Christopher Starbuck House, 105 Main Street, Nantucket

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS MASS,10-NANT,55-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Residence Brief Statement of Significance; One of few surviving late seventeenth century lean-to houses, half of it may have been moved from site of earlier settlement; relatively unaltered, since completed c. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1, Original and subsequent owners: It is believed that the old part of the house was moved in from Sherburne by Christopher Starbuck and the west part added by him around Christopher died in leaving the property to his son Tristram Starbuck, Zaccheus Starbuck, Tristram's son, lived in the house for many years but died in before his father, whereupon Tristram Starbuck when he died in left the house to his daughter Lydia Starbuck Gifford, Upon her death c, it was inherited by her daughter, Sarah C.

Tobey Benjamin G, Tobey), who was born in the house in Tobey lived here until she died in The house was owned for a few years by Edward F, Sanderson, who restored it and sold the property in to Mary F. Breckinridge Desha Breckinridge). She sold it in to Mr, and Charles A, Kilvert, and Mr, Kilvert is the present owner, and Christopher Starbuck Tristram Starbuck and his son Zaccheus Lydia Starbuck Gifford c. Sarah C, Tobey Edward F, Sanderson Mary F. Breckinridge Mr. and Charles A. Kilvert to date Mr, Charles A, Kilvert 2. Date of erection: From structural evidence, authorities believe the old part of the house was built about CHRISTOPHER STARBUCK HOUSE HABS No.

MASS-939 (Page 2) and moved in from old Sherburne when Christopher Starbuck built his home at the present site at the time when Gardner Street was laid out. Facing the street at a slant, thus conforming with the original street lines, this house presents a graphic picture of the olden day. It consists of two incor- porated sections the original east end and the west end which was added some time between and The latter date appears on the wall of an upstairs closet. 3. Architect: Unknown 4. Original plans, construction, etc.: The house in reality is two houses in one, with the east end earlier than the west.

Douglas-Lithgow, historian, in an article in the Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror under date of August 19, stated, "From its fireplace and oven, the cedar frames to windows, long northern roof sloping down to lean-to, in addition to peculiar- ities of construction - I believe this section was built during the first quarter of the eighteenth century. The house now standing is a two-etory lean-to, which might indicate a later age, but some of the peculiarities of the east end render it possible that this section was built wherever it came from soon after." The very large fireplace in the east section has an oven at its back, indicating that the room was once a kitchen or "hall".

The dining-room in the western half of the house is smaller than the room on the east and has a much smaller fireplace, 5. Notes on alterations and additions: When the house was restored in the only the sills had to be replaced. Sills in the earliest houses were laid directly on the ground and were therefore the first part of the framing to rot. Today its oak summer beams, girts and corner posts, the huge fireplaces and their mantles and the wide pine floor boards are all restored to their original condition. The modern paper and plaster were removed from the walls. Historical Events Connected with the Structure: The custom of moving old buildings into the new town at Nantucket was due to the fact that there were almost no trees on the Island which could be used for building purposes.

As a result, all the wood for the houses had to be brought in from the main- land at considerable cost, thereby necessitating the re-use of any lumber already present on the Island, "The new house was not laid out according to the existing street lines, but rather it was oriented due south in agree- ment with a strict compass reading," (Abstract, A Mirror of Nantucket by Fowlkes) Note; Here are two versions for CHRISTOPHER STARBUCK HOUSE HABS No, MASS-939 (Page 3) the reason that the house faces the street at a slant. Edouard A.

Stackpole in his Ramblings stated that it was so built to conform to the original street lines, C, Sources of Information: 1, Old Views: Old photograph in Nantucket Lands and Land Owners by Henry Barnard Worth} drawing in Nantucket, the Far-Away Island by William Oliver Stevens, three photographs in House Beautiful magazine, September, photograph Sunday Standard- Times t New Bedford, Mass,, February 24, 2.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS MASS,10-NANT,55-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Douglas-Lithgow, Robert Alexander, (article), Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror, August 19, Fowlkes, George Allen, A Mirror of Nantucket, An Architectural History of The Island. New Jerseyi Press of Interstate, Stackpole, Edouard A, Rambling Through the Streets and Lanes of Nantucket, New Bedford, Prepared by Marie M, Coffin Nantucket, Massachusetts July, PART II.

PROJECT INFORMATION These records were prepared for the Historic American Buildings Survey project on Nantucket, Massachusetts, They are part of a continuing HABS comprehensive survey of the early architecture and urban design of Nantucket financed by a grant from the Nantucket Historical Trust, The project was under the general supervision of James C, Massey, Chief of the Historic American Buildings Survey, Historical infor- mation was provided by Marie M, Coffin of Nantucket, Massachusetts, Photographs are by Cortlandt V, D, Hubbard of Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania. The material was edited for deposit in the Library of Congress by Constance Werner Ramirez, July Addendum to: CHRISTOPHER STARBUCK HOUSE HABS Mo. MA-939 10G Main Street; Nantucket Nantucket Coanty H/\es Massachusetts 10-MA!

REDUCED COPIES OF DRAWINGS HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY PRESERVATION INSTITUTE: NANTUCKET University of Florida Department of Architecture Gainesville, Florida