/63. O1d Farm Date/Signature Jorkeeper_ patratesatva 4oriue Sitat Suge 3/7/30 Attest Entered in the National Regiator fReeper AliloseByun 3/9/90 Attest Babstetitive Bevita Jnkeeper_ Bittof. Savese 1/9/90 Attest 64.
Old Garrison House eobrteritive Horton Keeper 65. Osborne, Prince, House Attest Entered in the Nat1ona1 Begiater Tkeeper. Aelmußgun 319/90 66. Osgood, col. John, Houstenitiva dertau Attest for Keeper_ pattt Sauge 3/9/90 Attest SUM67. Paine--Dodge House Eubatantive Bertou Keeper Bittoy Savage 3/9/90 68. Patch, Emeline, House Entered in the National Register 69. Perkins, John, House/ Entered in the Hational Register 70.
Proctor, John, House Entered in the Hational Register Attest teeeper AulmunSgu 3/9/90 Attest PReeper- AlelorAyu 3/9/40 Attest rkeeper Aeloupga 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 Perkins, John, 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 PSNH DA LIST:2/00/90 3/10/90 DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: REFERENCE NUMBER: 90000269 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: OPPER N PDTA PROBLEM: N PERODPE: N PROGRAM UNAPPROVEDN N PDIL: PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: REQUEST: N SAMPLE: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: N COMMENT WAIVER: N LACCEPT _RETURN REJECT 3/9/9U DATE Intered in the Mational Begister ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS: RECOM./CRITERIA REVIEWER DISCIPLINE DATE DOCUMENTATION see attached comments X/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 15-20 veshan,, MA Juhn uhn Perkens, Hoc 75 Arbor sheet athc 1985 Ist Arid Bulduys a/ E./ Wenhan, Tohn Perkens Aouse 75 Arbar Stree detuul past - s.e co 1985 Ist Pered Buldinse Ter May M Ist Perid Buldras E Ma, T2 15-25 Perkins House 75 Arbor St.
Wenham, Mr Extrnor vceu 1985 IstPored Buldilas of E. Ma, TR Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000281