47 McLean Street (House), Boston

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS MASS,13-BOST,64-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

during the second quarter of the eentury, demolished for the Boston West End Redevelopment, PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History 1. Original and subsequent owners: William G. Taylor, owner in 3* M. Hopkins & Co., Atlas of the County of Suffolk, Mass., (Philadelphia, vol. 1, Ward 3, pi. 2. Date of erection; Second quarter of century (on basis of style). 3. Notes on alterations and additions: A bay window on the second-floor front room was possibly added about the middle of the eentury or later, A late century mantel has been added in the first-floor front room. The rear ell appears somewhat later in date than the main house; otherwise the house is little changed, B. Likely sources not yet investigated: Suffolk Co. Land records, Registry of Deeds; Suffolk Co.

probate records, Registry of Probate; Boston City Assessors' records. PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement 1. Architectural Character: This is a typical example of West End brick house of the second quarter of the century. 2. Condition of Fabric; Good (much better than many in this condemned West End area). HOUSE HABS No* (Page 2) % B. Technical Description of Exterior f^.e sf 1, Foundations: Regular ashlar. 2, Wall construction: Brick, running "bond. 3, Chimneys: Two, east side wall of the house, the front one of which has been elongated to clear the roof on building next east which is higher. 4, Openings a. Doorways and doors: Recessed entry way under a sandstone lintel. Four-panel front door framed by sidelights.

b, Windows and shutters: Double hung windows with simple wood frames in masonry openings with sandstone lintels and sills. Original sash replaced with 2 light sash over 2 light sash. Shutters, probably original, have fixed louvers. A second floor bay window has three shuttered double hung windows: 6 light sash over 6 light in the center and 4 light over 4 light on each side. The lower halves of the bay window shutters have adjustable louvers. 5, Roof a. Shape, covering: Gable roof covered with shingles, with the ridge and eaves parallel to the front. b. Cornice: Corbeled brick cornice with brick dentils. c. Dormers: Single shed roofed dormer with one 6 light over 6 light double hung window.. G. Technical Description of Interior 1.

Floor Plans: Entrance and stair hall on the left hand bay or northwest side of the house; with two rooms, front and back opening from it on the southeast side, 2. Stairways: The main stairway is in the front entrance hall. It is an open string stair, straight run, with a 90 degree turn at the top. The turn is curved on the stair between the first and second floors and angled above. The railing has a molded handrail and round balusters. 3. Flooring: Wood. HOUSE HABS No. (Page 3) jn* % 4. Wall and ceiling finish: Plaster walls and ceilings; ^0^ }3 papered walls. 5. Doorways and doors: Doors removed from house; doorways typical of the period with heavily molded frames and embossed corner blocks. 6.

Trim: Molded "baseboard in the principal room, first floor, elsewhere plain or beaded baseboard, Windows framed with heavily molded architraves and embossed corner blocks. Windows have paneled interior shutters and paneled dadoes below. 7. Lighting: Modern electrical fixtures. 8. Heating: Most of the fireplaces are bricked up and the house heated by a central furnace. Several of the mantels were removed from the house before there was any opportunity to record them. D. General setting and orientation: This is a row house, three bays wide, and four stories plus attic. It faces southwest. The house is in a row of several buildings with party walls on both sides. The front of the house is at the sidewalk,line, Prepared by Abbott L.

Cummings, Assistant Director Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities Boston, Ifessachusetts - December m